How to Order Custom Apparel for Your Organization: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you have never ordered custom apparel for your organization before, the process can feel like a lot of unknowns. How to order custom apparel is one of those things that seems simple until you actually sit down to do it — what file format does my logo need to be in, how many sizes should I order, what blank brand should I choose, how long will it take, what is the minimum? I walk clients through this every week, and the questions are almost always the same. So here is the guide I wish every first-time customer had before reaching out.

This applies whether you are a fire department ordering fundraiser tees, a campground building a camp store collection, a small business outfitting your staff, or a booster club producing spirit wear. The custom apparel ordering process follows the same path regardless of the organization type.

Step 1: Gather Your Artwork and Design Ideas

The single most important thing you can prepare before reaching out is your logo or design artwork. The better the source file, the better the final print.

Ideal file formats: Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG) are the gold standard because they scale to any size without losing quality. High-resolution PNG files (300 DPI minimum) with transparent backgrounds are the next best option. These formats give me clean lines, accurate colors, and the flexibility to size the design for different placements and products.

What still works: If all you have is a JPEG from your website, a photo of a business card, or a rough sketch on paper, do not let that stop you. I work with what you have. I can clean up low-resolution files, rebuild logos from reference images, and develop designs from scratch concepts. Artwork assistance is included with every order. I do not charge hidden "art setup" fees.

What to think about: Do you want the same design on everything, or different treatments for different products (full logo on tees, simplified mark on hats)? Do you have specific brand colors, or are you open to my recommendation? Do you want front-only printing, or front and back? These decisions do not need to be final before you reach out. They are part of the consultation. But having a general idea speeds up the process.

Step 2: Choose Your Blanks

The blank is the garment itself before any printing or embroidery happens. This is where most first-time custom apparel customers have questions, and it is where the quality of your finished product is largely determined.

I work primarily with three blank brands, and each serves a different purpose:

Comfort Colors. Heavyweight garment-dyed cotton with a broken-in softness from day one. The 1717 tee and 1566 crewneck are my most-ordered blanks for custom apparel. They come in 60-plus colors and have the kind of premium feel that makes people actually want to wear the shirt. Best for: camp store merchandise, fundraiser tees, staff shirts, and any application where comfort and perceived quality matter.

Bella Canvas. Modern retail-quality fit with a smoother hand feel. The 3001 tee has a fitted silhouette that appeals to a younger demographic and produces exceptionally clean DTF prints. Best for: businesses wanting a polished, contemporary look, boutique-style branded apparel, and events targeting a style-conscious audience.

Gildan. The workhorse for hoodies and budget-conscious bulk orders. The 18500 hooded sweatshirt and 18000 crewneck offer excellent DTF print adhesion at a price point that works for large fundraiser runs and event merchandise. Best for: high-volume orders where budget is the primary constraint.

If you are unsure which blank is right for your project, I can help you decide during our consultation. For a deeper comparison, read our guide to choosing between Gildan, Bella Canvas, and Comfort Colors for business apparel.

Step 3: Determine Your Quantities and Size Breakdown

Our minimum order is 12 pieces per style. You can mix sizes freely within that minimum. 2 smalls, 4 mediums, 3 larges, 2 XLs, and 1 XXL is perfectly fine. What I need is an accurate size breakdown before production starts.

If you are ordering for a group (staff, team, organization members), the best approach is to survey everyone for their preferred size before placing the order. Do not guess. The most common issue I see with first-time orders is size distribution: too many mediums, not enough XXLs. People tend to underestimate how many larger sizes they need.

For merchandise that will be sold (camp stores, fundraisers, events), I recommend a standard distribution weighted toward medium through XL, with smaller runs of S and XXL/3XL. The exact split depends on your audience. A fire department fundraiser will skew larger than a boutique collection aimed at women. I can recommend a size distribution based on what has worked for similar organizations.

Step 4: The Consultation and Design Approval

Once you reach out with your artwork, product preferences, and quantity needs, the consultation phase begins. This is where we dial in the details.

I review your artwork and recommend the best print method for your design. For most orders, that is DTF (Direct-to-Film) transfers, full-color, photo-quality prints that work on any blank color with 50-plus wash durability. For simpler logos on hats and polos, embroidery may be the better fit. For large runs of simple designs, screen printing can be the most cost-effective option.

I create digital mockups showing your design on the selected blank in the colors you have chosen. You can see exactly how the finished product will look before committing to production. For orders of 50 or more pieces, I can produce a physical test print so you can see and feel the actual product.

If your organization has a committee or approval chain (and fire departments, booster clubs, and corporate marketing teams almost always do) the mockup stage is where that approval happens. I can provide mockup files in formats easy to share with your decision-makers.

Step 5: Production

After design approval, your order enters production in my York, PA studio. Each piece is individually processed. DTF transfers are pressed one at a time with heat, pressure, and dwell time calibrated for the specific blank. This is not automated mass production. Every shirt gets the same attention whether it is the first piece in the run or the hundredth.

Typical turnaround times from design approval to shipping:

DTF-printed orders: 1 to 2 weeks for standard orders. Rush options may be available depending on studio capacity.

Embroidered orders: 2 to 3 weeks, accounting for digitizing time and slower machine production speed.

Ice-dyed pieces: 2 to 3 weeks due to the 24-hour dye-set process and multi-step rinse cycle.

I will give you an estimated completion date when you approve the design, and I communicate proactively if anything changes. You will not be left wondering where your order is.

Step 6: Quality Check and Delivery

Every single piece gets inspected before it ships. I check print alignment, color accuracy, adhesion quality, and blank condition. If a piece does not meet the standard, it gets pulled and replaced. You will never receive a shirt I would not proudly wear myself.

Orders are sorted by size, counted, and packed for shipping via USPS, UPS, or FedEx with tracking. For local York-area organizations, direct delivery or pickup can be arranged. Each order ships with tracking information so you know exactly when to expect your apparel.

Tips for a Smooth First Order

A few things that make the process faster and easier based on hundreds of orders I have processed:

Get your size survey done early. This is consistently the step that holds up orders the most. Do not wait until after design approval to figure out who needs what size.

Share your deadline upfront. If you need shirts by a specific date for an event, fundraiser, or staff onboarding, tell me during the initial consultation so I can plan production accordingly. Last-minute rushes are stressful for everyone and sometimes not possible.

Provide the best artwork file you have. Even if it is not perfect, send it. I will tell you honestly if it needs work and handle the cleanup. What slows things down is back-and-forth trying to find a file. Just send what you have and we will work from there.

Trust the blank recommendation. If I suggest Comfort Colors over a cheaper option, it is because I know from experience that the finished product will be significantly better. The per-piece cost difference is small. The quality difference is not.

Ready to Place Your First Order?

The process is simpler than it probably seems from reading about it. Share your artwork, tell me about your organization and what you need, and I handle the rest: blank selection, print method, mockups, production, quality control, and shipping. Explore our custom apparel program, browse our graphic tee services, check out our blank comparison guide, or reach out directly to get started. Every order gets personal attention from me in my studio. Your organization's name is on every piece, and I treat that with the care it deserves.