Case Study: 500 T-Shirts Printed for a London Event

The Brief

A London-based events company needed 500 custom printed t-shirts for a major community event in South West London. The requirement: bold, colourful prints on a mix of sizes — from kids' to adults' — delivered within 10 working days.

The Challenge

• Tight timeline — only 10 working days from artwork approval to delivery
• Size range — from age 5–6 kids' sizes through to 5XL adults
• Multi-location print — full colour front design plus sponsor logos on the back
• Budget constraints — needed to stay within a strict per-unit cost

Our Approach

1. Garment Selection

We recommended the Gildan Heavy Cotton tee — a proven, cost-effective option that handles bold prints well and is available across the full size range. Available in the client's preferred colour (Royal Blue) from stock.

2. Print Method

For a 500-unit order with full colour artwork, screen printing was the clear choice. Lower per-unit cost at volume, vibrant colour reproduction, and fast production speeds made it the ideal method.

3. Artwork Preparation

The client provided their front design as a PDF and sponsor logos in mixed formats. Our team:

• Converted all files to print-ready separations
• Standardised Pantone colour references across all logos
• Provided a digital proof within 24 hours for approval

4. Production

• Day 1–2: Artwork preparation and proof approval
• Day 3: Screen creation (4 screens for front, 2 for back)
• Day 4–7: Printing across all sizes
• Day 8: Quality check and packing by size
• Day 9–10: Delivery to venue

The Result

• ✅ 500 t-shirts delivered on time
• ✅ Consistent print quality across all sizes
• ✅ Under budget — bulk pricing kept costs below target
• ✅ Client reordered 200 more for a follow-up event

Key Takeaways for Event Orders

• Order early — even with fast turnaround, 2–3 weeks lead time is ideal
• Choose the right method — screen printing wins on cost and speed for 100+ units
• Provide vector artwork — this avoids delays in the proofing stage
• Confirm sizes upfront — get a size breakdown before ordering to avoid surplus
• Order 5–10% extra — spare shirts cover last-minute additions and replacements