7 Costly Mistakes Happen to Avoid When Ordering Custom T Shirt
August 26, 2025
Custom T-shirt printing has become a popular choice for businesses, event organisers, and individuals seeking a unique gift. A single shirt can serve as a walking advertisement, a memorable keepsake, or a simple way to unify a group. This is an affordable branding option that provides creative freedom.
The process of printing is simple, but it requires attention to detail to avoid any possible costly mistake. Some details, such as fabric choice, print quality, or skipping a proof, can turn your idea into a disappointment.
In this blog, you will learn about the seven common yet costly mistakes that customers make in placing a custom t-shirt order and how these mistakes can be avoided.
Mistakes while placing a custom order are common, as most of the customers are new to customising apparel. Being a novice makes them susceptible to making mistakes that will turn out costly. The following are seven mistakes that people make while printing customised t-shirts.
Making a decision based only on prices is a common mistake. The lowest prices might entice customers, but this would not give you satisfactory results. Such businesses use cheap materials to get the order done with weak stitches, low-quality fabric, and prints that are not going to last even for a week. Most of the time, customers experience additional charges for shipping and design alteration, with no return or exchange policies. It is best to consider the value delivered in terms of fabric quality, print durability, the company's time and reliability, and price parity.
You need to do your own research on printing methods before settling on one. It would give you an idea of whether the final product meets your expectations. For instance, screen printing is ideally suited for large printing orders, while direct-to-film (DTF) is best used on complex and colourful designs, working well on small batches. It is best to always enquire about the techniques used by the particular printer and make sure that the methodology applies to your order volume and the character of the design.
Fabric quality is an important attribute to look for while placing an order for custom printing. There are various types of fabrics available in the market. The wrong fabric will be uncomfortable to wear, might shrink after a wash and does not help the print to set appropriately. Make sure to do your own research or reach out to the help centre of the business to gather information on how your print would look on your desired fabric.
Ignoring proof approval might look like a shortcut to get your order done, but it would lead to an expensive error, especially when working with a large batch. For a big batch of customisation, consider a physical proof to get a better idea of how your shirt or other apparel will look and ensure the fabric quality meets your liking. For a small order, you can go for a digital mock-up. Physical and digital proofs or simple design assistance will give an idea of alignment, colour combination, misspelt text and how the actual final product will look.
Printing on a shirt requires a high-resolution image or artwork. Poor resolution will result in blurry and pixelated print, which will not represent professional work on the final product. For example, in DTF printing, the minimum quality requirement of the image is 300 dpi (dots per inch). If your artwork features detailed work, finer design, small text, or a photorealistic image, you will need 600 dpi or higher. Anything less, and those fine details risk dissolving into a muddy blur.
Resolution and Printing Will Be Taken Care Of.
Most of the businesses offer discounts on bulk orders. If you are ordering merchandise for a corporate, sports, or any other event, you will get a reduced per-unit price. If you split your order, it would cost more than the whole order, including shipping fees. You must estimate your need and ask the printing company for the price breaks.
One of the biggest risks is trusting a printing company without checking its track record. Many customers place an order with a supplier they have never heard of, only to receive poor-quality prints, late deliveries, or no order at all. A reputable printer should have visible reviews on platforms like Google or Trustpilot and a portfolio of past work. These companies also offer exchange or return policies to make sure customers are satisfied with the service. A little research up front saves you from frustration and wasted money.
If it is your first time ordering a custom shirt, there are a few protocols that you can follow to avoid any mistakes. This will ensure that the final product will come out as you expected. Below are the tips that you can follow to order.
Designing a custom T-shirt is simple yet frustrating if the details are overlooked. From fabric selection to the print method and even the resolution of your artwork, every small decision affects the outcome. The good news is that these mistakes are entirely avoidable with a bit of preparation and by asking the right questions upfront.
for events, sports, or casual wear
unique designs or brand alignment
branded merchandise, bulk solutions
