How to plan shirts for an event

Australian buying guides

Work backwards from the date the shirts must be in your hands. Allow time to choose garments, collect sizes, approve artwork and confirm production and delivery before committing to an event deadline.

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Write the event brief

  • Event date, delivery postcode and the date you need the clothing in hand.
  • Wearers: staff, volunteers, attendees, fundraisers or merchandise buyers.
  • Approximate quantities, colour groups and required size range.
  • Logo files, sponsors and the intended print placements.
  • Budget range and any flexibility in garment or design choices.

For an early enquiry, mark unknowns clearly. Use the bulk printed-shirt page to compare starting options.

Agree roles and artwork

Staff and volunteers may need to be easy to identify, while attendee shirts may have a different purpose. Decide whether separate colours or designs are necessary. Check that any sponsor or partner artwork is approved for the use.

Nominate one person to collect feedback and approve the final layout. Confirm dates, spellings, sponsor marks and placement against the artwork checklist. A last-minute design change can affect the production plan.

Collect sizes before the final order

Use each garment’s own cm chart and maintain one version of the size list. Check the totals by style, colour and size. If you want spare shirts, decide the quantities from your own event needs rather than applying a universal spare-size rule.

Use the group size checklist. For active events, compare cotton and training styles before choosing.

Confirm the timeline for this job

Ask us to assess the exact garment, quantity, artwork and destination against your required date. Keep artwork approval, production and transport separate in the plan so a delivery estimate is not mistaken for time available to keep editing.

Published service estimates are a starting point, not confirmation for a particular event. Use the current shipping and delivery information and the written arrangements for your job. Do not announce a guaranteed arrival date before it has been confirmed.

Plan receipt and distribution

Choose a delivery contact who can receive and check the order. Allow time to sort clothing before the event, compare it with your order list and raise any issue promptly. Keep your quote, final artwork and size breakdown together.

Read how custom orders work and how pricing is structured before final approval.

Common questions

Can you confirm an urgent event order?

Send the exact required date, postcode, garment ideas and approximate quantity. We need to check the job before confirming whether the deadline can be met.

How many spare shirts should we order?

That depends on your event, attendance certainty, budget and how sizes are collected. Agree a spare allocation with your organiser rather than assuming one percentage suits every event.

Keep planning your order

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Request a custom apparel quote

Send the approximate quantity, garment ideas, artwork, delivery postcode and needed-by date. We can help check the details before you proceed.