1. Choose the Right Shirt (or Regret It Later)
What it means:
Your shirt is your canvas, and if that canvas sucks, so will your print. No matter how good your artwork is, it won’t save a tee that shrinks, fades, or feels like cardboard.
How to survive:
- Go with trusted brands: We recommend AS Colour, Gildan Premium, or similar quality blanks.
- Know your audience: Tradie shirts need durability. Retail brands want style.
- Cheap shirts = high risk. Don’t blame the print if the shirt falls apart after one wash.
Pro Tip: Ask for a sample or look at the GSM (grams per square metre) 180-220 GSM is your sweet spot.
2. Artwork Size & Placement Matters
What it means:
An awesome design loses impact if it’s too small, too high, or off centre. Don’t wing it, sizing and placement are part of the design.
How to survive:
- Use this cheat sheet:
- Left chest: 8–10cm wide
- Centre front: 28–32cm
- Full back: 28–35cm
- Avoid weird placement (like really low prints or prints too close to the collar).
- Always check the mockup and measure on an actual shirt before approving.
Pro Tip: Placement will shift slightly during pressing, aim for consistency, not perfection.
3. Don’t Use Screenshots or Low-Res Images
What it means:
Zooming in on a screenshot and calling it “good to go” is asking for disaster. Low-res = blurry prints = bad first impressions.
How to survive:
- Use vector files (.AI, .EPS, .SVG) for sharpest results.
- If you must use raster images (.PNG, .JPG), make sure they’re at least 300 DPI at print size.
- Avoid Canva exports with transparent backgrounds, they often come out pixelated or flattened.
Pro Tip: If you’re not sure, send us the file, we’ll check it and tell you straight.
4. Account for Turnaround Time (Rush = Extra)
What it means:
Printing isn’t magic, jobs take time, especially if they’re custom. Want it tomorrow? That’s fine, but it’ll cost you.
How to survive:
- Our standard turnaround is 5-10 business days after final approval.
- Rush jobs? We can do it, if your file’s ready and we’ve got capacity.
- Always allow an extra day or two if you’re printing for events, launches, or big campaigns.
Pro Tip: The biggest delays come from you, late artwork, missing info, or last-minute changes.
5. Double-Check Spelling, Colours & Quantities
What it means:
There’s no “undo” button once the print is on. That small typo, missing size, or wrong colour? It becomes a very expensive whoopsie.
How to survive:
- Read your artwork like it’s someone else’s; you’ll catch more mistakes.
- Create a final checklist:
- Spelling (especially names!)
- Colours (is it CMYK or RGB?)
- Sizes and total quantities
- Sign off on the final proof before anything goes to print.
Pro Tip: Ask someone else to double check it, fresh eyes always catch things you don’t.
💀 Bonus Section: File Prep Checklist
✔️ Print-ready artwork (vector or 300DPI PNG)
✔️ Transparent background (for prints without a solid base)
✔️ Sized correctly
✔️ Final colour mode (CMYK preferred)
✔️ Fonts outlined or embedded
✔️ No watermarks or compression artifacts
💀 Summary: How Not to Get Burned
- Good shirt + good art = good result
- Don’t rush unless you’re prepared to pay
- Review everything like it’s a tattoo — once it’s on, it’s not coming off
🔪 Message us today and let’s help you survive.