Standard turnaround for most custom apparel orders is 5 to 7 business days from proof approval — that's roughly a week and a half on the calendar including weekends. The clock starts when you sign off on how the shirts will look, not when you first reach out for a quote.
Most customers underestimate how much happens before printing actually starts. Here's the realistic timeline from quote request to shirts in hand, plus what affects it.
Plan for two weeks total.
From the moment you submit a quote request to the day you receive your shirts, plan for about two calendar weeks for a normal order. That includes 1-2 days for quoting, 1-2 days for proofing and your approval, 5-7 business days of production, and 1-2 days of buffer or shipping. Need it faster? Rush options can compress this to 5-7 calendar days for an additional cost.
The full timeline, step by step
Here's what actually happens between "I need shirts" and "shirts arriving at your door":
Standard Order Timeline
Why each decoration method takes different time
Screen printing — 5 to 7 business days
Screen printing has the most setup-intensive workflow. Each color in your design needs its own screen, which has to be designed, burned, registered on the press, test-printed, and finally run for production. For a multi-color job, this can mean a full day of setup before the press even starts running for real.
That said, once setup is complete, screen printing is the fastest production method. A press can run hundreds of shirts per hour, so even very large orders rarely add significant time to the schedule.
Embroidery — 5 to 8 business days
Embroidery requires "digitizing" — converting your logo into a stitch file the embroidery machine can read. This is a manual process done by the shop's digitizer and typically takes 1-2 business days. After that, each piece runs through the embroidery machine individually, which takes longer per piece than printing. Larger logos with high stitch counts take more machine time per shirt.
DTF — 5 to 7 business days
DTF skips the screen-burning step but adds film printing and adhesive application. The actual production is faster per piece than screen printing for small orders but doesn't scale as efficiently for large orders. For most order sizes, total turnaround matches screen printing closely.
Three things that delay orders
If your order takes longer than estimated, it's almost always one of these three issues. Two are within your control. One isn't.
Customer proof approval (within your control)
This is the number-one cause of delays we see. The shop sends you a proof on day 4, but it sits in your email until day 8 because you were busy or didn't realize it was waiting. Your shirts are now four days late, and there's nothing the shop can do about it.
Fix: Watch your email for proofs after submitting an order. Approve as soon as you can. If you need internal approval from a boss or committee, give them a heads-up that a proof is coming so it doesn't sit waiting.
Artwork issues (within your control)
If your artwork needs to be reworked — file format problems, low resolution, color issues — production can't start until it's fixed. Most shops will offer to fix common issues or vectorize your logo for a small fee, but the fix takes time.
Fix: Send the highest-quality file you have access to up front. Vector files (.ai, .eps, vector .pdf) are best. If you have a logo you'll use repeatedly, invest in vectorization once so it's never a delay again.
Garment availability (outside your control)
Sometimes a shop quotes a specific garment that's then unavailable from the supplier when they go to order it. This is rare for popular shirts (basic Gildan or Bella+Canvas are nearly always in stock), but more common for premium brands, specific colors, or specialty items.
Fix: If your timeline is tight, ask the shop to confirm garment availability before you commit. For large orders, the shop will often check stock before quoting. For unusual garments or premium brands, allow extra buffer time.
"The most common reason orders ship late isn't the shop being slow — it's a proof sitting in someone's inbox. Watch your email after submitting an order. Approve fast. Your shirts will arrive when expected."
How rush orders actually work
Rush orders aren't magic — they're prioritization. When you pay a rush fee, the shop bumps your order ahead of others in their production queue, and may pay staff overtime to compress the timeline. Common rush options:
Standard rush (3-4 business days): Typically 25-35 percent on top of the standard quote. Achievable for most jobs at most shops.
Express rush (24-48 hours): Typically 40-50 percent on top of the standard quote. Only possible for simpler jobs (single or two-color screen prints, in-stock garments). Always call the shop directly to confirm — don't assume rush availability based on a website.
Same-day rush: Rare and shop-dependent. Possible for single-color, in-stock, simple designs. Often requires a specific minimum dollar amount and direct conversation with the production manager.
For any rush request, reach out to the shop by phone, not by submitting a standard quote form. Quote forms enter the normal queue. Phone calls about rush jobs reach decision-makers who can tell you immediately whether your timeline is possible.
The Badger take
We commit to 5 to 7 business days from proof approval and we keep that commitment. If something on our end will delay your order, you'll hear from us before your deadline, not after.
Rush options are available for most jobs — call us at (435) 787-1636 and we'll tell you honestly whether your timeline is doable. We'd rather decline a rush job we can't deliver on than overpromise and miss your deadline.
If your order is for a hard event date — wedding, charity run, conference, season opener — tell us up front. We'll factor in real buffer time so unexpected issues don't put your event at risk.
Common questions
How long does it take to make custom shirts?
Standard turnaround for most custom apparel is 5 to 7 business days from proof approval. This includes screen printing, embroidery, and DTF. Larger orders, complex designs, or premium garments may take longer. Most shops offer rush options for an additional fee, with same-week or even 48-hour turnaround possible in some cases.
When does the turnaround clock actually start?
The turnaround clock starts the moment you approve your proof, not when you place the order. Proof approval comes after artwork review, mockup creation, and your sign-off on how the final shirts will look. Delays in proof approval delay the entire production schedule by the same amount.
Do rush orders cost more?
Yes, almost always. Rush orders typically cost 25 to 50 percent more than standard turnaround. The premium covers the cost of bumping other jobs, paying staff overtime, and prioritizing your order through every production step. Some shops charge a flat rush fee, others a percentage of the total order.
Can custom apparel be done in 24 hours?
Sometimes, but it depends entirely on the shop's current schedule and the complexity of your job. Single-color screen prints on in-stock garments are most likely to be possible at 24 hours. Multi-color prints, embroidery, or jobs requiring custom-ordered garments are rarely possible at this speed. Always call directly for true rush requests rather than submitting a standard quote.
What can delay my order beyond the standard turnaround?
Three main things: artwork issues that require revision, garment availability or backorders from suppliers, and customer-side delays in approving the proof. Of these, customer proof approval is the most common cause of delay. Approving promptly keeps your order on schedule.
