Be Your Own Brand with Your Shirt Company

Many companies and groups order shirts for a number of reasons. Companies order shirts to give away to customers or perhaps at an industry trade show or event. Companies have special shirts made for golf outings and special events like company picnics. Groups purchase shirts for a multitude of reasons, as well. Sometimes the group requires them as part of a uniform or other mandatory dress. Some groups sell them to students or members to make a profit. 

Sometimes getting a new shirt is included with membership into the club.  For whatever reason the shirts are purchased, somebody has to be in charge of dealing with your shirt company.  There are some important ideas to keep in mind.

One important idea for dealing with you shirt company is getting a gauge of what has gone on in the past. When you take over the task, you need to look at the history so you know what deals were struck and how the communication was handled. Your interpretation of deadlines or design specifications may be quite different than your predecessor’s. It would be well worth the time to just sit down and talk to the representative to get a feel for how they do business.

Depending on how things are with you shirt company, you may want to shop around for new vendors. Taking on a new job is the perfect opportunity to reassess how things are going. What was the best deal before may not be the best deal now.  Putting your contract up for bids might even get you a better deal from your current vendor.  Sometimes vendors get lazy get lazy or build in extras because they think their steady customer isn’t looking anymore.  A little belt tightening could improve your cost.  Be sure that all quotes are for the exact same quality of shirt, printing, and shipping, so that comparisons are fair and realistic. Also, consider how the companies can handle the volume and deadlines you need.  Be sure each quote is thorough and complete and don’t be afraid to ask for references.

There are also a few things to consider when looking for a new vendor.  Currently, your shirt company owns the screens and art work that are used on your shirts.  Going to a new company will cost you the price of these screens and art work because they will have to be re-made by the new company. That is just a cost of doing business in the printing industry.  Be sure to factor that in when evaluating bids. Screens are paid for only once, so there may be other factors that outweigh this extra cost.  Also, the printing industry is partially an artistic one. Quality may vary in the hands of each vendor, so ask to see work they have done for others.

Whichever company you choose, your shirt company should provide outstanding service, and you should work toward building a lasting business relationship. Shirts are a renewable order and being able to go to someone you trust over and over is very valuable indeed.