Clothing offers an opportunity to advertise and demonstrate uniformity, especially in the workplace. However, many people increasingly use custom t-shirts to commemorate events, as prizes for competitions, or to represent their personal brands. Whether you fall into the corporate arena or aim to design custom shirts for other uses, you should know about the following mistakes that could harm your investment.
BigPlanetApparel is Lancaster’s trusted source for custom shirt designs. We ran through a few mistakes that could inadvertently make you or your brand look bad.
#1 Not Considering the Fit
People come in all shapes and sizes. Therefore, choosing a one-size-fits-all style might make some team members or event attendees look sloppier and more unkempt than others. For example, the typical crew-neck style might suit a petite woman. But it may seem wrong-fitting and poorly tailored on a large, muscular man. While you can predominantly purchase one or two styles, you should consider some variations, like V-necks, ringers, and cap sleeves.
#2 Choosing the Wrong Fabric
You have unlimited apparel options at your fingertips, which can quickly overwhelm you. You might feel tempted to choose the most basic or familiar fabric type available. However, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons of each textile before settling on one.
Just like sizes and shirt styles, your fabric option can make or break the shirt’s comfort and functionality. For example, if you design shirts for an outdoor event, you want a breathable, thin fabric that allows airflow. The event staff or attendees might sweat through thicker material, making wearers miserable for the rest of the day.
#3 Failing to Buy From a Reputable Company
Once you have your design carefully planned out, you will be eager to place your order and see the finished results. However, you should ensure you choose a reputable company that produces quality custom t-shirts that perfectly match your specifications. A long-standing t-shirt business puts customer satisfaction, legality, and sustainability above all else.
You want to avoid the following faux pas on your shirts:
- Copyrighted material: Everyone wants to rep their favorite artwork, sports teams, and musical artists, but few have permission to replicate trademarked or copyrighted images onto clothing. Reputable shirt printers will ensure your designs are legal and may offer designs you can freely use.
- Poor fabric quality: Sketchy shirt companies choose cheap fabrics that might fall apart after one or two washes. You want textiles that hold up against the trials of time and hard work.
- Shipping delays: You want your custom t-shirts to arrive on time. Late arrivals mean your efforts were all for nothing since many custom shirts commemorate specific events.
- Overly complex designs: A highly detailed graphic looks great on your screen. But some details don’t translate well onto fabric. Experienced shirt designers and manufacturers can help you create a simple yet poignant design that still gets the point across.
- Low-quality images: An inexperienced eye might struggle to determine whether an image lacks definition or quality until you place it alongside a high-definition image. Reputable apparel designers know the difference and will ensure your shirts reflect the details.
#4 Overlooking Printing Methods
Many custom-shirt customers make the mistake of choosing the wrong print method. Modern production and design technology allow for numerous printing techniques. For example, BigPlanetApparel offers:
- Screen printing: The printer creates a stencil using the client’s designs. Then, they press the design stencil onto the fabric and use a special squeegee-like tool to create a clean, neat graphic.
- Embroidery: The printer programs a sewing machine to embroider the client’s image onto the shirt.
- Heat press: The printer presses designs onto fabric using intense heat and pressure to transfer and seal colors.
The type of design or branding will dictate the printing method that works best for your designs. For example, we often recommend embroidery for polos featuring brand logos, while heat presses work well for graphic tees.
#5 Considering Only the Price
Everyone understandably wants a deal on their purchases, especially when ordering large product quantities. However, you ultimately get what you pay for. If you want to guarantee reliability, you need a reputable shirt manufacturer using quality materials and durable printing methods.
Plus, cheap rates often mean poor image quality and flakey graphics. You’ll end up with shirts that easily tear or become stained. Embroidered images will unravel within weeks or months. Pressed or screen-printed images will blanch and peel.
These issues are particularly important if you want shirts that reflect your brand values and product quality. Plus, you will ultimately pay more to replace these shirts since they can’t withstand the tests of time.
Get Your Custom T-Shirts From BigPlanetApparel
BigPlanetApparel in Lancaster, Pennsylvania designs and produces quality custom t-shirts for all types of customers. Give your employees some vibrant, branded polos, or rep your musical event with trendy crew-necks. Call 717-473-9138 to discuss your creative designs with our talented team. Reach out now.
