What Is The Turnaround Time For A Screen Print Order?

When you place an order for screen-printed apparel, it’s natural to wonder how long it’ll take for your order to go from a design to something on a t-shirt, hat, sweatshirt, or something else. At STL Shirt Co., we understand that in most cases time is of the essence and you need your screen-printed gear in St. Louis, MO by a certain date.

Usually, we recommend that you allow for anywhere between 7 to 10 business days for your order to go from the design phase to a finished product. But in our more than 40 years of printing experience, we’ve come across several pitfalls or speed-bumps that can keep your order from being finished within this timeframe, and today we will share them with you so that when you need screen-printed apparel in St. Louis, you can get it as quickly as possible. Call us at 636-926-2777 to get your order started today, or request a quote online.

What’s Keeping My Screen-Printing Order From Being Finished?

There are a few major factors that can extend the turnaround time for a screen print order. Some of them are occasionally out of our hands, but many others are easily prevented by customers knowing what they want and taking a few easy steps that will ensure their order will be on time.

• Know your order quantity up-front: having a good idea of how many pieces you need is an easy way for us to plan ahead and procure the proper amount of shirts to print. If you suddenly need an increased order quantity, we may not have those extra shirts or sizes on hand and will need to order more which will extend your turnaround time.
• Provide print-ready artwork: be exact with your desired artwork/logo size, dimensions, and placement. If you can, provide us artwork in a vector-based file type, such as .ai, .eps, or .pdf. While we can convert .jpg or .png files to vector artwork, this takes additional time and may not produce the image quality you want.
• Use fewer colors in your design: every color in a screen-print design has to be printed separately. If you have a three-color design, for instance, this will take three times as long to print as a one-color design.
• Consider the color of your apparel: printing on darker-colored items usually requires extra steps and care to make sure that your design stands out. If you want something done quicker, have it printed on a light-colored item, like white or gray.
• Understand that some items may not be in stock: while we have a large number of products from top brands like Gildan, Badger, Bella+Canvas, and others in stock and ready to print, we may not have all colors or sizes at our shop and will have to order more. It’s entirely possible that your desired size and style is back-ordered nationwide. Our team, however, can work with you to suggest alternative items and deliver your screen-printed apparel on time.

What If I Need A Screen-Printing Order Now?

We understand that sometimes, you need a shirt or apparel order within days. Maybe your event was a spontaneous one, or your recreational sports team made a big tournament and you want spirit gear to celebrate it. That’s why we offer rush services for an additional charge. We can get your custom apparel to your door within days, without sacrificing the union-made quality you expect from STL Shirt Co.

Choose The Best Screen Printing Company | STL Shirt Co.

No matter what you want printed, how big your order is, or when you need it delivered, STL Shirt Co. is here to help you show your team spirit, commemorate an event, or raise funds for your school with screen-printed apparel. As a union print shop, we are dedicated to quality and getting you the best possible product, on time, and at the best possible price. Contact us online today or call us at (636) 926-2777 to get a quote and begin your screen-printed shirt order.

How Should I Care For My Screen-Printed Shirt?

As an established screen printing shop in St. Louis, MO, the team at STL Shirt Co. understands that you want to keep your printed shirts in the best condition possible. A well-made screen printed shirt can last for years, and be a great way to show your pride in an organization, remember a cherished event, or support a sports team. However, like all garments, there are certain steps you should take to ensure that your screen-printed shirt does not fade or shrink over time.

Do’s and Don’ts Of Screen Print Shirt Care

• Do: Wash screen-printed garments inside-out. This will not only protect the ink used in screen printing from fading faster but also prevent it from smearing or smudging against the washing machine’s drum or other items in the washer. Turning your shirt inside-out also prevents fibrillation, which is when the shirt fabric fibers show through the print and cause it to look faded and scratchy.
• Don’t: Use bleach when washing screen printed shirts. Chemicals in bleach weaken the dyes used in screen printing as well as the fabric of the shirt.
• Do: Always wash screen printed items with like colors and fabrics. This prevents color transferring as well as pilling (where fabrics rub up against each other in the wash and cause small fuzzy balls to form on the surface of the shirt).
• Do: Wash screen printed shirts in cool water using mild detergent (such as those designed for people with sensitive skin) or products like Woolite®. Using cool or cold water prevents shrinkage and also saves you money when doing the laundry. We suggest using the gentle/delicate cycle on your washing machine.
• Don’t: Use liquid fabric softener. While you may think that this will keep your shirt’s fabric in better condition and reduce static cling, the chemicals in fabric softeners break down the ink on your shirt and cause it to fade.
• Do: Hang garments to dry or lay them flat on a drying rack.
• Don’t: Dry screen printed shirts using higher heat. In addition to causing shrinkage, higher heat in a dryer can cause pilling and crack screen-printed ink. Use low or no heat if you must use a clothes dryer and avoid using dryer sheets.
• Do: Pre-treat garments if the water in your area is hard, and your building does not have a water-softening system. The minerals in hard water cause shirt fabrics to become stiff and uncomfortable, as well as fade the ink used in screen printing. We recommend soaking shirts in a mixture of one gallon of water and one cup of white vinegar if the water in your area is exceptionally hard.
• Don’t: Dry clean screen-printed shirts. Chemicals used in the dry cleaning process result in spots and stains appearing on printed garments.

Choose Quality Screen Printing | STL Shirt Co.

Of course, the best way to make sure that your screen-printed shirts will not fade, crack, or shrink in the wash is to have your screen-printed shirt made by a company that uses top-quality ink, cutting-edge printing processes, and sources shirts from premium brands. At STL Shirt Co., we are committed to providing all our clients with the finest quality, union-made, screen-printed shirts. We know that you want your shirt to last for years to come, and as such strive to give you a shirt you’ll love to wear again and again.

No matter the size of your order or when you need your screen printed shirts, choose STL Shirt Co. to create custom-printed shirts for your next event. Call us today at (636) 926-2777, or contact us online, to speak with a member of our team and get a quote for your screen printed shirt order.

How To Use T-Shirts For Fundraising

How to use t-shirts for fundraising. Fundraising is not an insignificant responsibility. When you set off to raise money for a group, organization, or cause you are involved in, you need a strategy that is effective in reaching your audience something your supporters will want to spend money to purchase. Using t-shirts from your local screen printer, STL Shirt Co., is the perfect solution.

Using STL Shirt Co. t-shirts for your fundraising needs means the process will be simple, the merchandise will be high-quality, and promoting it will be a breeze. Our free online fundraising stores have helped many individuals and groups in the Greater St. Louis area reach a wider audience and raise more money for their cause. You can learn more about STL Shirt Co.’s fundraising opportunities that can be used throughout the United States or contact us now to get started with your t-shirt fundraiser in St. Louis or across the US.

How To Set Up a T-Shirt Fundraiser

Whether you work in a full-time capacity running fundraising for a non-profit organization or you are part of a group participating in a one-time fundraiser, you are faced with conceiving of and orchestrating a successful fundraising effort. Sometimes the biggest challenge is coming up with a creative and effective fundraising method. STL Shirt Co. solves that problem for you. Selling custom t-shirts is a popular fundraising tactic, and for good reason.

At STL Shirt Co. we make using t-shirts for fundraising simple, straightforward, and successful. By offering free web store set-up and producing screen printed t-shirts and other apparel of the highest quality, we are an excellent partner for all of your fundraising needs. The process is so easy, you’d be silly not to do it.

Design the Shirt

First thing first. In order to use t-shirts to fundraise, you need to come up with a great t-shirt design that appeals to your supporters and represents your group or cause. Come to our team for professional design help or try your hand at design yourself (find some tips to get you started here).

The particulars of the design will vary depending on the message you are trying to send, but some great guidelines for designing t-shirt logos apply to most cases. Your design should be simple, easy to read and understand, and its size should be considered relative to the t-shirt or other garment.

Set Up the Store

Once you have landed on the perfect print design and have selected the type of shirts you want it printed on, it is time to set up your online store. In order to make selling your t-shirts and raising money as easy and accessible as possible, STL Shirt Co. provides free web store set-ups.

After we receive your designs, we will set up an online store for you for free. This allows your supporters and other interested customers to purchase your fundraising t-shirts quickly and painlessly and allows you to begin your fundraiser with little overhead, time, and energy. Just come up with a design, let us know when you’d like the store to run, and leave the rest up to us.

Promote the Cause

After we set up your online store, the ball is in your court for a little while. With a web page where you can send interested individuals to buy your shirts, you can begin promoting and advertising your fundraiser. Share a little backstory about your organization and the reason you are trying to raise funds.

Get creative and spread awareness about your fundraiser as many ways as you can. Share your store link on social media channels, call attention to your cause or organization, ask your friends and family to purchase shirts–there are no wrong answers here. It’s your fundraiser. Make the most of it!

Sell the Shirts

With your merchandise designed and available to purchase online, it’s time to make some money. Put our t-shirts to work for your fundraising needs. During the timeframe of your fundraiser, your online store will be open for anybody to purchase as many t-shirts as they would like. They will place their orders just like they would any online purchase, making it convenient for everyone.

We will close your online t-shirt store at the end of your fundraiser. Once the fundraiser closes, we will print all orders and ship them out or package them for pick-up. Your supporters get great quality t-shirts that promote your cause and you receive 100% of the funds raised from the t-shirt sales. And we get to do what we love. Everybody wins when you use STL Shirt Co’s t-shirts for fundraising!

Start My T-Shirt Fundraiser | STL Shirt Co

Using t-shirts for fundraising is easy for you to set up, convenient for your supporters to purchase, and a relevant and effective way to raise money and reach a wide audience. What are you waiting for? If you have been given the responsibility of orchestrating a fundraiser for your school, team, or organization or you’re inspired to make a difference for a cause you are passionate about, using t-shirts for fundraising is perfect.

STL Shirt Co. produces quality t-shirts and other custom screen printed and embroidery apparel for fundraising and other uses. Make an impact and get custom designed shirts . Begin setting up your online store for fundraising right away! Call us today at 636-926-2777 or reach us online to begin using our custom t-shirts for fundraising now.

How Do I Design a T-Shirt?

So you want to design your own custom t-shirt, huh? You’ve come to the right place. STL Shirt Co. is a St. Louis screen printing and custom design authority. With a team of extensively trained, union-member screen printers and talented professional designers, we can make your wildest custom screen printing t-shirt dreams into a reality.

Our customers choose STL Shirt Co for their screen printing needs because they recognize our commitment to craftsmanship, quality materials, and personalized customer service. Whether you already have a logo made up that you want to get onto shirts or you would prefer to leave all the designing to us, we are here to meet your custom screen printing needs from beginning to end. You can begin right now by calling us at 636-926-2777, texting us at 636-099-0162, or requesting a quote online.

How To Design a T-Shirt

Unless you’re a fashion designer by trade, it’s not every day you get a chance to dictate exactly what the apparel in your wardrobe looks like. When you’re lucky enough to have an event that calls for custom t-shirts, it can be a lot of fun to create the design yourself. But it can also be daunting. STL Shirt Co. is here to assist you with your screen printing order in St. Louis or anywhere in the United States and can be as involved or as hands-off as you’d like. Send in your own completed design image file for us to screen print, have us create the design for you, or go somewhere in between by giving us a starting point and referring to our team to tweak the details.

Elements of T-Shirt Design

Sizing

When designing a logo for screen printing on a shirt or other type of apparel, size matters. To determine the right sizing for your image, you’ll have to think about what type of apparel you will be printing on. Do you want crew-neck t-shirts, v neck t-shirts, tanks, hoodies, long-sleeved tees? All of the above? The sizing for a design printed on a tank top may need to be different than one going on a hoodie.

There are a couple of things to consider with size and screen printing. First, the plastisol ink used in screen printing has a texture. We use quality inks with a soft hand-feel, but a huge, solid area of ink can be stiff and may not be the most comfortable. Second, many logos are circular or square in shape, and they usually appear larger than they are. Go against your instinct and make your logo slightly smaller.

Pro tip: cut out a sketch or print of your design on a piece of paper and hold it up against your shirt. Look in the mirror to get a sense of how the design will look in that size.

Location and Placement

Design location placement in screen printing also depends on the style of apparel you will be ordering. Location in screen printing design describes where on the garment your design is. Examples of common locations are full front, full back, left breast, sleeve, etc. Obviously, some locations are applicable to some garment styles and not others. (If you want a sleeve print on a tank top, we’ll refer you to the nearest tattoo shop).

Placement, then, refers to the specific metrics within the location where the design is printed. Count on our screen printing team to make sure your designs are printed in correct alignment and not off-center or at an angle.

Typography

Most (but not all) custom shirt designs include some amount of text. No pressure, but the typeface (the font) you select has as much impact on your message as the words it displays. Take your time to explore options and pick the ones that speak to you the most. A basketball team jersey calls for a much different typeface than what would be appropriate on a corporate work uniform or a bridal shower tee. Add an extra level of interest by using multiple fonts, but be sure to limit yourself to just two or three.

Colors

Here comes the fun part: picking out the pretty colors! Remember that you have the garment color to select in addition to the ink colors for the print. For most uses, screen-printed apparel is best with bold colors in high contrast from the color of the shirt material. As a rule of thumb, light-colored t-shirts look best with dark-colored ink and dark-colored shirts work best with light ink colors.

For the ink colors in your design, bust out the good ol’ color wheel and brush up on your basic color theory. Screen-printed designs work best with a limited number of colors. Again, three is the magic number here. There are some exceptions, but designs with many colors get difficult and costly.

Pro tip: If you are working with a brand, team, or other entity with specific colors already established, ask our team about color matching! We will work to get you the exact ink color you need.

Complexity

Sometimes the hardest part of designing a custom screen printing logo is knowing when to say when. Be careful not to over-design your logo for your t-shirt. Less is often more. It is easier to make out, more effective, and usually looks a lot better. Make use of negative space and use details sparingly. After all, you want people to be able to make out what your custom shirt is about, and the human brain can only process so much information at once.

Design Custom T-Shirts | STL Shirt Co

Get your custom screen printed apparel from STL Shirt Co. We will work with you to make sure the finished product exceeds your expectations in quality and style. If you want to try your hand at designing your own t-shirt logo, be our guest! If you’d like a little extra design help from our professional designers or want to hand over the creative reigns to us completely, we’ve got your back too!

At STL Shirt Co, screen printing is our passion and we are dedicated to making every shirt, hoodie, hat, and other product we print look amazing. If you have more questions about designing a logo for your custom order or would like to place an order today, contact us today. Simply fill out this form or give us a call now. Happy designing!

STL Shirt Co is your custom camp t shirt headquarters. We understand that you can never get an exact number of camp t shirts that you need until day 2 or 3 because of walk ons and drop offs. That’s where we come in. We have a full time staff ready to print shirts as soon as they get off the truck. That means that the average turnaround time for custom camp t shirts is only 1-2 days!

Send us your custom camp t shirt order and we will be sure to get them in time for the end of camp. 636-926-2777 or info@stlshirtco.com

Our phones are ringing, our email is popping, and our presses are printing. Yes it is that time of year again….STATE SWIM AND DIVE FINALS!!!!!!!!!! Oh yes, the state swim and dive season is drawing closer to an end and STL Shirt Co is the place to go for your custom Swim and Dive, State bound T shirts and hoodies.

State swim and dive shirts are our specialty. We understand that the roster isn’t final until the very last minute and that is why we are special. See, we have the absolute fastest turnaround it town. We are famous for our 5 day turnaround but in special, end of the season occasions our 1 2 or 3 day turnaround is gaining even more attention. Yes you heard that correctly, if you need shirts in as little as 1 or 2 days we can make it happen. Just give us a call or send us an email and we can get those state swim and dive shirts to you in a jiffy!

We also offer delivery so if you are not close to our location in St. Charles, no problem! We will get the shirts to you!

St. Charles,  St. Peters,  O’Fallon,  Kirkwood,  Creve Coeur,  Town and Country,  Wildwood, Weldon Spring,  Ellisville, Maryland Heights,  Cottleville,  Ballwin, Valley Park, Webster Groves, Des Peres, Bridgeton, Manchester, Fenton, Florissant, Clayton, Richmond Heights, Maplewood, University City, Ferguson, Mehlville, Wentzville, Ladue, Brentwood, Sunset Hills, and many more.

And were not just limited to Missouri cities. We send shirts across the nation! So give us a call, send us an email, or stop by today. We can wait to see what you’ll order next!

636-926-2777

Sales@stlshirtco.com

Fall is here and you know what that means, IT’S SWEATSHIRT SEASON! There is nothing better than snuggling up in a brand new custom sweatshirt from STL SHIRT CO. And the best thing about 2014 is that custom crewneck sweatshirts are back in stlye! yes, you read that correctly, the non-hooded sweatshirts and back and they are popular as ever. That is not to say that hoodies are out of style either. As of now they are each racing a tight race against each other in the sales.

One of the beast things about ordering custom sweatshirts from STL Shirt Co is that we have the fastest turnaround in town. A standard custom sweatshirt or hoodie order only takes us 5 business days to complete. No need to wait 2 full weeks from those other guys, usually if you order on Monday we have them to you just in time for the weekend!

We know first few days of fall have felt more like the middle days of summer but do not be fooled, that cold snap will be here any day and when it does show, be ready for it with custom crewneck sweatshirts from STL SHIRT CO.

If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. And if you would like to get a quote visit our GET A QUOTE page and we will be sure to get you some prices ASAP.

St. Peters
636-926-2777
sales@stlshirtco.com

Summer is here and so are St Louis summer camps! and what is a St. Louis summer camp without a St. Louis Shirt Co camp shirt! No kid should ever go to camp and leave empty handed.  Here at STL Shirt Co, camp shirts are our specialty. Whether its a small camp of 20 kids or a large camp of 2000, we can handle it.

One of the greatest things about ordering summer custom summer camp shirts from STL Shirt Co is our turnaround time. We are the fastest printers in the area and we do it for your benefit! we know you have those stragglers that show up the day camp starts and still expect that shirt.  We are famous for getting orders in on Monday or Tuesday and having them done by the end of the camp on Friday. No kid left behind! So if you are interested in ordering custom summer camp shirts from STL Shirt Co. this year give us a call, send us am email, or do whatever necessary t contact us and we will make it happen! Ordering custom summer camp shirts in St. Louis is a breeze at STL Shirt Co!

If you are not from St. Louis but from another great city in Missouri such as:

St. Charles,  St. Peters,  O’Fallon,  Kirkwood,  Creve Coeur,  Town and Country,  Wildwood, Weldon Spring,  Ellisville, Maryland Heights,  Cottleville,  Ballwin, Valley Park, Webster Groves, Des Peres, Bridgeton, Manchester, Fenton, Florissant, Clayton, Richmond Heights, Maplewood, University City, Ferguson, Mehlville, Wentzville, Ladue, Brentwood, Sunset Hills, and many more. We can print for you too! we offer free delivery or shipping to EVERYONE!

And were not just limited to Missouri cities. We send shirts across the nation! So give us a call, send us an email, or stop by today. We can wait to see what you’ll order next!

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Nothing raises awareness more than a group of friends and family wearing T shirts to show support autism awareness. Here at STL Shirt Co we know how important it is to look good while showing support. We provide the people of  St. Louis with great looking and great quality  Autism Awareness shirts. Whether it be walks, fundraisers or any other event, we have got you covered.

One of the greatest things about ordering shirts from STL Shirt Co. is that we are the fastest in town. We have a normal turnaround time of only 3-5 business days.  So even if you waited till the last minute for that person to sign up or call you back we have got you covered. Autism Awareness shirts are a breeze. We have plenty of designs and great artists that can also help you create the perfect autism awareness shirt.

So give us a call or send us an email today! we would be glad to take your order.

St. Peters
636-926-2777

Ellisville
636-207-1444

sales@stlshirtco.com

Walk season is finally here! Here at STL Shirt Co we absolutely love walking season. We get to hear about all of the success stories about overcoming cancer, diseases, and so many more difficult situations. Year after year we see more and more people coming out to show their support for their friends and family and year after year the shirt orders for their group increases in size.

Custom T shirts are a great way to show your support for a certain individual or group during this years walk season. There is power in numbers and when you see hundreds of people in the same custom shirt supporting one individual or cause it can be really moving. Custom T shirts can also serve as a great fundraising opportunity for your cause.  It is so easy to order shirts in bulk at a lower price from STL Shirt Co. and sell them for a few extra bucks to help your cause. For example, 100 shirts bought from STL Shirt Co at $4.95 and sold to supporters at $10.00 can add an extra $500.00 toward your cause!

So if you are walking in any sort of walk this year please give us a call or shoot us an email. We would be more than happy to send you a quote and get your order started today!

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St. Peters
636-299-6975
connor@stlshirtco.com

Ellisville
636-207-1444
info@stlshirtco.com