There are a lot of decisions that go into building the best shirt: what shirt style to use, what colors to pick, the print results to expect, how many shirts to order and the list can go on. Ordering t-shirts online can feel tricky when you can’t physically try on, see or feel each t-shirt. So, we decided to put together a list of 8 pro tips that will help prepare you for your next order and make it a much more delightful experience.
- Order from the same manufacturer for men’s and women’s tees. If you are ordering t-shirts online for men‘s and women’s cuts, make sure you’re ordering from the same manufacturer if you want them to match, because color could vary from t-shirt to t-shirt. For example, if you order a men’s Next Level 6210 in heather gray, the color might not match up with a women’s American Apparel 2102 in heather gray. The t-shirts online are produced by different companies around the world, so the colors will likely be similar, but not an exact match.
- Not only will the shirt color change, but the print color could as well. If you are ordering t-shirts online, but you are choosing shirts from two different manufacturers (like the example above), there could be color variation between the two print results. Each t-shirt blank might have the same fabric material, but the threads could produce slightly different print results. One shirt could discharge better than the other.
- Need an exact Pantone match? Try our Bold Ink. Since we’re printing on fabric with water based and discharge ink, matching a Pantone color is not 100% accurate. However, we will get very close to the exact color you want. Any variation will hardly be noticeable. If you want 100% accuracy, we recommend using our bold ink line.
- Don’t worry about printing water based on a dark t-shirt, we’ve got you covered. It is possible to print our SuperSoft water based inks on both light and dark shirts. However, when printing on dark shirts, we use discharge ink (which is still a water based ink). The only difference is that there’s a discharge agent mixed into the formula that removes the dye of the dark shirt and replaces with the ink color of your choice. Just keep in mind that certain blends will yield different results. Here’s a great article explaining discharge results on tri-blends.
- Be careful when ordering women’s cut t-shirts. There is not a difference between Unisex and Men’s t-shirts. Unisex t-shirts work great for both men and women. A lot of times, customers prefer unisex t-shirts over women’s styles because they run into a lot of sizing issues. A lot of ladies tees run very small and a woman who might wear a small or medium ends up needing a large or extra large to fit “true to size.” If you’re wanting to order women’s tees, it might be best to order blank samples to see if it’s the fit you’re looking for.
- Keep all of your retail add-on services under one roof. By adding custom printed tags, hem tags and bagging, you’re investing in the value of your brand and your customer’s experience. Finding a custom t-shirt printer who can handle all of these add-ons for you is a must. Explore all of the specialty and finishing services that are available to you and go for it! Although it can seem expensive to initially invest in the details, it can pay off big in the long run.
- Double-check your mockup before approving. You can customize your shirts by using our online mockup tool on our website, but you will always receive a personalized mockup of your artwork before your order moves to press. The mockup is an accurate representation of how your shirt will look once printed and includes details such as sizing, Pantone colors, etc. Make sure you double check spelling, grammar, and your design before you hit approve!
- Give your new shirts a quick wash for best results. When you first get your new shirts, you might feel the ink slightly. This is completely normal and will totally go away with one wash! To ensure the longevity of your shirts, we recommend washing with cold water and drying on low.
If you ever have any questions about ordering t-shirts online, please ask us! Our friendly team is here to help via email, phone & text.
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