FAQ.

Standard turnaround time is two weeks (10 business days) from the time you pay. We need to get all of your details finalized before your order can go into the production queue!

If your artwork and details are all ready, we can usually expedite your order for an additional flat fee. This will depend on the other jobs in our production queue and the size of your order.

However, there are some places that will screen print single shirts as long as the color count is low. Most places have a 12 shirt minimum per color in the artwork.

For example:

24 shirts – minimum for 1 color print

36 shirts – minimum for 2 color print

48 shirts – minimum for 3 color print

If you are producing a new design or something for the first time and need samples, in most cases you can pay a premium and produce just one shirt. But if you if you do it this way don’t expect it to be cheap. Its best to at least hit your printers required minimum for sample runs to make it worth the cost.

Dark garments cost more to produce for several reasons. The first is that it requires additional colors to be printed or an underbase to allow a surface for pigments to sit on making the colors brighter. If an underbase is not use, each color has to be printed 2-3 times to allow for better coverage.

Not only do you have additional cost due to extra screen set up fees, you are also paying for more ink coverage and up to 3x the amount of work to achieve the same color opacity as what would show on a light colored garment.

Technology in the apparel industry over the last decade has advanced for sure, yet screen printing still remains one of the most labor-intensive industries. Especially when it comes to set up costs and the processes involved in setting up multi-colored prints.

The process for setting up screens can be a tedious and time-consuming. Not to mention all our screens are recycled and cleaned each time, so there are a few reasons that screen and setup charges exist and impact screen printing pricing. Burning a single screen is a 5-8 step process depending on the shop. Artwork preparation is also often factored into the screen cost. You then need to print to film, expose each screen, produce & print, reclaim and coat for each color, each print location, each order.

Not only is there time associated with burning the screens, but there is also a lot of material cost that goes into re-creating a film or screen.

Most shops charge anywhere from $20 – $30 per color per screen. If you are printing less than 50 shirts and have more than 3 colors in the graphic, the cost will be much higher per shirt due to the setup costs.

When you have a graphic with a lot of colors. It can often cost more to produce a smaller amount than a larger volume because the cost per shirt is so much higher. You can always give us a call or stop by for additional questions.

Rush orders can be accommodated, depending on our schedule. To see if we can get your rush order into production please give us a call. Price is subject to increase for all rush orders and is determined on a project to project basis.

Set up fees on reorders are discounted to cover the time for our production team to get those back on press and re-burn the screens. The initial fees pay for the films and screen. We do not hold screens unless the same job is printed multiple times in 1 month. The re-set fee covers the cost to burn the image back onto the screen and the time to set the screen for production.

Yes, we can ship your order after completion. Shipping charges will be added to the final invoice after production. Please be sure to allow 2 weeks for order to be printed prior to shipping.

When it comes to artwork, we usually prefer scalable vector files (.ai, .eps, .svg). But we can also work with bitmap files (.jpg, .tiff, .psd) provided they are 300-600 DPI and sized accordingly. All text should be outlined or embedded. Color space should be CMYK, and all strokes should be expanded.

Confused? Don’t worry. When in doubt, just send us your file. We’ll be happy to evaluate it for you at no additional charge.

If it needs work, you can either hire our design experts to optimize it for screen printing, or request changes from your own designer. Even high quality files sometimes need changes in order to produce sharp, affordable prints. For example, we often need to reduce the number of colors in order to meet your specific budget. Again, simply send us your file if you have any questions.

We accept cash, check, credit cards, and wire transfers for payment. We will request full payment of the order upfront. If this doesn’t work with your budget, we will request that the payment cover the cost of the garments to get to us.

To make sure you are 100% satisfied with the final product, we guide you through every step of the process. Together, we’ll confirm your design, placement, colors, and shirt types before we get your shirts on the press.

Whether you have a specific idea in mind, or you need some suggestions from our team of experts, we will help you through the following steps:

• Art development & design
• Selection of your blank apparel
• Pricing & quotes
• Mock-ups of your design on the apparel of your choice
• Quantity & size breakdown
• Final approval & deposit
• Production
• Pick-up or delivery
• Online stores and fulfillment
• Shipping

Since every order is different, this process can be very short or rather lengthy. Our goal is to provide prompt, clear communication through every step, so you get exactly what you want!

Yes, our order minimum or MOQ screen printing order is 36 pieces.

This means 36 pieces with the same print. The good news? You can mix and match shirt types within that quantity of 36. Want 18 hoodies and 18 t-shirts? Or some men’s styles and some women’s styles? No problem, as long as they all have the same artwork. We can occasionally do orders as small as 12, but in that case, there is a $8 surcharge per piece. Smaller orders are handled on a case-by-case basis.

We’re totally cool with customer supplied goods. We do request that orders being shipped to us have the invoice number on the package, and a clear description of the fabric content, colors, and sizes so we can ensure we’re using the right ink and make sure everything shows up to us. We do not offer replacements or discounts if spoilage occurs on customer provided goods.

Fo Sho, just provide us with a phone number via email and we will be more than happy to send over some photos.

We provide digital mock ups for every t-shirt order. The mock up is a representation of what your shirt will look like when completed. On these proofs, we will provide dimensions and pantone colors and print locations.

Shirts are sourced and sewn all over the world. The United states is one of the leading producers of cotton. However, the largest producers are China and India who together produce 31% of the worlds fiber. In total more than 100 countries produce cotton worldwide. The sewing or construction of garments vary depending on the brand. The largest apparel companies primarily sew offshores while recently many US companies have moved sewing back, mostly in California. This is great news as many companies are moving toward fair wage apparel creation. Allmade apparel and Bella + Canvas are leading the charge.

Unfortunately, underpaid production and slave labor still remains very common in countries outside the US. (This is why we recommend choosing a US company for your apparel sourcing!) Many textile companies in Haiti pay their workers less than $3 per day. At Red Bird we think it’s very important to know who’s actually manufacturing garments and what life may be like for some factory workers. This is the only way we can start making an impact and possibly changing lives.

At Red Bird we understand the importance of fast turn arounds. Many clients need shirts printed and delivered fast. Expedite fees do apply but our shop is setup to get your garments to you in 24-36 hours if needed. Be sure to email us to email us if interested. If it’s an emergency we can print up to 1000 pieces within 24 hours depending on specs. In addition to expedited screen printing services we also offer same day prints. Be sure to give us a call for additional details.

Our shop specializes in bulk orders for corporate events. If your team is in need for a bulk t-shirt order be sure to give us a call. With our quick turn arounds and affordable prices, Red Bird is here to print large runs for your team and corporate event.

Using the newest print technology to come to Raleigh we can proudly print high-quality photo realistic shirts using our Epson Surecolor F2100 series DTG printer. With lightning fast turnaround and no set-up fees, DTG is the best option for smaller print runs and samples. The first step at our shop is printing a test print to make sure the color is accurate and on point. If everything looks good, we print you garment(s) which are then cured with a top of the line heat press. Cool huh?

• Fast turnaround (same day- 3 days)
• Great for small print runs with multiple colors
• Raleigh premier shop to offer DTG printing
• Soft feel with vibrant colors
• Full color print on light and dark garments
• T-shirts make great gift ideas

On orders of 100 plus we have more flexibitly on pricing. Be sure to give us a call for additonal questions on bulk orders.

• Street wear brands, Apparel brands, clothing brands. Let us help you print and ship your t-shirts directly to your clients.
• Designing, building and providing tools so you can start an apparel brand with a few affordable steps.
• Corporate event planners looking for volume apparel
• Sports Tournaments Apparel
• Production introduction T-shirts
• Company Outing T-shirts
• Conventions
• Corporate merchandise
• Employee online store merchandise
• University Bookstores
• Bulk local t-shirt order
• Bulk nation wide T-shirt orders

Additional variables and services that can affect cost include the following:

• Number of garments
• Number of print locations
• Number of colors printed
• Size of print
• Garment type
• Garment color
• Water base or Plastisol
• Expedited Services
• Folding
• Bagging
• Labeling
• Tag removal
• Custom printed neck tags
• Hang tags
• Stickers
• Woven labels
• Fulfillment services
• Shipping

Want to bring in your own blanks?

Other expenses may include screen fees otherwise known as set-up or art prep fees. These can all add up to your overall cost and should be considered when pricing out jobs or shopping for different rates for your project. Artwork fees are another expense that are often not thought about. Another large expense can be shipping and fulfillment costs. If you are ordering your shirts direct from a supplier, you will need to ship the goods to your printer and perhaps ship them again to you or your customers. Make sure you consider all shipping and transit costs when pricing your apparel for merchandise production.