FAQs | T-Shirt Elephant

FAQs

General

What are your hours of operation?

We are open from 9am - 5pm EST, Monday through Friday. Please feel free to email us at orders@tshirtelephant.com​ anytime after hours as we answer all emails in the order we receive them the next day.

How do I get a quote?

The easiest way to get a quote is to use our Design Studio. Simply upload your design on your selected product and then hit the Get Quote button on the bottom of the screen. Once you are on the quote screen, select your desired quantity and then hit Update Quote. You will be given a quote for the total, and the cost for each item.

Do you do sample orders?

Because of the extremely high order volume we process, we do not offer free sample orders as a service. However, you’re welcome to place a small order before you plan on placing a larger order to test out our printing service. In addition, if you’re worried about print quality, please check out our gallery page for some images of our work. Please note that there is no guarantee that a sample or a smaller sized order will be printed with the same print method as a larger sized order. For small quantity orders, we almost always use DTG Printing and Vinyl, whereas on larger orders, we tend to use Screen Printing more often. Please keep this in mind when placing orders for samples.

What is the best way to get in touch with someone at T-Shirt Elephant?

You can either email us at orders@tshirtelephant.com or call customer service (during operating hours) at +1 844 593 5855.

Where are you located?

We are located in Toronto, Canada.

What is your return/exchange/cancellation policy?

Please see our Return Policy page.

Do you offer sponsorships?

We do offer sponsorships. To see if you are eligible please fill in the sponsorship request form on our website.

Do you offer special reseller pricing or wholesale pricing?

No, we do not. What you see on the website is what you get.

What happens if an item I ordered is out of stock?

If any product is out of stock we then reserve the right to replace the item with an item of equal or higher quality and value. If you have any questions and/or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out at orders@tshirtelephant.com.

What happens if my order is late or exceeds the estimated delivery date?

T-Shirt Elephant strives to deliver all orders by the estimated delivery date provided on our website, cart pages, and invoices. Please note, the ship-to date on our website refers to the day the order will ship from our location, not the date it will be delivered by. Most orders are delivered 1-5 business days after they are shipped based on your location in Canada. Orders shipping to major cities generally arrive faster, while rural areas will take longer. At T-Shirt Elephant, we are able to offer a very wide range of specialty products, such as Athletic Knit jerseys, Made in Canada apparel from Redwoods Classics and Jerico, as well as unique hats from Otto Cap. These suppliers often take longer to ship apparel to us for decoration. With that in mind, all orders placed where products from Athletic Knit, Jerico, Redwoods Classics, or Otto Cap are being used may experience production delays that fall outside or estimated delivery dates.

All orders are based on estimated delivery dates, orders that arrive after the estimated date will not be refunded for missing these dates. We will however do our very best to ship on our by these dates and to communicate any issues that may lead to a late order if possible.

Customers requiring a guaranteed date should use our expedited and rush options, as we can guarantee the delivery date of these orders.

What happens if I want to change my order or add notes to my order?

We allow customers to add notes to their orders to help clarify any additional details that could be reverent to their order. However, notes may not be followed exactly, and all designs will be printed the same size on all shirts, unless the customer contacts us BEFORE placing the order.

We will under no circumstances allow notes to be made after an order is placed. We will allow orders to be cancelled only up to 24 hours after the order is placed, otherwise orders cannot be cancelled under any circumstances.

What happens if there is a problem with my order?

At T-Shirt Elephant, if the custom products you receive differ materially from what you created or if the goods are otherwise flawed, or if your order arrives significantly later than promised, then you may be eligible to return the custom goods for refund within 15 days of receiving your custom order. We will have to take 1-2 business days to review a claim for a reprint or refund. Please note, we will not provide refunds for artwork that falls within our standard artwork size and for garments that differ slightly than the size charts listed on our website. For items that are stained, damaged, or where the print is significantly different from what has been ordered, you may be eligible for a refund.

Why does my shirt look different from the website?

While we attempt to show colours of garments on our website accurately, the actual colour of any merchandise may differ from that shown on our website due to the nature of a garment’s manufacturing process. This may include, but is not limited to: variations in colour (due to dye lots) and sizing.

Products

Do you offer Youth sizes?

Some of our products come in youth sizes, please check the product page for details.

Do you offer products made in Canada?

Yes. We have a selection from several Canadian manufacturers in the “Made in Canada” section of our product catalogue.

Do you have sizing charts?

Sizing charts are available on the individual product pages.

Can I bring in my own products to get them printed on?

If you have a specific item you would like printed on or embroidered then please contact us at orders@tshirtelephant.com and we will try to work with your specifications.

What happens when an item is out of stock (order substitutions)?

T-Shirt Elephant reserves the right to substitute any garments or colour options that are out of stock with an item of an equal or greater value. We will try and substitute colour options and garments to something that matches as close as possible. We will get in touch with information about substitutions over email before they are made.

I am having difficulty using the Design Studio, where can I get help?

Our design studio is straight forward to use, but we are here to help with any questions you may have. Please email or with any question. Also, please watch the design studio tutorials below:

(1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOIpyJTUMwc

(2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIRzgJMWp6o

(3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJZeJxtfY2A

Is the design studio to scale? How do I guarantee design print size, design placement, and why is my design larger or small then it appears on the design studio mock up?

Our design studio is not to scale. The design studio is for mock up purposes only. Do not worry if your design is placed a little too low, or not perfectly centred; we will ensure your design alignment is centred and that the placement from the seams and necklines falls within our standard print size and alignment guidelines. The design studio mock ups are not perfectly to scale. Artwork maybe printed smaller or larger then it appears on your design studio mock up. Please refer to our standard print size guide, if you need a specific print size measurement please include that size in the note section of your order.

Standard Print Size Guide:

Garments are sized by suppliers and size charts are available, linked, on the product page. Please note that individual garments may vary from the size charts. We are not able to process refunds for garments that do not fit based on expectations. Artwork size and positioning cannot be guaranteed. We will endeavour to use artwork sized as supplied, but we may resize or reposition artwork to fit within our normal production parameters.

Please see our standard print size guideline below:

Front Left or Right Chest: 3-4" wide

Front Standard: 10-12" wide

Back Standard 10"-12 wide

Sleeve Prints: 3.5" - 5" wide

Hats: 3-5" wide

Refunds will not be provided for artwork sizes that fall within our standard parameters regardless of the size of the mock up you have created in the design studio.

Do you carry eco friendly products?

Yes we do. We have a line of eco-friendly recycled polyester and organic cotton items: http://www.tshirtelephant.com/eco-friendly

Packing & Shipping

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes, we offer free standard shipping on all orders, placed via the website, over $250.

Do you offer rush shipping?

We offer two rush options at checkout for speedy deliveries.

Rush Delivery orders will ship within 10 business days and cost an additional 25% of the order subtotal.

Super Rush Delivery orders will ship within 7 business days and cost an additional 50% of the order subtotal.

What is the standard delivery time for an order?

Standard production is 14 business days in-house plus 3-5 business days for delivery.

How is my order shipped?

Depending on your location within Canada your order will be shipped by UPS or by Canada Post. We tend to use Canada Post for more rural locations and UPS for orders in major cities.

How do I get a tracking number for my order?

A tracking number (if applicable) will be provided via email once your order has shipped.

Can I pick up an order?

We offer local pick up in Toronto, but this needs to be arranged with our customer service representatives. You can find their email on our Contact page. We do not offer this as an option on our website.

Do you ship to PO boxes?

Yes, but we have to ship to PO boxes via Canada Post.

Do you ship outside of Canada?

We can arrange to ship outside of Canada, please contact our customer service.

Art & Design

What resolution is optimal for my artwork?

Vector is ideal, but 300dpi will do nicely as well.

What file types do you accept for upload?

We accept .jpeg, .png, .eps, and .pdf.

For best results, please use high resolution .jpeg or .png images, or vectored .eps/.pdf images without embedded artwork with all fonts converted to outlines.

My image looks pixelated, can you fix it?

We do our best to clean up any images before we print them, if it looks like your design will print blurry or pixelated then we will notify you and work toward a resolution.

Do you offer sleeve printing?

Sleeve printing is only available on the Gildan Heavy Cotton (G5000). Please use our online design studio to add your custom sleeve art.

Will you screen print my order, or will you use DTG?

Smaller quantity orders are typically printed with either DTG or using vinyl at the discretion of our printers, unless specified by the customer. Larger orders may be screen printed. This can change depending on the number of colours in the artwork as well.

What happens if the artwork I upload infringes on copyright laws?

If artwork contains elements that might violate copyright (logos, brands, characters, etc.), we reserve the right to remove such elements and print the remaining graphic without these elements.

If an order contains elements that might violate copyright, and we are not able to remove such elements from the artwork, we reserve the right to request alternative artwork from the customer. Such orders cannot be cancelled or refunded.

What happens if my artwork or garments are sized larger or small then expected?

Garments are sized by suppliers and size charts are available, linked, on the product page. Please note that individual garments may vary from the size charts. We are not able to process refunds for garments that do not fit based on expectations.

Artwork size and positioning cannot be guaranteed. We will endeavour to use artwork sized as supplied, but we may resize or reposition artwork to fit within our normal production parameters. Please see our standard print size guideline below:

Front Left or Right Chest: 3-4” wide

Front Standard: 10-12" wide

Back Standard 10"-12 wide

Sleeve Prints: 3.5" - 5" wide

Hats: 3-5" wide

Refunds will not be provided for artwork sizes that fall within our standard parameters regardless of the size of the mock up you have created in the design studio.

What happens if my artwork differs or has been adjusted based on what I uploaded?

We allow customers to add notes to their orders to help clarify any additional details that could be reverent to their order. However, notes may not be followed exactly, and all designs will be printed the same size on all shirts, unless the customer contacts us BEFORE placing the order.

We will under no circumstances allow notes to be made after an order is placed. We will allow orders to be cancelled only up to 24 hours after the order is placed, otherwise orders cannot be cancelled under any circumstances.

What if my art is not print quality?

We will do what we can to ensure your art is print ready which means at times we will have to clean up or fix artwork. Providing artwork that is not print ready (low quality, needing adjustments, etc) may cause delays in production and the Estimated Delivery date for the order will begin after T-Shirt Elephant has fixed the artwork and made it print ready.

Pricing & Payment

How do you determine pricing?

We determine pricing based on the cost of the specific product, the number of colours used in your design, and by the quantity of shirts required for your order. Everything is calculated automatically through the site.

Is there an additional charge for set up fees?

No, we do not charge separate set up fees. Pricing is all-inclusive.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept VISA, MC, and AMEX.

Print Methods

What is screen printing?

Screen Printing is a professional print method that uses permanent and vibrantly coloured plastisol ink pressed through mesh (the screen). The ink is printed directly onto the t-shirt fabric and cured at 350 degrees to ensure the print never fades, cracks or peels. Screen Printing ensures a better final product that will outlast any other printing method. Screen printing is ideal for large quantities because the process allows for greater price breaks based on how many shirts are printed at once.

What is DTG?

Direct to Garment Printing is a high-quality method of printing custom apparel. It is ideal for spot-colours (solid colours) and produces vibrant prints that leave a smooth texture on the t-shirt. Screen Printing is ideal for larger orders because it allows us to offer our customers the best possible price for low runs while also offering incredible quality prints. Direct to Garment Printing uses a specially formatted inkjet printer that prints water-based ink directly into the fabric of your t-shirts. DTG printing is ideally used to print multi-colour images of small quantities of t-shirts, or to reproduce photos or full colour graphics. Direct to Garment leaves a softer feel, but still has the same long-lasting durability as Screen Printing.

Do you use iron-ons?

Never. Iron-ons are a cheap, non-permanent, method of heat pressing a printed piece of paper into the fabric of a t-shirt. It can be distinguished by the eye quite easily by its low quality. Iron-ons have dull colours, borders around the image, and often fade, crack, or peel after a few washes.

How do I place an order for embroidery?

Hat or headwear orders placed through the website will most often be embroidered, but in the case of high colour or full colour images they will be printed digitally. We also reserve the right to use the best decoration method possible at our discretion. We base this decision on the quantity and style of items and type of art work placed in your order.

If you’re interested in using our embroidery service for a different garment, such as a sweater or a jacket, you will need to get in touch with our customer service reps through email orders@tshirtelephant.com for more information regarding pricing.

What if I print black on a black garment or white on a white garment?

Due to the nature of our printing process, if you choose to print a black image on a black garment, or white image on a white garment (or any variation of non-contrasting colours), the image may not be easily visible. We do not recommend printing non-contrasting colours as the results are usually not what is expected or represented in the editor.

We hope that our FAQs helped to give you more information about T-Shirt Elephant and our products. If you could not find an answer to your question, or you would like more information, please feel free to contact our customer service team. We are always available to help answer your questions and make it a priority make order custom apparel as simple and easy as possible.

Our FAQs are always evolving, if you think there should be another Question + Answer on here, please be sure to send us an email. We would greatly appreciate your feedback and help!