The 5 most common mistakes on your first custom textile order

Your first custom textile order is exciting — and error-prone. We see the same stumbling blocks with new clients again and again. Some cost time, some cost money, some cost both. This article saves you both.

Mistake 1: Too small a quantity for screen printing

Screen printing has setup costs — each screen costs €20–60. Ordering 20 shirts with a 4-colour motif means you pay more for setup than for the actual print. The minimum quantity for economical screen printing is 50 units; the sweet spot is 100+.

Mistake 2: Supplying artwork in the wrong format

JPEGs and PNGs from the internet are unsuitable for textile printing. We need vector-based files (.ai, .eps or .pdf) for screen printing and embroidery. For DTG, high-resolution PNGs (min. 300 dpi at print size) are required. A poorly-resolved logo looks fine on screen — but pixelated on a 30×30cm print area.

„Good design cannot save poor file quality. But a good file can save mediocre design.“

— palstudios production team

Mistake 3: Not ordering a sample

"I just trust you" — we hear this often and it's flattering. But not ordering a sample is a mistake. Only when you hold the physical sample in your hand can you see whether the colours are right, the fit works and the quality matches your expectations. Corrections after mass production are expensive. Samples are not.

Mistake 4: Planning only one colour and size

Watch out: minimum quantities often apply per colour and size. Splitting 100 shirts across 4 colours and 5 sizes suddenly creates much smaller batches per variant — with correspondingly higher unit prices. Plan your size and colour breakdown realistically before committing to a quote.

Mistake 5: Underestimating lead time

Custom textile production is not online shopping. From final sign-off to dispatch, 4–8 weeks pass depending on complexity. If you need your merch for an event in 3 weeks, you're in trouble. Plan at least 10–12 weeks from briefing to finished product.