Branded Tshirt Printing for Events

Looking to make your brand stand out at events with custom t-shirts? Here's a quick guide to everything you need to know about branded t-shirt printing:

• Why Custom T-Shirts? They enhance brand visibility, foster team unity, initiate conversations, and are comfortable to wear.
• Designing Your T-Shirts: Focus on your event's purpose, know your audience, choose your design elements carefully, and ensure your design aligns with your brand identity.
• T-Shirt Quality and Materials: Opt for materials that are durable, comfortable, and fit your brand's image, such as cotton or eco-friendly options.
• Printing Techniques: Choose between screen printing, digital printing, or embroidery based on your design needs and budget.
• Ordering Process: Consider order quantities, sizes, and work with a reliable supplier to ensure quality and timely delivery.

From picking the right material and printing technique to designing and ordering, creating branded t-shirts can significantly boost your brand's presence at any event.

Identify the Purpose

Before you order t-shirts for your event, think about why you want them. This will help you make better choices about their design and how many you need.

Here are some reasons you might want t-shirts:

• For giveaways to get more people to notice your brand. These usually have a simple design.
• For staff so everyone knows who's working at the event. These have clear and consistent branding.
• To sell at the event. These have unique or fun designs that people might want to buy.

Knowing why you want the t-shirts helps you decide how to design them to meet your goals, whether that's getting more people to know about your brand or making some money.

Know Your Audience

Who's coming to your event also matters when designing your t-shirts. Think about:

• Age group - Are they young, middle-aged, or older?
• Interests - What do they like? Make sure your design matches what they care about.
• The event's vibe - Is it formal or casual? Make sure your t-shirt fits the mood.

For example, t-shirts for a fancy fundraiser might look simple and classy, while t-shirts for a summer camp for kids could be bright and fun.

Getting to know your audience helps you make t-shirts that they'll like and want to wear. This can mean more people see your brand, buy your t-shirts, or feel more connected to your event. Start by figuring out why you're making t-shirts and who they're for.

Designing Your Branded T-shirts

When you're making t-shirts for your event, how they look is super important. You want them to show off your brand and catch people's eye. Here's what to think about to make sure your t-shirts do just that.

Choosing Design Elements

Here are some things to keep in mind when you're deciding what your t-shirts will look like:

• Where to put your logo: It's a good idea to have your logo where everyone can see it, like on the front or back. You could also put a smaller logo on the sleeve or near the neck.
• Colors: Stick to the colors that represent your brand or match your event. Try not to use more than 2 or 3 colors to keep it simple.
• Extra pictures: You can add other pictures that fit with your event or show what your brand does. Just make sure it goes well with your logo.
• Words: If you want, you can add a catchy phrase, your slogan, or details about the event. Just make sure it's easy to read.

Your design should be easy to look at and show off what your brand is all about.

Incorporating Brand Identity

It's important that your t-shirt fits with everything else your brand does. This means:

• Check your brand's style guide to make sure you use the right colors, fonts, and style.
• Use the same look as your other stuff, like your website or ads, so everything feels connected.
• Before you decide on a design, make sure the people who take care of your brand think it's okay.

Using what your brand already has makes designing easier and helps people recognize your brand more.

Hiring a Designer

Even though you might be able to make a simple design yourself, getting a professional designer can really help because:

• They can come up with cool ideas you might not have thought of.
• They know how to make sure your design looks good and fits your brand.
• They can make sure the design is ready for printing.

Look for a designer who knows how to work with t-shirts and give them your brand's style guide and your ideas to start with. Spending a bit on a good designer can make your t-shirts look a lot better and help more people notice your brand.

Selecting T-shirt Quality

When picking t-shirts for your event, you'll want to choose ones that are good quality so people actually like wearing them. Here's what to keep in mind.

Material Types

The most common materials for t-shirts are:

• Cotton - Lots of people like this because it's soft and lets your skin breathe. Pure cotton is great, but mixing it with polyester can stop it from shrinking.
• Polyester or mixes with polyester - These don't get wrinkly like cotton. But they might not be as cool or soft.
• Eco-friendly materials like bamboo or recycled stuff - These are good for the planet. But, they usually cost more.

Cotton or a mix of cotton and polyester usually works well because they're comfy and practical.

Quality Considerations

Besides what the t-shirt is made of, also think about:

• How heavy the fabric is - Light shirts might feel cheap. A fabric that's a bit heavier lasts longer.
• How it's made - Look for shirts that have strong stitching. This means they won't fall apart easily.
• The shape - You don't want a baggy shirt. Look for ones that fit nicely.
• How soft it is - If the fabric is washed before you get it, it'll be softer.

It's worth it to spend a bit more on shirts that are well made and fit well. Choosing an eco-friendly option also shows you care about the environment.

To make sure you get shirts that people will love to wear:

• Go with brands that are known for making good shirts.
• Touch the fabric samples to see how soft they are.
• Order one shirt first to check the quality and how it fits before you order a bunch.

Taking the time to choose shirts that are tough and comfy means your staff will be happy and your brand will look good.

Printing Techniques

Printing Technique Overview

When you're making t-shirts for events like trade shows or corporate gatherings, you have a few ways to get your design onto the shirt:

• Screen printing is like using a stencil. You push ink through a mesh screen to create your design. It's great for simple designs and can make a lot of shirts fast.

• Digital printing is like using a computer printer but for shirts. It's good for designs with lots of colors or details. This method prints one shirt at a time.

• Embroidery involves sewing your design onto the shirt. It gives a raised look and is good for detailed logos. It's not great for big, colorful designs though.

Each way of making shirts has its own pros and cons. It's about finding what works best for your event t-shirts.

Choosing the Right Technique

Here's a simple comparison to help you pick:

Feature	Screen Printing	Digital Printing	Embroidery
Set-up costs	High	Low	High
Running costs per item	Low	High	Medium
Colors	Many	Many	Limited
Level of detail	Medium	High	High
Minimum order size	High (50+)	Low (1+)	Low (10+)
Print size	Large	Any	Small

For making a bunch of event t-shirts, screen printing is often the go-to because it's cheaper per shirt after the initial setup. This is good for staff shirts or freebies.

Digital printing is better for small orders or selling shirts one at a time, like merchandise at your event.

Embroidery looks fancy and is nice for special shirts, maybe for VIPs or high-end stuff you're selling.

Think about what you need from your shirts, like how many you want, your design, and your budget, to choose the best method. Trying out a sample first is also a smart move.

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Ordering Process and Logistics

Order Quantities and Sizes

When you're figuring out how many shirts to get, here are some pointers:

• Guess how many people will come to your event and order that many shirts for the team, plus a bit extra.
• If you're giving shirts away or selling them, start with a smaller number like 50-100 to see how it goes. You can always get more later.
• It's smart to ask people what shirt size they wear when they sign up, so you have a mix of sizes ready.

Here's a rough idea of how many of each size to get:

• S: 10%
• M: 45%
• L: 30%
• XL: 10%
• XXL: 5%

Making sure you have the right amount and sizes means everyone can get a shirt that fits nicely.

Working with a Supplier

Making custom shirts means you'll be talking to companies that print and sell shirts. There are a lot of steps and choices to make.

Choosing a one-stop shop like Stitchi can make things easier because:

• You can create your shirt designs on their website and get help from experts.
• They make sure your shirts are made well and check the quality.
• They keep your shirts in their warehouse until you need them.
• When it's time to send out your shirts, they can handle that too, even if it's to different places around the world.

This way, you don't have to worry about finding the right company, dealing with bad shirts, finding space for your shirts, or figuring out how to send them out.

With Stitchi taking care of everything from making to shipping your shirts, you can relax knowing your shirts will be just right and get to where they need to go on time.

Finalizing Your Order

Proofing and Approvals

Before your shirts are made, make sure everything looks right. Here's how:

• Get a virtual mockup from the company. This is a digital picture showing your design on a shirt. It helps you see if anything looks off.

• If you're doing screen printing or embroidery, ask for a physical sample. This is an actual shirt with your design on it. It lets you check the design's size, position, and colors in real life.

• Have important people like your event planner or design team look at the mockup or sample to give the okay.

• Tell the company about any changes you want, like moving the design or tweaking colors.

Checking everything carefully means you won't have surprises when all your shirts arrive.

Timeline and Delivery

Make sure you order your shirts early enough to get them before your event. Here's what to expect:

• Production: Screen printing usually takes 1-2 weeks. Digital printing and embroidery are often quicker, about a week or less. If you're in a hurry, there are faster options, but they cost more.

• Shipping: It often takes at least a week for domestic orders and two weeks or more for international orders.

Add extra time for:

• Changes after seeing the first sample
• Delays that might happen

Also, ask your shirt company if they can:

• Store your shirts until you need them
• Offer direct shipping to places like your event venue or directly to staff or customers

Planning ahead means your shirts will arrive on time and at the right place. Talk about the schedule with your shirt company early so you can be sure everything's set.

Conclusion

Making t-shirts with your brand on them is a smart move for getting noticed at events like company meet-ups, trade shows, and other big gatherings. The key is to design these t-shirts in a way that shows off what your brand is all about and connects with the people you're trying to reach. This can make your team feel more united and get people talking about your brand.

When you're getting these t-shirts ready, it's important to focus on making them well. Choose materials and printing methods that make the t-shirts look good and last long. It's also a good idea to work with a designer who can help turn your brand's vibe into a cool t-shirt design. And remember, a catchy phrase on the t-shirt can really grab people's attention.

To make things easier, think about working with a company like Stitchi that handles everything from designing to sending out the t-shirts. This way, you won't have to deal with a bunch of different companies, and you can be sure your t-shirts will look great.

By focusing on good design, quality production, and easy delivery, your branded t-shirts can become like walking ads for your brand. They can make a big impact at your next event and help more people learn about what you do.

Related Questions

What is the highest quality of shirt printing?

Screen printing is great for making bright and lasting designs, especially if you're ordering a lot of shirts. It's cheaper when you buy in bulk. Dye sublimation is another method that's perfect for colorful designs all over the shirt, especially on polyester material, and it lasts a long time too.

How do big companies print t-shirts?

Big companies usually use screen printing or heat transfers for their t-shirts. Screen printing is good for making a lot of shirts at a lower cost. Heat transfers involve putting vinyl designs on shirts and work well for smaller orders. Some companies use dye sublimation for colorful prints. For small orders, digital printing is a good choice for high-quality prints.

How profitable is t-shirt printing?

When selling t-shirts, most people try to make about 50% profit. This means if the shirt and printing cost $10, they would sell it for $20. Having a higher profit margin can help cover the cost of offering free shipping. How much money you make from printing t-shirts depends on how much it costs to make them, how you price them, how many you sell, and other factors.

What shirt brand is best for screen printing?

Some of the best t-shirt brands for screen printing include Next Level Apparel, Comfort Colors, Bella+Canvas, American Apparel, Gildan, Anvil, Jerzees, and Hanes. It's good to pick shirts that are mostly cotton because they're soft and keep the color well. Mixing in some polyester can help prevent the shirts from shrinking too much.