Your Guide to Custom Orders at Firehouse Printing

At Firehouse Printing, we're dedicated to making your custom apparel experience smooth and transparent from start to finish. We aim for your complete satisfaction! If you have any questions about these policies or your specific project, please don't hesitate to contact us before placing your order. Here's a breakdown of our process, pricing, and services.

Production & Payment

Project Timeline: Once we have everything needed to begin your project, our standard production turnaround is 14-21 business days. Please note that project complexity and current demand can sometimes extend this timeline.

This timeframe begins when we have:

• Your completed order forms.
• Your final, approved artwork.
• All your garments or items delivered to us.

To ensure your project starts without delay, please make sure all these elements are finalized and in our hands! Keep in mind that smaller orders might be completed sooner, while larger orders could take a bit longer. If you have a specific due date for your order, please let us know before you place it so we can do our best to accommodate your timeline.

Payment Information:

• New Customers: A 50% deposit may be required for your first order. No deposit is needed for established customers. Final balance is due upon order completion.
• New Sport Team Orders: All new sport team orders require 100% upfront payment.
• Purchase Orders (POs): POs are accepted, but production begins only after we receive your official PO number.

Custom Order Pricing:

The cost of your order depends on the decoration method you select:

• Screen Printing: Key factors affecting your price include the quantity of garments you order, the garment size (with a potential charge for 2XL+), where your design will be placed (print location), and the number of distinct ink colors in your artwork.
• Direct-to-Film (DTF) Printing: For DTF, your cost is calculated by the total square inches of your design. This makes it ideal for detailed, full-color graphics with transparent pricing.
• Embroidery: Embroidery pricing is directly tied to your design's stitch count and its location on the garment. Complex designs with more stitches will have a higher cost than simpler ones.

Garment Sizing & Colors:

Sizing Surcharge: An additional cost applies to sizes 2XL and larger.

• Extended Sizes: Sizes 5XL through 10XL are considered special order and will be quoted upon request.
• Color Availability: We have a high probability of providing almost any shirt color you desire. Just let us know your preference!

Artwork & Design

Getting Your Artwork Ready

To ensure your custom design looks its best, sometimes artwork needs a little preparation.

• Artwork Setup & Digitization: If your artwork isn't quite ready for printing or embroidery – meaning it needs to be redrawn, converted to a vector file (for screen printing and DTF), or digitized (for embroidery) – we offer this service at $20.00 per hour, billed in 60-minute increments. This is a one-time fee for our labor to transform your design into a production-ready file.
• Design Ownership: Please note that all custom artwork designs and all redrawn artwork created by Firehouse Printing remain our property unless a different agreement is made before production begins.

Screen Printing Specifics

• Complimentary Screen Setup: Screen preparation is complimentary for Screen Printed orders of 24 pieces or more with the same print.
• Screens Per Color: One screen is necessary for each color printed in any design.
• Small Orders: Orders under 12 pieces will typically be printed using Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing unless otherwise discussed.
• Screen Preparation Charge (Small Orders): For jobs under 24 pieces, a screen preparation charge of $10.00 per color will be applied.
• Design Change Fee: A $20.00 per screen charge will be added if design changes are requested after the screens have already been prepared.
• Screen Ownership: The screen preparation fee covers labor only. All screens will remain the property of Firehouse Printing unless otherwise discussed before production.

Screen Printing Ink Options & Fees

Enhance your screen-printed designs with these ink options:

• Custom Pantone Color Matching: Need a precise color? We can mix custom Pantone ink colors for an additional $60.00 per custom color quart.
• Ink Color Changes (Mid-Run): If you require an ink color change during a continuous print run, a $5.00 charge will apply per color changed.
• Specialty Ink Upgrades: 
  • Special Effects Ink: Elevate your design with unique textures or finishes for an extra $0.25 per print.
  • Reflective Ink: Make your design stand out, especially in low light, for $1.00 per piece.
  • Water-Based Inks for Discharge Printing: Achieve a softer feel with discharge printing for $0.25 per print.
• DTF Printing Ink Costs: Good news! All ink costs are included in our standard Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing prices, meaning no extra ink charges for DTF.

Rush Orders

Need your order faster than our standard 14-21 business days? Rush services are available when our production capacity allows. Rush charges are applied based on the desired turnaround from the time of art approval and merchandise arrival:

• 7 Business Days: 20% Surcharge
• 5 – 6 Business Days: 30% Surcharge
• 3 – 4 Business Days: 40% Surcharge
• 2 Business Days: 50% Surcharge
• 1 Business Day: 100% Surcharge

Additional Services

• Poly Bagging: Individual poly bagging of shirts is available at $0.25 per bag.
• Custom Decals: Full Color decals cut into any shape, logo, or design. For Custom Decals, your cost is calculated by the total square inches of your design.