Order a Sample Before a Bulk Apparel Order: What to Check

A sample turns a guess into a decision. Before you order 50 shirts, order one or two, check them against the list below, and only then place the full order. It adds about a week and a half and removes almost every expensive surprise. Start the sample here: bulk embroidered apparel.

What to order as the sample

• One of each garment type in the final color with the final logo.
• Two sizes if the team is mixed, one from the small end and one from the large end, so you see how the logo sits on both.
• The exact final design. A sample of an older version tells you little.

Because there is no minimum, the sample is a normal order at normal pricing. Many suppliers charge a setup fee for samples or will not make one under their minimum. Here, the sample costs what the shirt costs.

The checklist

Color

Look at the garment in daylight and under your workplace lighting. Screens shift color, especially navy, maroon and forest green. Check that the logo thread or ink contrasts with the fabric from six feet away.

Logo size and placement

Put it on a person. Is the chest logo a hand's width below the collar? Does it look too small or too big from across the room? Most adult chest logos look right at 3 to 4 inches wide. See the left chest logo size guide.

Embroidery quality

Check the smallest letters. Are they readable? Look for puckering around the logo, loose threads and gaps between colors. Flip it inside out. The backing should be neat and trimmed.

Print quality

Run your hand over the print. It should feel soft and flexible. Stretch the fabric a little. The print should stretch with it without cracking. Check that fine details printed sharp.

Wash test

Wash it three times the way your team will actually wash it. Cold, inside out is ideal, but if people will toss it in hot with everything else, test that. Measure the body length and chest width before the first wash and after the third. A change of under about 3 to 5 percent is normal for cotton.

Fit

Have two or three people with different builds try it on. Ask the honest question: would you wear this on a day off? If the answer is no, the fit or fabric is wrong, and it is much cheaper to learn that now.

What to do with what you learn

Most samples lead to one small change: the logo goes up half an inch, the thread changes from navy to white, or the team picks the heavier hoodie. Make the change, and if it is a big one, order one more sample. Then order the full run with confidence.

Timeline

Sample production and shipping takes about 5 to 9 business days. Allow a few days to wear and wash it. The full order then takes another 5 to 9 business days. For an event, start about a month out. Our post on when to order bulk shirts has the full calendar.

Related

Six custom merch mistakes that cost money and your first uniform order checklist pair well with this one.

Is there really no minimum?

None. One piece is a real order at normal pricing, with no small-order surcharge and no setup or digitizing fee. Every piece is made to order and ships in about 5 to 9 business days, and that window is the same for one piece or a few hundred. On eligible garments, volume pricing applies automatically once you order enough of the same item, usually starting around 25 pieces.

See the merch in real life

Real garments, printed and embroidered to order.