Save Money & Avoid Mistakes: 10 Questions Before Ordering Custom T-Shirts

The single biggest mistake buyers make is not setting a budget before they start shopping. Without a clear budget, you're likely to overspend on premium features you don't need—or worse, get sticker shock and settle for cheap quality that hurts your brand.

How to Set Your Budget

Work backwards from what you can afford:

1. Determine your total spend — What can you realistically allocate?
2. Divide by quantity — If your budget is $500 and you need 50 shirts, that's $10/shirt
3. Account for decoration — A one-colour screen print adds $12.04 per shirt at 24 and $6.75 at 100, on top of the blank. More colours and locations add more.
4. Leave 10-15% buffer — For shipping, extras, or design changes

The fabric and style you choose should match how the shirts will be used. A lightweight cotton tee is perfect for a summer festival, but it's wrong for a hockey team that needs moisture-wicking performance wear.

Fabric Guide

• 100% Cotton — Soft, breathable, and the most popular choice. Best for casual wear, events, and everyday use. Absorbs ink beautifully for screen printing.
• 50/50 Cotton-Poly Blend — More durable than pure cotton, less shrinkage, still comfortable. Great for work uniforms that get washed frequently.
• 100% Polyester — Moisture-wicking, durable, holds shape. Ideal for sports, athletics, and outdoor activities. Requires different printing methods (DTF or sublimation).
• Tri-Blend (Cotton/Poly/Rayon) — The softest, most comfortable feel. Premium pricing but excellent for retail-quality apparel and brand merchandise.

Style Considerations

• Unisex vs. Women's Cut — Unisex fits both men and women well. Women's cut runs smaller with different proportions—only order if specifically requested.
• Standard vs. Fitted — Standard/classic fit is roomier and safer for diverse groups. Fitted styles look sharper but sizing is trickier.
• Weight — Lightweight (4-5 oz) for summer/giveaways, midweight (5.5-6 oz) for year-round, heavyweight (6+ oz) for premium feel.

Don't guess on sizes—it's one of the most common and frustrating mistakes. Ordering too many mediums and not enough XL and 2XL leaves people without shirts that fit, and you with unsold inventory.

Best Practice: Survey Your Group

If possible, collect size preferences before ordering. A simple Google Form or email survey prevents most sizing issues.

Standard Size Distribution (When You Can't Survey)

For mixed adult groups, this distribution works well:

The right printing method depends on your design, quantity, fabric, and budget. Choosing wrong can mean higher costs, lower durability, or prints that don't look as expected.

Quick Comparison

• Screen Printing — Best for 24+ pieces with 1-4 solid colours. Most durable and cost-effective at volume. The industry standard for custom apparel.
• DTF (Direct to Film) — Best for detailed designs, photos, or small quantities. No colour limits. Great for complex artwork on any fabric colour.
• Embroidery — Best for polos, jackets, hats, and corporate wear. Premium, textured look. Most durable—thread outlasts the garment.

For screen printing, fewer colours = lower cost. Each colour requires a separate screen, so a 4-colour design costs significantly more than a 1-colour design.

Smart Colour Strategies

• Use the shirt colour as a "free" colour — Printing on a green shirt? Make the green parts of your design transparent instead of printing green ink.
• Simplify gradients — Gradients require special techniques. Solid colours are cleaner and cheaper.
• One-colour designs can look great — A bold, simple design often looks better than a busy multi-colour one.

Each print location (front, back, sleeve, etc.) multiplies your cost. A shirt with front AND back printing costs roughly twice as much as front-only.

Common Print Locations

• Full Front — The classic placement, great for large logos and graphics
• Left Chest — Professional, subtle branding (popular for corporate/uniforms)
• Full Back — Good for sponsor logos, team names, or large graphics
• Sleeves — Adds visibility, great for sports teams

Bad artwork is a leading cause of disappointing results. Blurry logos, tiny text, and low-resolution images don't print well—no matter how good the printer is.

What Makes Artwork "Print-Ready"?

• Vector files (AI, EPS, PDF) — Scale infinitely without losing quality. Ideal for logos and graphics.
• High-resolution raster (PNG, JPG) — At least 300 DPI at print size. A small web logo won't work.
• Clean edges — No fuzzy borders or compression artifacts.
• Readable text — Text smaller than 1/4" (6pt) may not print clearly, especially on textured fabrics.

Don't Have Professional Artwork?

You have several options:

1. Hire a graphic designer — Best results, worth the investment for logos you'll reuse
2. Use Canva — Create designs yourself, then download as high-quality PNG (300 DPI)
3. Use our Design Studio — Built-in text tools and clip art library, no design skills needed

Hidden fees are one of the most frustrating surprises in custom apparel. Many companies advertise low per-shirt prices, then add setup fees, screen charges, and digitizing fees that inflate your total.

Common Hidden Fees to Watch For

• Screen setup fees — charged per colour for screen printing
• Digitizing fees — for embroidery artwork conversion
• Art preparation fees — to clean up or convert artwork
• Rush fees — 30% to 100% of the product subtotal for a guaranteed rush date
• Small order surcharges — Extra fees for orders below minimum quantities

Minimum Order Quantities

Many custom apparel companies set minimums of 12 to 24 pieces. T-Shirt Elephant has no minimum order for any method:

• Screen Printing: No minimum, most cost-effective from about 24 pieces (you can mix sizes)
• DTF Printing: No minimum, ideal for small orders
• Embroidery: No minimum, order as few as 1 (you can mix styles with the same logo and placement)

Last-minute orders are expensive orders. Rush fees add 30% to 100% of the product subtotal, and expedited shipping costs even more. Planning ahead is one of the easiest ways to save money.

Standard Production Timeline

• Artwork approval: 1-3 days (faster if files are print-ready)
• Production: 10 business days
• Shipping: 2-5 business days within Canada
• Total: Plan for 3-4 weeks from order to delivery

Rush Options (When You're in a Pinch)

• Guaranteed rush production: 7, 5, 3 or 2 business days, chosen at checkout (from 30% extra)
• Express shipping: 1-2 business days (additional fee applies)

You'd be surprised how often discounts are available—but only if you ask. Many custom apparel companies offer special pricing for certain organizations or large orders.

Discounts to Ask About

• Non-profit/charity discounts — Reduced pricing for registered charities and community organizations
• School/education discounts — Special rates for schools, universities, and student groups
• Sports league discounts — Volume pricing for multi-team orders
• Bulk order discounts — Significant savings at higher quantities