Getting your job ordered.
Step 1.
Decide what you need. We can help with advice on what garments and branding type is right for your job.
See also: What Tee is Best, and Starting your own Label
Step 2.
Get a quote. Our instant estimate form on the front page will give you an idea of the pricing based on our most commonly requested items. However we supply hundreds of garments from dozens of suppliers so let us know what you need.
Step 3.
Send us your artwork and we proof. Our team can arrange redraws if you do not have vector artwork and can do basic artwork alterations in house, we will quote before doing any work.
Step 4.
Approve the proof and supply final numbers.
Step 5.
We schedule, print your job and arrange a courier (unless you are collecting).
Step 6.
This is all in your hands now. Either hand out the apparel to your team, fulfill prorders or get selling or get your promo moving.
A quick note about pricing and sizes:
The pricebreak is based on total prints of a single design at one time. As such you can mix singlets, hoodies and tees and this would count towards the larger total.
However this also means you need to be aware of the sizing when designing, if your design needs to be one size on adults and one size on kids this would effectively double the setup fee and split the pricebreak quantity. We recommend working as large as possible on the smallest garment.
What we need from you
Vector Artwork
This image shows part of the story why we need Vector artwork – Quality – But not the whole thing. Vector artwork is generally made from scratch in Illustrator or Corel Draw.
Vector artwork allows us to resize, and select individual elements. This means colours separation is easier and we can make basic alterations without charging!
There are rare occasions where Raster Artwork is fine, however this is generally only for basic images and where the image is very high resolution. Otherwise pixelation and other issues will likely occur.
Most of the time you should aim to provide Vector Artwork. Preferably in a .pdf format. If you cannot supply this – check with any printers that may have printed Business Cards or Signs.
Pantone Colours
Every computer screen is different, to get around this we match to the Pantone Colour Matching System (Solid Colours).
It is likely your designer has these on file!
CMYK
Even if you do not know your Pantone Colour it is best if you work in CMYK. Full Colour images should always be set to CMYK.
RGB is for web design and things that will be seen on screens, it is a backlit system and produces colours that cannot be achieved through any form of conventional printing.
We will provide a proof on your requested garments before we go to print, your job will not be printed or scheduled until this is approved.
Before your job is Scheduled we will need your confirmed styles and numbers, once you provide these your job will be scheduled to print.
You can change these, however it will push your job out and a restocking fee may apply depending on what supplier we are using for your job.
It is best if you collate this and provide it once.
To proceed we need Proof approval and Final Quantity
Once these are provided your job is locked and loaded.
Before collection or courier we will requirement payment, we do have credit card options available.
If we are couriering the garments to you we will need a delivery address! Unless you are collecting.
We can do split deliveries, however there is a $10.00 per split (after the first address) fee – and additional courier fees.
The printing process
How we brand your garments depends on a few factors, such as quantity, garment and process required.
The units we use for larger runs are semi-automatic and are far larger than what is shown here, but the process is essentially the same. We do also print small jobs manually.
However if you want to learn more or see the entire process the guys at ryonet have a great video library. This one here has a fantastic overview of the process we follow.
The most common branding we do, particularly on tees, is Screen Printing.
Whether this is done on one of our semi-automatic machines or entirely by hand the premise is exactly the same.
First a screen is imaged for each colour in the design.
Screens are frames with very fine mesh (originally made from silk, hence silk screenprinting)
The screens are then loaded onto a machine and lined up.
The screens are loaded onto individual heads, which the printer swings around.
The screens are then inked up and using a squeege ink is pushed through the screen.
If the job is multi-colour the printer will print one colour, swing the heads to change screens and then push the next colour through.
When printing a base or when a design needs the inks to be ‘flashed’ the stations with the garments is also spun so that the garment is under an element for a brief time to quickly flash cure the ink before the next layer goes on.
Finally the garments are then run through a conveyer drier to cure.
They are then stacked out, folded and boxed ready to be collected or couriered.
Most common methods of branding.
Screenprinting.
Screenprinting Tees is what we do… Well along Digitals and Embroidery and Vinyl.
Nearly all T-Shirts and Hoodies are Screen Printed, it is the most economical process for printing tees, particularly in higher volumes.
Pricing scales well, and fine detail is acheivable.
Digital Transfers.
Transfers have come a long way, with no limitation to colours they can be the best option for many colours and small runs.
Embroidery.
Embroidery does not suit soft fabrics such as T-Shirts, however it is perfect for Business Shirts and Polos, as well as Aprons.
Embroidery is priced per stitch so logos do need to be quoted case by case.
