Full Custom Isn't As Scary As It Sounds

It’s fairly often that clients come to us with really unique visions for their swag but once we tell them that their project would be full custom and need to go overseas they get intimidated and bail on their idea. I get it for sure. The minimums are higher and they take longer. It’s certainly not for everyone. But if you have the time and budget you can end up with an incredible finished product that can be unique to your brand. Here are some things to keep in mind if you are considering taking the plunge into the waters of full custom apparel.

Timeline
The biggest snag when it comes to full custom is the time it takes to produce. The general process is:

  • The design is finalized and sent in.

  • A virtual proof is approved.

  • A physical sample is created and sent to you.

  • If that’s approved the order is officially placed

The whole process takes, on average, about three to four months. That’s a hefty amount of time when you compare it to simples screen printing or embroidery that takes two to three weeks. If you’re considering doing full custom apparel or promotional products be sure to plan ahead.

Minimums
Probably the biggest myth when businesses consider full custom is the minimum quantity that needs to be ordered. Many times business owners and marketing coordinators think they have to order 1,000 pieces and that it’s only for big name retail brands. In some cases, the minimums are that high but most of the time they are much lower than that. On average, the minimum for custom hats is 144 and you can get custom sublimated shirts at quantities as low as 50. So don’t think you’ll have to rent warehouse space just to store your swag.

Price
Often times things like full custom hats can actually be cheaper than just putting a patch on a hat. If not they are generally at most the same price. There are situations where a special mold or template need to be built in order to make your product and those can get pricey. But when factored into the overall cost and divided by the quantity, the per piece price is generally very manageable.

So the next time you get an itch for swag that is more custom and unique than what you see elsewhere it’s worth it to kick the tires on the idea. You never know what you might find.