How to build a custom shirt

Whether you’re celebrating a special person, a particular event, or promoting a cause, offering custom shirts for your attendees and supporters will build camaraderie and make the photos as special as your event. Custom shirt creations can also be sold for profit or to support a non-profit.

Should You DIY?

If you have the skills to print or transfer the designs, it’s possible to make up the shirts on your own. However, you will need to be sure that you have the space to store inventory. You’ll also need to be ready to set up a production run when new orders come in.

Hire Someone Local

If you’re marketing your local cause, your stick and brick business, or your community charity, it makes sense to work with a local shirt creator. To make this happen

• get a logo made in black, white and your chosen colors
• determine the best color tee for each of these logos
• get your tees printed up

As you’re a part of your community, be aware that others may want to incorporate your logo into their design or sponsor listing. For example, if you own a business and want to support a charity fundraiser based around a cause dear to you, your support could mean that your black or white logo could be included in the sponsor listing.

Make absolutely certain that you have a version of your logo that includes a strong listing of your company name with little else. Depending on the number of sponsors, your logo could be reduced to fit. The more complex your logo is, the greater the chance you have of generating a blob instead of a good impression on a tee shirt.

Also be aware that working with a local may mean that inventory is yours to manage if you order a large run of tees. If you can, try to order in small batches until your tee designs start to gain some traction to avoid excess stock in your workspace.

Hire Someone Virtual

If you have a business or a cause that isn’t tied to a physical location, there are many ways to get custom shirts built online. Not only can these producers offer items in addition to tees, such as

• jackets
• aprons
• bandanas
• hats
• polo and dress shirts

but you can also get tanks and sweatshirts easily from an online producer without having to maintain a large stock in your space.

The key to getting a custom shirt made by an online producer is to be diligent in the quality of the image you provide and in your color choice of the base tee. Get the best resolution of your logo that you can to your producer and order a sample of the tee to study in person. Every screen is different, and the color that looks great on your computer may be a surprise when you get your box of tees. Try to give yourself enough time for an in-person color check.