The Shirt
What's the difference between organic and conventional
cotton?
| Conventional cotton uses harsh
chemicals during its growth and cultivation. Certified
organic cotton does not use these chemicals. To
learn more, see what the
OTA and
Organic
Exchange have to say. |
Why buy local?
| We believe that if you go outside of
your local markets to find a product that those markets
can
supply, that is not sustainable. Using
domestically-made products supports jobs in the United
States, and helps lower carbon emissions from overseas
shipping. |
What shirt styles
can you supply?
| Through our two main suppliers, our
offerings of t-shirts styles run the gamut. A list
of organic styles that we stock can be seen
here. |
Why are your shirts white when American Apparel's shirts are
natural?
| Our Clothing Facts shirts are bleached flat white
using hydrogen peroxide (rather than chlorine) bleach.
This method of bleaching is free of optical brighteners
and meets the Global Organic Textile Standards. We
do this to offer an alternative to the typical light
beige natural color most often seen in organic blanks. |
How do I choose a
shirt style?
| When choosing a shirt style for us to
supply, keep in mind that Clothing Facts brand shirts
have a more conventional t-shirt fit and are a heavier
weight (20-singles ringspun), while American
Apparel shirts are generally cut a size small, are
slimmer fitting, and are lighter weight (30-singles
ringspun). |
Can I supply my own shirts or other apparel for my order?
Yes! We can put you in touch
with our suppliers, or you may supply shirts from any
company you wish. If you choose to use a supplier
other than the ones we typically deal with, however,
extensive testing may be required on your supplied goods
to ensure that our process will work with the fabric
finish of those goods. Make sure to discuss the
source of your goods with your
salesperson before placing a large order!
We ship, check in, track, and store every shirt that we
purchase for our inventory. As such, we mark up
the price of shirts that we supply to cover those costs.
Supplying your own shirts will always result in a lower
price per shirt, but you will be responsible for
managing that inventory and having it delivered on time.
we do not pre-inspect or check in customer supplied
goods unless you specifically request that service, at
which point we will charge a per-shirt amount based upon
the services required.
Minimums for customer supplied shirts are the same as
minimums for T.S. supplied shirts. |
Do you screenprint
only shirts?
| We can screenprint many types of
textiles as long as the print is going on a flat
surface. Contact a
salesperson to
discuss the printability of a given type of textile
product. |
The Print
What is the difference between water-based and plastisol
inks?
Plastisol inks are the ink of choice
for most conventional screenprinters. Plastisol
contains PVC and pthalates, which are both harmful to the environment, and results in a
plastic print that is not breathable.
Our water-based inks soak into and become part of the
cloth itself, similar to the way water-color paint soaks
into paper. The result is a breathable, durable
print that will not crack or wash away. Our
water-based inks also have excellent color-fastness and washability, keeping their color wash after wash.
Water-based inks do not contain PVC or pthalates, which
makes them superior in terms of environmental
footprint.
Water-based ink is transparent which means that a light
water-based ink does not cover well on a dark shirt. This is why we created the REHANCE
technology. |
What about
soy/vegetable-based inks?
Soy and other vegetable-based inks
are most often used on paper for documents, business
cards, etc. While these are a good alternative to
man-made inks from an environmental standpoint,
unfortunately they do not meet our quality standards for
washability and color-fastness on cotton.
Additionally, some vegetable-based inks that are made
specifically for apparel printing contain heavy metals,
which allow the ink to bond to the cotton fibers.
Heavy metals are a chief environmental concern in the
apparel industry. |
What is REHANCE?
REHANCE is a water-based printing
technology that alters the chemistry of a shirt so that
it will not absorb garment-dye. It's purpose is to
allow the printing of water-based inks on a dyed shirt
while maintaining color contrast and vibrancy.
Most apparel printers print a design on a dyed shirt.
The REHANCE process requires that the shirts be printed,
then dyed at high temperatures, meaning the shirts will
always be preshrunk. |
When is REHANCE used?
| The REHANCE process is used anytime
an order calls for dyed printed t-shirts. |
What
is your maximum print size?
| Our maximum print size is 15"x17"
(WxH). However, the print size
you choose will be limited to the printable area on
smallest garment in your order (e.g. a sleeve-to-sleeve
print on an adult XXL will not fit on an infant S). |
Can you
print neck labels?
Yes! We print neck labels with a special
plastisol PVC/pthalate-free ink. While this ink is
not water-based, it still meets our environmental
standards. We use this ink in order to prevent any
bleed-through onto the back of the shirts, which can be
a problem with water-based neck label printing.
At this time, we offer white, black, or gray printed
neck label colors. |
The Dye
What is garment
dyeing?
| Garment dyeing involves dyeing a
finished garment after it is cut and sewn. In our
case, we typically print the shirt before it is dyed as
well, as is required by the
REHANCE process. |
How is
garment-dyeing different?
| Most shirts are dyed before the
fabric is
even cut or sewn into apparel. This is generally
less expensive than garment-dyeing, because it allows
producers to dye much more fabric at once, returning
economies of scale. One advantage of
garment-dyeing is that it pre-shrinks shirts in the
process. |
What type of dyes do
you use?
| We use
Ciba
bi-functional, low impact reactive dyes. These
dyes meet the European
Oeko-tex standard and the
GOTS (global organic textile standards).
Our dyes require less salt in the dye process, lower
water temperatures (meaning less energy usage), and do
not contain any heavy metals, a chief environmental
concern of most textile dyes. |
Are your dyes
natural?
| Our dyes
are not natural, but they are the best garment dyes that
technology has to offer that can meet our quality
requirements while maintaining the smallest
environmental footprint. We have experimented with
natural dyes in the past, but found that they did not
stand up to our quality standards for durability and
color fastness. |
The Process
What is your turn
time?
| For un-dyed t-shirts, we can sample
within two weeks, and turn a production order within 2
weeks of sample approval. For dyed shirts, the
sample will take about two weeks, and the production run
will take 2-3 weeks from the sample approval.
These estimates can vary in either direction depending
upon how much demand we have at the time, and how long
our supplier's turnover time is when we order your
shirts. |
Quoting
How do I get a
quote?
| To get a custom wholesale quote,
click here and
fill out the appropriate form as completely as possible.
A salesperson will contact you with a quote as soon as
possible. |
Why can't you
just give me a set price?
| Unfortunately, because of the number
of variables involved in our costing formulas, we cannot
give standard prices. We must consider all of the
variables before quoting a price. |
What are your
pricing variables?
There are five basic factors that affect price. They
are:
Cost of Goods: Each shirt style we supply
will be charged based upon the amount we pay
for the blanks. Obviously, this amount will not be
charged if you supply your own goods.
Total Volume: Total volume for a quote
is defined as all the shirts being printed with the
exact same design(s).
Price breaks occur as quantity increases due to the
spread of setup costs among your total quantity. The higher your total volume, the
lower your cost per shirt.
We use formulas that calculate price based upon
your exact number of shirts. That total quantity can
be distributed among whatever shirt style/size breakdown
you wish, and can be dyed any number of garment colors,
as long as each garment color has 200 pieces or more.
Number of print locations: Every print
location requires a new press setup for that location.
Changing a shirt from having one print location to two
print locations essentially doubles the amount of
printing we need to do, since we'll have two separate
press setups and two runs for each piece.
Number of total print colors: Each color of a
design requires a separate screen on the printing press
that is filled with the ink that represents that color.
That ink is then printed onto the shirt to create the
design. Each screen takes time to attach to the press,
fill with ink, and set up. Adding a color to an
existing location does not result in as dramatic a price
increase as adding a completely new print location.
Garment Color and Weight: This cost
only applies to orders that are garment-dyed. Our
cost to dye is based upon pounds of goods dyed.
The heavier the piece, the higher the price will be (so
infant shirts would cost less to dye than adult shirts).
Each individual color also costs a certain amount per
pound, so the color you choose will also impact price. |
I
have artwork ready; how can get it to you? |
What is the best digital format?
|
You can submit your artwork to us via our easy-to-use
ftp upload form here.
The linked page also contains information about digital
format and other required variables. |
What services do you
offer?
We have a variety of services
available to customers who are looking for more
packaging options or other improvements on top of their
printing/dyeing:
*Cigar Wrap Packaging
*Co-Branding
*Hang-Tag Attachment (you must supply your own tags)
*Sticker Attachment (you must supply your own stickers)
*Fold and Bag
*Label Removal
*Label Replacement (you must supply your own labels)
*Screenprinted neck labels
*Individual Fold
*Pre-Inspection
*Pre-Production Sample
*Digital Printing
|
What are
you minimum order quantities?
| Our minimum order quantity for an
un-dyed order is 72 pieces, and for a dyed order is 200
pieces per dye color. |
Why is there a minimum order quantity?
| The minimum order quantities are in place because of the large setup costs of running
these orders. Because there is a lengthy setup
required for the press, we must enforce these minimums
to ensure that the setup is being paid for. |
My quote price is outside my range; what can I do to lower
it?
Consider the pricing variables
located
here.
Generally, to lower your price, you want to:
*minimize number of print locations
*minimize number of colors per print location
*choose a low-cost dye or leave the shirts un-dyed
*maximize number of pieces per design
*choose a lower cost shirt or supply your own shirts
The two variables that will impact price the most are
number of print locations, and choosing to change an
order from dyed to un-dyed or visa versa. |
Ordering
I'm
satisfied with my quote, now what?
Once you are satisfied with your
quote, you must decide if you want to proceed directly to full production, or to have us create a pre-production sample. We encourage sample ordering before production in order to ensure you are happy with your design as it will look on the apparel.
A sample will be added to your quote by default, unless
you specifically request to skip the sample process.
Once you have decided, simply contact your salesperson with the
production or sample
go-ahead via email or phone (contact information for
your salesperson is located at the top of your quote),
and they will send your order to scheduling.
Submitting an order indicates that you have carefully
read and confirm all the information contained in that
quote, including contact, shipping, pricing, and billing
information. |
What do I do if I want to skip the sample process and move
straight to production?
If your decide to skip the sample
process, notify your salesperson that you are ready to
move directly into your production phase.
If you have any final order adjustments, such as
style or quantities ordered, this is your last
opportunity to submit them.
He/She will send you a revised quote, if necessary, and
will inform you of your production timeline.
We reserve the right to require a pre-production
sample be made if we determine there is a need for one
based upon your artwork. |
I
ordered a sample and need to make adjustments.
| If your review of your samples leaves
you feeling that your artwork needs adjustments, contact
your salesperson with the requested changes and, if you
have it, upload the adjusted digital artwork
here. You
should then discuss whether or not a re-sample is
necessary with your salesperson |
I ordered a sample and it looks great; what do I do now?
| Once you are satisfied with your
sample, contact your salesperson and give them the
go-ahead for the production order. If you have
any final order adjustments, such as style or quantities
ordered, this is your last opportunity to submit them.
Your salesperson will then send you a revised quote, if
necessary, and will inform you of your production
timeline. |
What are your credit terms? | Do I have to pay tax?
Our typical credit terms are: 50% deposit, 50% upon
delivery. If you would like to request different
credit terms, please complete
this form
and email or fax it to
accounting@tsdesigns.com or 801.858.6772
If you are a customer inside North Carolina, we are
required to charge sales tax. If you are tax
exempt, please email or fax a copy of your tax exemption
or reseller certificate to
accounting@tsdesigns.com
or 801.858.6772 |
What needs to be finalized before the order can be
processed?
Before an order can be processed, we
require:
*Art finalization and sample/layout approval
*Confirmation of size/style breakdown
*Confirmation of and agreement to quote content (price,
shipping/billing info, etc.)
*Inventory on our production floor. |
What are my responsibilities during and
after the
ordering process?
As our customer, you are responsible
for:
*Sending us your finalized art in the appropriate format
(it can be FTP'd to us
here)
*Carefully reading your entire quote to ensure accuracy
and understanding
*Making sure we are kept up-to-date on your inventory
shipments and making sure your inventory is here
according to the timeline we create for your order to
meet your deadline (if you supply your own inventory)
*Making sure to keep your order moving by approving
samples and approving your order with your salesperson
(we will not run your production until we receive
explicit order confirmation from you)
*Paying your invoice within the credit terms established
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