Ice Dye Preorder vs. Ready to Ship: Which Is Right for You?

One of the most common questions I get from customers shopping for ice dye apparel is the difference between a preorder and a ready-to-ship piece. Both options exist in my shop for a reason, and they serve different needs. Understanding how each one works will help you decide which is the better fit, whether you want something in your hands fast or you want input on the colors and style. Here's the honest breakdown of how preorders and ready-to-ship pieces work at Floorboard Findings.

How Ready-to-Ship Ice Dye Works

Ready-to-ship pieces are exactly what the name says. These are ice-dyed garments that I've already completed: dyed, rinsed, washed, dried, inspected, and photographed. They're sitting in my studio right now, ready to be packed and shipped as soon as you place your order.

The key thing to understand about ready-to-ship is that the photo you see in the listing is the exact piece you'll receive. Not a similar piece, not a piece in the same colorway. The actual garment in the photograph. Each listing has the specific brand, size, and colorway noted, and what's pictured is what shows up at your door.

This is where the one-of-a-kind nature of ice dye becomes especially relevant. Every piece I create has a unique pattern because of how the ice melts and carries the dye through the fabric. When you see a ready-to-ship piece you love (the specific way the colors split, the particular flow of the pattern, the depth of contrast in that exact garment), that is the only one. If someone else buys it first, it's gone. I can't recreate it. That's not a sales tactic; it's the reality of how ice dye works.

Ready-to-ship is the right choice when you want to see exactly what you're getting before you buy, when you need the piece quickly (gifts, events, impatient excitement), or when a specific piece in the shop catches your eye and you don't want to risk it selling before you come back.

How Preorders Work

Preorders are made-to-order pieces. You choose the garment type (crewneck, hoodie, tee, tank), the size, and the colorway you want, and I dye it specifically for you. Preorders take about 5-7 days to ship because I need time to dye the piece, let it cure for a full 24 hours, rinse and wash it through multiple cycles until the water runs clear, dry it, and inspect it before packaging.

The important distinction with preorders is that you're choosing a colorway, not an exact pattern. If you order a "Boysenberry" crewneck, you'll get a piece dyed with Boysenberry (which splits into deep plum, rose pink, and pale lavender) but the specific pattern of how those colors flow through the fabric will be unique to your piece. It will be in the same color family as other Boysenberry pieces I've dyed, but the organic, watercolor-like distribution of those colors will be yours alone.

I sometimes describe it this way: ready-to-ship is like choosing a painting off a gallery wall. Preorder is like commissioning a painting in colors you love — the palette is yours to choose, but the final brushwork is mine.

Preorders are the right choice when you want a specific colorway that's not currently available in ready-to-ship inventory, when you need a particular size that's out of stock in the pieces on hand, when you want coordinated pieces (sibling sets, matching crew for an event), or when you like the idea of something being made specifically for you.

What's the Same Between Both Options

Whether you order ready-to-ship or preorder, the product quality is identical. Same premium blanks (Comfort Colors, Bella Canvas, Gildan depending on the garment type). Same fiber-reactive Procion MX dyes. Same 24-hour cure time. Same thorough rinse and wash process. Same quality inspection before shipping.

Pricing is also the same. A Comfort Colors crewneck costs the same whether you grab it from the ready-to-ship collection or order it as a preorder. The value of the handwork doesn't change based on which path the piece takes to get to you.

Both options are truly one of a kind. This is the part that surprises some customers: even the preorders are unique. I can't make two identical ice-dyed pieces even if I try. The way ice melts, the way dye powder migrates through water, the way fabric absorbs pigment at different rates in different areas. There are too many variables for any two pieces to come out the same. So whether you're choosing a piece that already exists or having one made, you're getting something nobody else will have.

Common Questions About Both Options

Can I request a specific pattern with a preorder?

You can request a general style — more marbled, more concentrated color, heavier saturation, lighter and more pastel, and I'll adjust my technique accordingly. But I can't guarantee a specific pattern. The beauty of ice dye is in the organic unpredictability. If you need to see the exact piece before committing, ready-to-ship is the better option for you.

What if a ready-to-ship piece sells out in my size?

Place a preorder in the same colorway. I'll dye it in your size with the same dye colors. The pattern will be different (every piece is) but the color palette will match what drew you to the original piece.

Do preorders ever take longer than 5-7 days?

Occasionally, during high-volume periods (holidays, seasonal launches), preorders can take a few extra days. If there's going to be a delay beyond the standard timeframe, I communicate that directly. I'd rather set honest expectations than leave a customer wondering where their order is.

Can I preorder as a gift?

Absolutely. If you're ordering for someone else and aren't sure about the colorway, you might also consider a gift card so they can choose their own. But if you know what they'd love, a preorder in their size and favorite color palette makes a thoughtful, personal gift, especially since it was literally made for them.

Browse Both Collections

Take a look at what's currently available in the ready-to-ship collection. These are the pieces photographed and on hand right now. If you don't see your size or the colorway you're looking for, head to the preorder collection and I'll make it for you. Either way, you're getting a one-of-a-kind, hand ice-dyed piece made in my York, PA studio with the same care and quality behind every garment.