5 Mistakes People Make When Ordering Custom T-Shirts (And How to Avoid Them)

Whether you're ordering shirts for your business, sports team, church, school, fundraiser, or special event, custom apparel is an investment. A great shirt can build team spirit, promote your brand, and create lasting memories. A bad shirt, on the other hand, can leave you frustrated and wishing you had done things differently.

At Eagle Sportz, we've helped hundreds of customers create custom apparel, and we've noticed a few common mistakes that tend to show up again and again. The good news? They're all easy to avoid.

1. Waiting Until the Last Minute

We get it—life gets busy. One minute you're planning your event months in advance, and the next thing you know it's only two weeks away and nobody has ordered shirts yet.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is waiting too long to start the ordering process. While modern printing methods like DTF printing allow for faster turnaround times than ever before, waiting until the last minute can limit your apparel options and create unnecessary stress.

If you're ordering for a school event, sports season, church retreat, company outing, or fundraiser, the earlier you begin, the more choices you'll have and the smoother the process will be.

2. Sending Low-Quality Artwork

Have you ever zoomed in on a photo and watched it become blurry? The same thing happens when low-resolution artwork is printed on a shirt.

Many customers unknowingly send screenshots, social media graphics, or images copied from websites. While they may look fine on a phone screen, they often don't provide enough detail for professional printing.

High-quality artwork is one of the biggest factors in producing great-looking apparel. Whenever possible, provide original logo files or high-resolution images. If you're unsure whether your artwork will work, we will be able to guide you through the process before anything goes to production. Even better, we can create the artwork for you, so you don't even have to worry about it.

3. Choosing the Wrong Shirt for the Job

Not every shirt is designed for every situation.

A lightweight performance shirt might be perfect for a summer baseball tournament but not ideal for a corporate event. Likewise, a basic cotton tee may work great for a fundraiser but not for employees who spend all day working outdoors.

The shirt itself matters just as much as the design printed on it. Comfort, durability, fit, moisture-wicking capabilities, and budget should all be considered before placing an order.

The best custom apparel projects start with asking a simple question: Who will be wearing this shirt, and what will they be doing in it?

4. Ignoring the Audience

One of the most common design mistakes is trying to include too much information.

A shirt isn't a flyer. It doesn't need every sponsor logo, every social media account, and every detail about the event squeezed onto the front and back.

The most effective shirt designs are often the simplest. Bold graphics, readable text, and clear messaging tend to have the greatest impact. If someone can't read your shirt from across a parking lot, there's a good chance the design is too complicated.

When it comes to custom apparel, simplicity almost always wins.

5. Choosing a Printer Based Only on Price

Everyone loves saving money, but choosing a custom apparel provider solely because they offered the lowest quote can be an expensive mistake.

A cheaper price doesn't mean much if the shirts arrive late, the print quality is poor, or customer service disappears when you have questions.

Your apparel often represents your organization. Whether you're promoting a business, outfitting a team, or creating shirts for a community event, quality matters. A trusted print partner should help you choose the right products, communicate clearly throughout the process, and deliver an end result you're proud to wear.

The goal isn't simply to find the cheapest option—it's to find the best value.

Bonus Tip: Always Order a Few Extras

Here's a lesson we've learned from years in the custom apparel business: somebody always needs another shirt.

A volunteer signs up late. A new employee gets hired. Someone needs a different size. It happens every time.

Ordering a handful of extra shirts in your most common sizes can save you time, money, and frustration later. Reorders are possible, but they often cost more and may require additional setup time.

Trust us—future you will be glad you planned ahead.

Ordering custom apparel doesn't have to be complicated. By planning ahead, using quality artwork, choosing the right garments, keeping your design simple, and partnering with a trusted local printer, you'll end up with shirts that people are excited to wear.

At Eagle Sportz, we help businesses, schools, churches, sports teams, and organizations throughout Cartersville, Bartow County, and Northwest Georgia create custom apparel that looks great and lasts.

If you're ready to start your next custom apparel project, we'd love to help.