How can we help?
Straight answers on designing, products, printing methods, ordering, and delivery, written by the people who actually run the presses. Pick a topic to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions we’re asked most, answered in plain English.
How is my price determined?
Your price per item is built from four things: the product you choose, how many you order, how many ink colors are in your design, and how many print locations you use. Quantity is the biggest lever — printing is a setup-heavy process, so the cost of preparing your artwork is spread across every piece in the run. Ordering fifty shirts instead of twenty-five usually drops the per-shirt price noticeably. Premium fabrics, specialty inks, embroidery and extra print locations add to the total. You’ll always see a live per-item price before you check out.
How many items do I have to order?
Minimums depend on the printing method rather than the product. Screen printing needs a minimum run to justify preparing the screens, while digital methods like DTG and DTF can be produced in very small quantities, sometimes a single piece. Embroidery sits between the two. The Online Design Tool shows the minimum for whatever you’ve currently selected, and it updates the moment you switch products or printing methods. Our current minimums are depend on the product; kindly contact us to discuss further details.
How can I get help with my design?
You have three options. Use the Online Design Tool and build it yourself with our clipart, fonts and layout guides. Upload artwork you already have and let our team check it for print quality. Or send us a rough idea, a sketch, a reference image, a description, and ask our design team to put a proof together for you. Whichever route you take, a human reviews the file before anything reaches a press. Reach us at info@deandagapparelprinting.com with your order number or saved design link and we’ll pick it up from there.
How can I be sure my design will be centered?
The Online Design Tool shows live alignment guides and snaps your artwork to the horizontal centre of the print area as you move it, so what you see on screen is what gets printed. On top of that, every order goes through a pre-press check where we confirm your design sits square and centred within the printable area for the specific garment and size you ordered. If something looks off — a design nudged left, a name list drifting — we’ll straighten it and let you know before we print.
Can I get a sample before I order?
In most cases, yes, and there are two kinds. A blank sample is an unprinted garment sent to you so you can check the fit, weight and colour before committing to sizes. A printed sample is a single finished piece produced from your final artwork. Blank samples are the more common option because printed samples carry the full setup cost of a production run. Availability depends on the product and your order size — email info@deandagapparelprinting.com with what you’re considering and we’ll tell you what’s possible.
How do I order the same design on different products, colors, or styles?
Build your design once, then add the other products to the same order rather than starting over. In the Online Design Tool you can apply a saved design across multiple garment styles and colours in a single cart, and we’ll keep the artwork consistent across all of them. This matters for pricing too: because the setup work is done once, mixed-style orders usually count toward the same quantity break instead of being priced as several small separate runs. One caveat — see “Will the design look identical on every garment style?” in the Mixing Colors & Styles tab.
What happens after I place my order?
Four stages. First, artwork review — a real person opens your file and checks resolution, colour separation, line weights, spelling and placement. Second, proof approval — if anything needs changing, or if your order type calls for it, we send you a digital proof to sign off. Third, production — screens are burned or files are ripped, and your order is printed, cured and quality-checked. Fourth, dispatch — we pack, ship and send you tracking. Production doesn’t begin until artwork is approved, so replying quickly to a proof is the single best way to protect your delivery date.
When will I receive my order?
Your delivery date is production time plus shipping time. Production begins once your artwork is approved, not when you check out, and our standard production window is 14 days with free devery. Rush delivery then takes 1 week, with Super Rush delivery you can get your products within 4 working days. If you have a hard deadline, an event, a match, a launch, tell us at the point of ordering rather than after.
What if I have a problem with my order?
Contact us and tell us what’s wrong — the more specific the better. Photographs help enormously, especially for print quality, colour or damage issues. Include your order number and, where relevant, a photo of the item next to something for scale. We’ll assess it and tell you honestly whether it’s a production fault on our side or a design decision that was approved at proof stage.
How does group ordering work?
Group ordering means one design, many people, and sizes that need collecting without a spreadsheet nightmare. You lock in the design, we generate a shareable link, and each person selects their own size and style, and, if you want, pays for their own item. When the collection window closes, the whole thing becomes a single production run, so everyone benefits from the bulk price rather than paying a one-off rate. It’s the right choice for teams, staff uniforms, events and societies. Ask us at info@deandagapparelprinting.com to set up a group order link.
Is my order tax exempt?
Some organisations, certain schools, charities and non-profits, qualify for tax exemption depending on where they’re registered. We can only apply an exemption if we have valid documentation on file before your order is invoiced, because tax can’t be retroactively removed once payment is processed. Send your exemption certificate or registration number to info@deandagapparelprinting.com ahead of ordering and we’ll attach it to your account. Tax rules vary by region, so we can’t advise on whether you qualify, that’s a question for your finance team or local tax authority.
Will the products I need remain in stock?
Stock isn’t reserved until your order is paid for and confirmed, and apparel inventory moves quickly — particularly in popular colours and mid-range sizes. If you’re planning a large order or need a specific colourway, place it as early as you can. If something you’ve ordered becomes unavailable while your order is in progress, we contact you with the closest alternatives rather than substituting silently: usually the same garment in a different colour, or an equivalent style from another brand. You approve any substitution before we print.
Design Online
Everything about building, uploading and saving artwork in our Online Design Tool.
How do I navigate the Online Design Tool?
The Design Tool has three zones. The canvas in the centre shows your garment with a dotted outline marking the printable area. The toolbar lets you add text, clipart, uploaded images, names and numbers. The side panel controls whatever you’ve currently selected — font, colour, size, rotation, layer order. Switch between front, back and sleeve views using the product tabs above the canvas. Everything you place can be dragged, and the alignment guides snap it into position. Your work saves automatically, so you can close the tab and pick it up later from your account.
How do I use the Design Tool on my phone?
The mobile version has the same capabilities in a stacked layout: the garment sits at the top, the tools appear as a scrollable bar underneath, and tapping any element opens its controls in a panel that slides up from the bottom. Pinch to zoom on the canvas for fine positioning, and use the alignment button rather than dragging when you need something perfectly centred. Phones are fine for text-based designs, names and numbers, and small edits. For complex multi-layer artwork or precise placement, a laptop will save you time.
What is the maximum print area I can design in?
Every product has a fixed printable area, shown as a dotted rectangle on the canvas — you physically cannot place artwork outside it. The size varies by garment type and printing method: adult tees generally allow a large front area, youth and infant sizes are proportionally smaller, and sleeves, pockets and hoods are much narrower. Bags, caps and drinkware each have their own limits. The Design Tool displays the exact dimensions for the product you’ve selected. If your design is wider than the area allows, scale it down rather than letting it clip.
Can I add a design to the back of a product?
Yes. Switch to the back view in the Design Tool and build there exactly as you would on the front. Back prints are counted as a separate print location, so they add to your per-item cost — the artwork has to be set up, screened or ripped independently. Back designs are typically larger than front designs, so it’s a good place for a full graphic while the front carries a small left-chest logo. If you’re adding names and numbers to the back, use the dedicated names-and-numbers tool rather than placing text manually.
How do I add names and numbers?
Use the names and numbers tool rather than adding individual text layers — it’s built for this and it prevents mistakes. You enter each person’s name, number, size and quantity into a single list, and the tool generates a correctly positioned personalised item for every row. You can set the font, colour and placement once and it applies to the whole list. If you already have the data in a spreadsheet, you can paste it in. Always proofread the list yourself before submitting: personalised items can’t be resold, so misspelled names can’t be remade free of charge.
How do I change the font?
Select the text you want to change, then pick a new font from the side panel. The preview updates live on the garment so you can judge how it reads at actual size. A few things worth knowing: heavy, condensed and script fonts behave very differently in print, thin decorative fonts can break up at small sizes, and all-caps generally holds up better on textured fabric than lowercase script. If you need a font that isn’t in our library, upload your text as vector artwork instead — see “Can I use additional fonts for personalized names?” in Design Tips & Techniques.
How do I resize clipart?
Click the clipart to select it, then drag any corner handle. Corner handles scale proportionally, so your artwork keeps its shape — avoid the side handles unless you deliberately want to stretch it. For exact sizing, use the width and height fields in the side panel. Our clipart is vector-based, which means it stays razor-sharp at any size, unlike uploaded photos. If a piece of clipart looks fragile when scaled down, check that its thinnest lines are still visible; very fine detail can disappear in print.
Will my design look the same on every garment size?
By default we print the same artwork size across every garment in your order, which keeps the run consistent and keeps costs down. That’s usually what people want. On a small youth shirt, though, an adult-sized print can look oversized. If you’re ordering a wide size range — youth through to 3XL — ask us about scaling the print for the smallest sizes. It requires a separate setup, so there may be an additional cost, but it makes a real difference on children’s sizes. Flag it at the point of ordering rather than after.
How do I upload my own artwork?
Click the upload button in the Design Tool and select your file. We accept vector formats (.ai, .eps, .pdf, .svg) and raster formats (.png, .jpg). Vector is always the better choice — it can be resized infinitely without losing quality and it separates cleanly into ink colours. If you’re uploading a raster image, use a PNG with a transparent background at 300 DPI at the size you intend to print. After upload, our team reviews the file for print readiness and comes back to you if anything needs improving.
Can I use logos, characters, or copyrighted artwork?
Only if you own the artwork or have written permission to use it. We can’t print trademarked logos, film and TV characters, sports team marks, band artwork, or images taken from the internet without the rights holder’s consent — that includes work you’ve paid a third party to create unless the rights were transferred to you. This isn’t us being cautious; reproducing protected imagery exposes both of us to legal claims. If you’re printing on behalf of a brand or licensor, we’ll ask you to confirm authorisation before production begins.
How do I choose the best ink colors?
Contrast is the whole game. Light ink on a dark garment and dark ink on a light garment will always read more clearly than two mid-tones together. Avoid colours that sit close to the garment colour on the colour wheel — navy on black looks striking on a screen and disappears in daylight. Fewer colours also print more crisply and cost less, because each additional colour is a separate screen. The Design Tool previews your ink against the actual garment colour; if you’re unsure, ask us to review it before you order.
How do I delete or rename a saved design?
Sign in and open your saved designs from your account dashboard. Each design has a menu with rename and delete options. Renaming is genuinely useful once you have several versions — “Staff polo v3 final” beats “Untitled design” when you come back in six months to reorder. Deleting is permanent and can’t be undone, so if you’re unsure, rename it and leave it. Deleting a saved design does not affect any order you’ve already placed; those artwork files are stored separately in your order history.
What are the best practices for printing clean images?
Start with the highest-quality source file you have — never a screenshot, a social media download, or an image pulled from a website. Use vector artwork where possible, and 300 DPI at final print size for anything raster. Keep line weights above roughly 1pt so fine detail survives the press. Remove backgrounds properly rather than relying on a white box behind the graphic. Limit the number of ink colours. And check your design at actual size, not zoomed in — a logo that looks perfect at 400% may be unreadable at 3 inches wide.
Can I design with licensed artwork?
Yes, provided you hold a valid licence and it permits reproduction on merchandise. Licences vary enormously: some stock graphics allow personal use only, some allow commercial use but not resale on apparel, and some require attribution. Read the terms before you upload. If you’re producing merchandise under a licensing agreement with a brand, artist or institution, we may ask for written confirmation from the rights holder before we print. If you’re not certain what your licence covers, check with whoever issued it — we can’t make that determination for you.
Can I design for a fraternity or sorority?
Greek letters and organisation names are typically protected marks owned by the national organisation, and printing them usually requires approval through a licensed vendor programme. We’re happy to help with chapter apparel, but you’ll need to confirm your chapter’s authorisation and any artwork requirements your national body imposes, many specify exact letterforms, colours and permitted layouts. Contact us at info@deandagapparelprinting.com before you finalise a design, and tell us which organisation you’re with, so we can confirm what’s possible before you commit.
Products & Sizing
Getting fit, fabric and availability right before you print.
How do I find the right size?
Don’t order by the size you usually wear — apparel sizing varies significantly between brands. Instead, take a garment that already fits the way you want and measure it flat: chest width from armpit to armpit, and body length from the highest point of the shoulder to the hem. Compare those two numbers against the size chart on the product page. If you’re between sizes, size up; printed garments shrink slightly on first wash, and a shirt that’s marginally loose is more wearable than one that’s marginally tight.
How do I read a size chart?
Our size charts list garment measurements, not body measurements — the dimensions of the shirt laid flat, not the person wearing it. Chest width is measured across the garment one inch below the armhole and represents half the circumference, so a 20-inch chest width equals a 40-inch garment. Body length runs from the shoulder seam to the bottom hem. Youth and women’s cuts use the same method but different proportions, and unisex sizing generally runs straighter and boxier than a fitted women’s cut.
How do I know if a product is available?
Live availability is shown on each product page and in the Online Design Tool, broken down by colour and size — that’s the most accurate view we can give you. Stock isn’t held for you until your order is confirmed and paid, so availability at the moment you’re browsing isn’t a guarantee. Popular colours and mid-range sizes move fastest, especially around seasonal peaks. If you need a large quantity in a specific colourway, ask us to check availability before you build the design, and we’ll tell you what’s realistically deliverable.
Can I request a product you don't currently stock?
Often, yes. We work with a range of apparel and promotional suppliers beyond what’s displayed on the site, so if you have a specific brand, style or item in mind, ask. Send us the brand and style number if you have it, or a link and a description if you don’t, along with your quantity and timeline. We’ll come back with availability, pricing and lead time. Special-order items typically carry longer lead times and higher minimums than our stocked range, so build extra time into your schedule.
Can I order samples before placing a larger order?
Yes, and for anything over a modest quantity we’d encourage it. A blank sample lets you confirm the fit, fabric weight and true colour before you commit to a full size run, which is far cheaper than discovering the fabric is too thin across two hundred pieces. Printed samples are also possible but carry the setup cost of a production run, so they’re less common. Sample availability, pricing and turnaround depend on the product, email info@deandagapparelprinting.com with what you’re considering.
How do different brands fit?
Broadly, brands fall into three groups. Classic or heavyweight styles run boxier with a fuller cut and a heavier cotton — durable, roomy, and forgiving on sizing. Retail-fit or fashion styles are cut closer to the body with shorter, narrower sleeves and a softer, lighter fabric — they look sharper but run smaller. Performance styles use synthetic blends with athletic shaping and tend to run closest to the body of all. Always check the specific size chart rather than assuming; two brands can label the same measurements a size apart.
What should I know about garment materials?
100% cotton is breathable, takes screen printing beautifully and gives the most natural hand-feel, but it wrinkles and shrinks a little. Poly-cotton blends (often 50/50 or tri-blends) are softer, lighter, resist shrinking and drape well, though very dark polyester can occasionally allow dye to migrate into light inks — we use blocking underbases to manage this. 100% polyester is best for sport and moisture-wicking, and is usually printed with methods suited to synthetics rather than standard plastisol. Fabric choice affects print method, so tell us the end use and we’ll steer you.
Ordering
Quotes, proofs, minimums and everything between adding to cart and going to press.
Can I order blank samples?
Yes. A blank sample is an unprinted version of the garment you’re considering, sent to you so you can check the fit, weight, colour and feel before committing to a full run. It’s the cheapest insurance available on a bulk apparel order. Tell us the product, colour and size you’d like to try, and we’ll confirm availability, cost and turnaround. Sample pricing and whether it’s credited against a later order depends on the item and quantity email at info@deandagapparelprinting.com and we’ll set it out clearly before you commit.
How do I get a price quote?
Two routes. For most orders, the fastest quote is the Online Design Tool itself — build or upload your design, choose your product and quantity, and the live per-item price updates as you go, including ink colours and print locations. For anything complex — mixed products, multiple print locations, embroidery, special-order items, or large quantities — send us a written quote request with your artwork, quantities, sizes, deadline and delivery address. We’ll return a full itemised quote. Quotes are valid for a defined period because supplier pricing moves; the validity window is stated on each quote.
How do I collect sizes for a group order?
Use a group order link rather than a spreadsheet. We generate a shareable page for your finalised design, and each participant selects their own size and style — and pays for their own item if you’d like them to. When the window closes, everything consolidates into one production run, so the whole group gets bulk pricing instead of individual rates, and you never have to chase anyone for their size. It’s the right tool for teams, workplaces, societies and events. Ask us at info@deandagapparelprinting.com to set one up.
Is there a minimum order requirement?
Minimums are driven by the printing method, not the product. Screen printing requires a minimum quantity because screens have to be prepared for each ink colour regardless of run size. Digital methods — DTG and DTF — have very low or no minimum, which makes them the right choice for one-offs and small batches. Embroidery has a modest minimum reflecting digitising setup. The Design Tool shows the minimum for your current selection and updates live when you change method or product. Our current minimums depends on the product contact us to discuss your product.
Will I receive a proof before printing?
Every order is reviewed by a person before it goes to press. Whether you receive a digital proof to approve depends on the order — uploaded custom artwork, personalised name lists, embroidery and anything we’ve amended for printability will normally be proofed back to you. Straightforward designs built entirely inside the Design Tool may go straight to production, since what you saw on the canvas is what prints. When a proof is issued, production pauses until you approve it, so a quick reply protects your delivery date. You can always request a proof.
How do I place a reorder?
Sign in and open your order history — every past order keeps its artwork and specifications attached. Select the order and choose reorder, then adjust quantities, sizes or colours as needed. Reorders are usually faster and often cheaper than a first run, because the artwork is already prepared and, for screen printing, the separations are already done. Do check availability: garments get discontinued and colours get retired, so a style you ordered a year ago may need substituting. If anything’s changed, we’ll flag it and offer the closest match before printing.
Can your team help me with my design?
Yes. If you have artwork that isn’t quite print-ready, send it over and our team will look at it. Depending on the file and your order, we may be able to clean up edges, adjust layering, correct sizing, or advise on ink colours. If you’re starting from nothing more than an idea, describe what you want, style, mood, wording, any reference images, and we can put together a concept for you to react to. Contact our team at info@deandagapparelprinting.com to confirm what design support is included with your order.
Can I change my order after placing it?
Sometimes, it depends entirely on how far production has progressed. Before artwork approval, most changes are straightforward: sizes, quantities, colours, even the design. Once screens are burned, files are ripped or garments have been printed, changes are no longer possible because the work is bespoke and can’t be undone. The window is short, so contact us immediately at info@deandagapparelprinting.com with your order number and exactly what you need changed. We’ll tell you honestly what stage your order is at and what’s still possible.
How can I check my order status?
Sign in and open your order history, each order shows its current stage: artwork review, awaiting your proof approval, in production, or dispatched. Once it ships, a tracking link appears there and is emailed to you. If your order is sitting at “awaiting approval,” that means we need something from you before we can continue, and it’s worth checking your inbox and spam folder. For anything the dashboard doesn’t answer, email at info@deandagapparelprinting.com with your order number and we’ll give you a direct update.
Mixing Colors & Styles
One design, many products — how mixed orders work and what to watch for.
Can I order the same design on multiple shirt styles?
Yes, and it’s one of the most common things we do. Tees, long sleeves, hoodies, polos and tanks can all carry the same design in a single order. Because the artwork is set up once, mixed-style orders normally count toward the same quantity break rather than being priced as several small runs — which is why splitting a single order into separate purchases usually costs you more. Two things to check: print area limits differ by garment, and some styles suit certain print methods better than others.
Can I order multiple garment colors?
Yes. You can mix garment colours freely within one order. The consideration is ink: a design that reads beautifully on white may vanish on navy. There are three ways to handle it — use an ink colour that works across every garment colour you’ve chosen, switch the ink on the darker garments (see the next question), or restrict yourself to a lighter or darker colour family. For screen printing, dark garments also need a white underbase so the ink stays opaque, which can affect setup on very mixed orders.
Can I change the ink color on some shirts?
Yes, but it’s worth understanding the cost. Each ink colour change in screen printing means the press is stopped, cleaned and re-set, which is real production time — so ink changes across a mixed order usually carry an additional charge. Digital methods handle colour variation far more easily, since there are no screens to swap. If your run splits across light and dark garments, tell us at the point of ordering and we’ll quote the most economical way to achieve it, which is sometimes a single ink that works on both.
Can I mix sizes in the same order?
Absolutely, and there’s no penalty for it — mixed size runs are completely normal. Every size you order counts toward the same total quantity, so you get the same price break whether you order fifty of one size or fifty spread across seven sizes. Extended sizes (typically 2XL and above) often carry a small upcharge from the garment supplier, which is passed on at cost and shown clearly at checkout. The one thing to consider is print scale: see “Will my design look the same on every garment size?” in the Design Online tab.
Can different product styles be included in one order?
Yes. Apparel, bags, caps and drinkware can sit in the same order, and you’ll usually be quoted as one job rather than several. Be aware that different product categories often need different production processes — a screen-printed tee, an embroidered cap and a printed bottle move through three different workflows — so a mixed order can take slightly longer than a single-process run. If part of your order is needed sooner, tell us and we can look at splitting the dispatch.
Will the design look identical on every garment style?
Very close, but not literally identical, and it’s worth knowing why. Print areas differ between styles, so a design sized for a tee may need scaling slightly for a polo or a youth garment. Fabric changes how ink sits: a smooth cotton tee gives a crisper edge than a textured fleece hoodie. And garment colour affects how ink reads, even at the same mix. We aim for visual consistency across the whole run and we’ll tell you in advance if a particular style needs an adjustment to look right.
Design Tips & Techniques
Practical craft advice for artwork that prints as well as it looks on screen.
What design tips will make my print look better?
A handful of habits do most of the work:
- Simplify. Fewer colours and cleaner shapes print sharper and cost less.
- Prioritise contrast. Your design should be legible from across a room, not just up close.
- Respect the print area. Leave breathing room; artwork crammed to the edges looks accidental.
- Check at actual size. Zoom to 100% at print dimensions before approving anything.
- Mind the fold. Chest prints sit higher than you think — roughly a hand’s width below the collar.
- Use vector wherever you can. It scales without penalty and separates cleanly into inks.
What are my options for outlining text?
Outlining separates lettering from a busy background or a garment colour that’s too close to your ink. You have three approaches. A thin outline in a contrasting colour sharpens edges without changing the look much. A thick outline turns the text into a graphic element in its own right and reads well from a distance. A drop shadow or offset outline adds depth. Each outline colour is an additional screen in screen printing, so it affects price. Keep outlines above roughly 1pt — anything finer can break up or fill in during printing.
How do I add a large list of names to a design?
Use the names tool rather than placing individual text layers — it exists precisely for this. Enter the list once, set font, colour and placement once, and it applies across every item. If your list lives in a spreadsheet, paste it in rather than retyping. Two pieces of advice from experience: proofread the list yourself, character by character, because personalised items can’t be resold and misspellings can’t be remade at our cost; and if the list is being printed as a single block graphic (a team roster, an event back print), watch the smallest names — set them large enough to stay legible.
How do I combine multiple pieces of clipart?
Place each piece, then position and layer them using the arrange controls in the side panel. A few principles keep it looking deliberate rather than assembled: keep all pieces in a similar visual style, so a hand-drawn illustration doesn’t sit next to a flat geometric icon; use a limited shared colour palette across every element; align things to a common axis or centre line; and leave consistent spacing. Group the finished arrangement before resizing so the pieces scale together. If the composition starts to feel crowded, remove an element rather than shrinking everything.
How do I fill transparent artwork with color?
Transparent areas in a PNG or SVG print as bare garment — the fabric colour shows through, which is often exactly what you want on a white shirt and rarely what you want on a black one. If you need those areas filled, add a solid shape on a layer beneath your artwork and colour it. In vector files, this means adding a background fill layer; in raster files, you’ll get a better result from us rebuilding the file than from filling it yourself. Send us the artwork and describe what you want filled and we’ll advise.
What is the difference between raster and vector artwork?
Raster images (.jpg, .png, photographs, most screenshots) are grids of pixels. They have a fixed resolution, so enlarging them makes edges soft and blocky. Vector images (.ai, .eps, .svg, and some .pdfs) are mathematical shapes. They can be scaled to any size — a badge or a billboard — with perfectly crisp edges, and each shape carries its own colour value, so they separate cleanly into individual ink screens. For anything printed, vector is always preferable. If your logo only exists as a raster file, ask us about redrawing it as vector; you’ll own a file that lasts.
Can I use additional fonts for personalized names?
The Design Tool ships with a curated font library chosen because those typefaces hold up in print — they have enough weight, spacing and clarity to survive ink on fabric. If you need a typeface that isn’t in the library, the reliable route is to set your text in your own design software, convert it to outlines, and upload it as vector artwork. That guarantees the letterforms print exactly as designed with no substitution. If you have a brand font you’ll use repeatedly, contact us and we’ll discuss adding it to your account.
How should I design for custom can coolers?
Can coolers have a small, tall, curved print area, and that changes the rules. Keep the design bold and simple — one or two colours, chunky lettering, minimal fine detail. Avoid photographs and fine gradients; they don’t survive the surface or the scale. Remember the artwork wraps around a cylinder, so anything positioned near the vertical edges will curve away from the viewer — keep the important content centred. Text usually reads best stacked rather than in one long line. We’ll confirm the exact print dimensions for the style you choose before production.
Can I get everything I need in one order?
Usually, yes. Apparel, bags, caps, drinkware and promotional items can be combined into a single order, quoted as one job and shipped together. This is the sensible approach for events and launches where everything needs to arrive at once. Two things to plan for: different product types move through different production processes, so a mixed order can take a little longer than a single-process run; and some promotional items carry their own minimums and lead times. Tell us the full list and your deadline up front and we’ll build a realistic schedule.
How large should my artwork be?
Design at the size you intend to print, at full scale — don’t design small and enlarge later. As a rough guide, a standard adult front print sits somewhere around 10–12 inches wide, a left-chest logo around 3–4 inches, and youth sizes proportionally smaller. Your file should be supplied at 100% of the final print dimensions. If you’re sending vector artwork, scale doesn’t matter technically, but setting it at print size makes it far easier for everyone to judge line weights and detail. The Design Tool shows exact print area dimensions for every product.
What image resolution should I upload?
300 DPI at final print size — that’s the standard, and the words “at final print size” are the part people miss. A 300 DPI image that’s 2 inches wide has nowhere near enough pixels to print at 12 inches. In pixel terms, a 12-inch-wide front print needs roughly 3,600 pixels across. Never enlarge a low-resolution image in an editor to hit the number; you’re inventing pixels, not adding detail, and it prints soft. Vector artwork sidesteps this entirely. If your file is under-resolution, we’ll tell you before printing rather than after.
How do I avoid blurry printing?
Blurry prints almost always trace back to the source file, not the press. Avoid images pulled from websites, social media or messaging apps — all of them compress heavily. Never upscale a small image to make it fit. Use PNG rather than JPG for logos and flat graphics, since JPG compression leaves halos around hard edges. Supply 300 DPI at final size, or better, supply vector. Keep line weights above roughly 1pt. If you only have a low-quality file of your logo, ask us about redrawing it — it’s a one-time job that fixes it permanently.
Printing Options & Processes
How each printing method works, what it’s good at, and how to pick.
Can you print on sleeves?
Yes. Sleeve prints work well as a secondary detail — a small logo, a date, a number, a short word — and they pair nicely with a left-chest front print. The print area is narrow, so keep the design compact and simple; fine detail and long text don’t survive well on a curved, seamed surface. Sleeve printing counts as an additional print location, so it adds setup cost per item. Placement differs between short and long sleeves, and between adult and youth sizes; we’ll confirm the exact position on your proof.
Can you print on sweatpants?
Yes, most commonly down the leg or on the hip. The considerations are seams and fabric. Sweatpants have more seams, pockets and drawstrings than a flat tee, which limits where a print can sit cleanly, and heavier fleece has a textured surface that softens very fine detail. Bold, simple designs work best — a wordmark down the outer thigh is the classic and it looks sharp. Tell us the product and the placement you have in mind and we’ll confirm the achievable print area before you finalise the design.
Can you print on hoodies and hoods?
Yes to both, with caveats. Standard hoodie prints — front, back, sleeve — are straightforward, though a front pouch pocket restricts how low a chest print can sit, so designs generally place higher than on a tee. Printing on the hood itself is possible but limited: the area is small, curved and doubled over, so it suits a small logo or short word rather than a graphic. Zip-up hoodies can’t take a design across the centre front, since the zip splits it. We’ll show you exact placement on your proof.
What is halftone printing?
Halftones are how printers create the illusion of shading using a single solid ink. Instead of a continuous fade, the artwork is broken into a pattern of tiny dots — dense where the tone is dark, sparse where it’s light. Step back and your eye blends them into a smooth gradient. It’s what makes photographic and shaded designs possible in screen printing, where ink is either there or it isn’t. The practical implication: halftones need a minimum dot size to hold on fabric, so extremely subtle fades can drop out. We’ll adjust the halftone settings for your specific garment.
What is process printing?
Process printing reproduces full-colour artwork using a small set of base inks rather than one screen per colour. Overlapping halftone dots in cyan, magenta, yellow and black — often with a white underbase on dark garments — combine optically to produce a wide colour range. It’s how photographs and complex illustrated artwork get printed without needing twenty separate screens. It requires careful registration and colour management, so it’s more technical than spot-colour printing, but for artwork with many blended colours it’s usually both the better-looking and the more economical route.
Can you print designs that contain photographs?
Yes. Photographic artwork is printed using either process screen printing or a digital method such as DTG or DTF, depending on your quantity and garment. Digital methods handle photographs particularly well at lower quantities because there’s no screen setup involved. What matters most is your source image: supply the highest resolution original you have, 300 DPI at final print size, ideally with a cleanly removed background. Be aware that photographs on dark garments need a white underbase, which slightly changes how the colours read — we’ll show you this on a proof.
Screen printing vs. digital printing — what's the difference?
Screen printing pushes ink through a stencilled mesh, one screen per colour. Setup takes time, but once running it’s fast, so the cost per item drops sharply with quantity. It produces the most vivid, durable result, especially on dark garments, and it’s the right choice for bold designs in bulk.
Digital printing (DTG/DTF) sprays or transfers the artwork directly, with no screens. There’s no setup cost, so small runs and one-offs are viable, and unlimited colours cost the same as one — ideal for photographs and complex gradients. The trade-off is that per-item cost stays flat as quantity rises.
Rule of thumb: large runs with few colours → screen printing. Small runs or full-colour artwork → digital.
Embroidery vs. screen printing — which should I choose?
They serve different purposes. Embroidery stitches thread into the fabric. It reads as premium and corporate, it’s exceptionally durable, and it works on textured items — caps, polos, fleece, bags — where ink struggles. It’s best for logos and lettering at small to medium size. Screen printing lays ink on the surface. It handles large graphics, fine detail, gradients and photographic content that embroidery physically cannot reproduce, and it’s far cheaper for big designs. Choose embroidery for uniforms, workwear and left-chest logos; choose screen printing for event tees, merchandise and anything with a large graphic.
What are the best design tips for embroidery?
Embroidery is stitches, not ink, and designing for it means simplifying:
- Bold shapes over fine detail. Anything under roughly 1.5mm won’t render as a distinct stitch.
- Minimum text height of about 5mm — smaller lettering fills in and becomes unreadable.
- Limit thread colours. Each one is a colour change on the machine.
- Avoid gradients and photographs. Thread can’t blend the way ink can.
- Simplify your logo if needed. Many brands keep a dedicated simplified version specifically for embroidery.
What should I know before ordering embroidery?
Three things. First, your artwork must be digitised — converted into a stitch file that tells the machine the path, direction and density of every stitch. This is a skilled one-time process per design, and it carries a setup cost; after that, reorders of the same logo reuse the file. Second, thread colours are matched from a fixed thread range, so they’ll be the closest available match rather than an exact ink formula. Third, dense embroidery adds weight and stiffness, which is why it suits caps, polos and outerwear better than lightweight tees.
How do you match ink colors?
For screen printing, inks are mixed to standard colour references, which gives close and repeatable results across reorders. Send us your brand’s colour references with your artwork and we’ll match as closely as the process allows. Two honest caveats: garment colour affects how ink reads, since fabric shows through slightly even with an underbase; and digital printing methods work within a different colour space than mixed screen inks, so a shade achievable one way may shift slightly the other. If exact colour is critical, ask about a printed sample before the full run.
Do you offer specialty ink printing?
Specialty inks change the texture or behaviour of a print rather than just its colour — puff rises off the fabric for a raised effect, metallic and glitter add reflectivity, glow-in-the-dark charges under light, water-based and discharge inks sink into the fibres for a soft, vintage hand-feel with almost no texture, and reflective inks light up under direct light. Each behaves differently and suits different garments and designs, and most carry an additional cost.
What is DTG printing?
DTG — direct-to-garment — is essentially a high-resolution inkjet printer for fabric. Water-based ink is sprayed straight into the fibres of the garment, then heat-cured. Because there are no screens, there’s no setup cost and no colour limit, so a full-colour photograph costs the same to print as a single-colour logo, and a run of one is perfectly viable. The result has a very soft hand-feel because the ink sits in the fabric rather than on it. DTG performs best on 100% cotton and light-to-mid garment colours.
What is DTF printing?
DTF — direct-to-film — prints your design onto a special film, coats it with adhesive powder, and heat-presses it onto the garment. Like DTG it needs no screens, so small runs and full-colour artwork are inexpensive. Its advantage is versatility: because the design transfers onto the surface rather than soaking into cotton fibres, DTF works on polyester, blends, nylon and textured fabrics where DTG struggles, and it produces vivid, opaque colour on dark garments. The trade-off is a slightly more noticeable surface feel than DTG or discharge printing.
Which printing method is best for my design?
Answer three questions and the choice usually makes itself:
- How many pieces? Under roughly two dozen → digital (DTG/DTF). Larger runs → screen printing.
- How many colours? One to four flat colours → screen printing. Photographs or many blended colours → digital or process.
- What fabric? 100% cotton → DTG or screen printing. Polyester, blends or textured fabrics → DTF or screen printing. Caps, polos, fleece and bags → embroidery.
Still unsure? Send us your artwork, quantity and garment, and we’ll recommend the method and explain why.
Custom Printing Services
The pre-press checks and artwork support our team may provide on your order.
Do you check that my design is properly aligned?
Before anything reaches a press, your artwork is opened and checked against the print area for the specific garment and size you’ve ordered. That includes confirming the design is horizontally centred, sitting at the right vertical drop from the collar, and square rather than subtly rotated. If we spot a misalignment — particularly common in uploaded files where the artboard isn’t centred on the artwork — our team may correct it and show you the adjustment. Contact our team to confirm whether alignment adjustments are included with your order.
Can you fix artwork layering issues?
Layering problems are one of the most common issues we see in uploaded files: elements stacked in the wrong order, a background shape covering part of a logo, or a white box sitting behind artwork that should be transparent. Depending on the file format and how it was built, our team may be able to restack the layers, remove an unwanted background, or separate elements that were merged. Vector files are far easier to fix than flattened raster images. Send us the highest-quality original you have and contact our team to confirm what’s possible.
Do you check line thickness for printability?
Yes — this is a standard part of pre-press review. Very fine lines and hairline strokes that look crisp on screen can break up, fade or disappear entirely when printed, and the threshold varies by method: screen printing, DTG and embroidery each have different minimums. We check your design for lines below the safe threshold for your chosen process. Where we find them, our team may be able to thicken them slightly to keep the design intact, or we’ll flag the issue and recommend a change before production begins.
Can you correct design sizing problems?
Sizing issues usually take one of two forms: artwork supplied too small for the print size you want, or artwork that doesn’t fit the print area for your chosen garment. Depending on your file, our team may be able to rescale vector artwork cleanly to fit, or adjust proportions so the design sits well within the printable area. Raster artwork that’s genuinely under-resolution can’t be rescued by enlarging — we’ll tell you that honestly rather than printing something soft. Contact our team to confirm what sizing support is included with your order.
Do you check my design for spelling errors?
We look, and if something reads as an obvious error we’ll raise it with you before printing — it costs us far less to ask than to reprint. But please treat this as a safety net, not a proofreading service. We can’t reliably judge intentional stylisation, brand names, abbreviations, or names in languages and spellings unfamiliar to us, and a name list of two hundred entries needs someone who knows the people on it. Proofread your own copy carefully, especially personalised items, which can’t be resold and so can’t be remade at no cost.
Can you organize a name list alphabetically?
If you’re supplying a list of names — for a roster back print, a team wall, an event graphic — send it in whatever order you have it. Depending on your order, our team may be able to sort it alphabetically, tidy inconsistent capitalisation, and lay it out with even spacing and balanced line breaks so the block looks deliberate rather than dumped. Supplying the list as a spreadsheet or plain text rather than an image makes this far quicker. Contact our team to confirm whether list formatting is included with your order.
Can you fix uneven or warped text?
Text problems in uploaded artwork usually come from one of three sources: type that was stretched non-proportionally, baselines that drifted while elements were positioned by hand, or letter spacing that’s inconsistent across a word. Depending on your file, our team may be able to reset the text on a true baseline, restore correct proportions and even out the spacing. This is straightforward in live vector type, harder in outlined type, and often not possible in a flattened raster image. Contact our team to confirm what’s achievable with your file.
What happens when you review my uploaded artwork?
Every uploaded file goes through a pre-press review before production. We check resolution against your intended print size, colour count and separation, line weights and minimum detail, transparency and background handling, placement within the print area, and how the artwork will read against your chosen garment colour. If everything passes, your order moves forward. If something would compromise the print, we contact you — with a specific explanation and a recommended fix, not a generic rejection. Production doesn’t begin until the artwork is print-ready.
Can you match ink colors to my garment color or trim?
Yes, and it’s worth asking for. Matching ink to a garment’s trim, stitching or accent colour is one of the cheapest ways to make a print look designed rather than applied. Our team can recommend ink colours that complement or match the garment you’ve chosen, and match to standard colour references where you have brand colours to hit. Two honest limits: garment fabric affects how ink reads, and digital printing works in a different colour space than mixed screen inks. Ask us before ordering if exact matching matters.
Can you redraw low-quality artwork?
Often, yes — and if your only logo file is a low-resolution image, this is the single most valuable thing you can have done. Redrawing means rebuilding your artwork as clean vector: sharp at any size, cleanly separable into ink colours, and reusable for every future order and every other application you have. It’s skilled manual work, so availability and cost depend on the complexity of the design and your order. Send us what you have and contact our team to confirm whether redrawing is included with your order.
What happens after I place an order?
Your order moves through four stages. Artwork review — a person checks resolution, colours, line weights, spelling and placement. Proof approval — where your order calls for it, we send a digital proof and pause until you sign it off. Production — screens are prepared or files are ripped, then your order is printed, cured and quality-checked against the approved proof. Dispatch — we pack, ship and send tracking. Production only starts after artwork is approved, so replying promptly to a proof is the most reliable way to protect your delivery date.
Shipping, Delivery & Returns
Delivery options, timing, tracking and what happens if something goes wrong.
How do I keep my order on schedule?
We currently deliver to [INSERT SUPPORTED COUNTRIES OR REGIONS]. International orders take longer than domestic ones, and customs clearance adds a variable amount of time that no carrier can guarantee, so build extra margin into your schedule. Import duties, taxes and customs charges are set by the destination country and are the recipient’s responsibility unless we’ve agreed otherwise in writing — these are charged on arrival and are separate from anything you pay us. If your destination isn’t listed, contact [INSERT CUSTOMER SUPPORT EMAIL] and we’ll see what’s possible.
Will I be charged tax?
Four things protect a deadline, and three of them are in your hands. Order early — earlier is worth more than any shipping upgrade. Supply print-ready artwork — vector, or 300 DPI at final size, with the rights cleared. Approve your proof quickly, because production is paused until you do and that clock is often the biggest delay on a late order. Tell us your deadline at the point of ordering, not after. Give us a real date and we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s achievable before you pay.
Will my items arrive on time?
Tax is applied according to the rules of your delivery destination and is calculated and displayed at checkout before you pay, so there are no surprises at the end. Rates and thresholds vary by region and we can’t advise on your specific tax position. If your organisation qualifies for an exemption, send valid documentation to info@deandagapparelprinting.com before your order is invoiced — tax can’t be removed retrospectively once payment is processed. For international deliveries, import duties charged on arrival are separate from any tax shown at checkout.
How do I track my order?
You’ll see an estimated arrival date at checkout, calculated from current production capacity plus the delivery speed you choose. That estimate holds as long as your artwork is print-ready and you approve any proof promptly — the two most common causes of a missed date are an artwork problem discovered at review and a proof sitting unanswered in someone’s inbox. Once your order ships, delivery is in the carrier’s hands, and weather, customs and peak-season volume can affect transit. If your date is critical, tell us before you order.
Can I ship to multiple addresses?
Two ways. Sign in and open your order history, where each order shows its current stage, artwork review, awaiting approval, in production, or dispatched, with a tracking link once it ships. Carrier tracking can take a few hours to show its first scan after we hand the parcel over, so a link that shows nothing immediately isn’t a problem. If tracking hasn’t updated in a while, email us on info@deandagapparelprinting.com with your order number or check from Order Tracking page.
What is the return policy for customized products?
Yes, in two ways. For a handful of destinations, we can split a single order into separate parcels and ship each to its own address — each destination carries its own shipping cost. For larger distributions, a group order link is usually the better tool: each participant enters their own address and their item ships directly to them, which removes the sorting and forwarding work entirely. Tell us at the point of ordering rather than after, since split shipping affects how the order is packed and priced.
What happens if my products arrive damaged or misprinted?
Custom-printed items are made to your specification and can’t be restocked or resold, so they aren’t covered by standard change-of-mind returns, this is the norm across the printing industry, not a policy unique to us. That said, if the fault is ours, it’s ours to fix: production errors, quality defects, incorrect garments, misprints and damage in transit are all covered. Our return window and process for those cases are set out Return Policy.
Still need a hand?
Talk to a real person, we’d rather answer a question now than fix a print later.
Call us
(619) 710-7342
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm ·
Sat 9am–3pm
Email us
info@deandagapparelprinting.com
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Visit us
1421 Hilltop Dr
Chula Vista, California 91911