Event Merch Timeline: When to Order Custom Apparel
Whether you are organizing a 5K charity run, a corporate conference, a music festival, a school homecoming, or a company retreat — custom apparel makes the event memorable. But ordering too late means rush fees, limited blank options, or worse, shirts arriving after the event.
Here is a practical timeline to ensure your event merch is perfect and on time.
The Master Timeline
8-10 Weeks Before the Event: Planning Phase
What to do:
- Define your merch needs (what products, how many, what sizes)
- Set your budget per unit and total spend
- Start the design process
- Research printing partners and request quotes
Key decisions:
- T-shirts only, or also hoodies, hats, tote bags?
- How many print locations (front only vs front + back)?
- Pre-order from attendees or bulk order in estimated sizes?
- Will merch be given away (included in registration) or sold?
6-8 Weeks Before: Design and Quote Phase
What to do:
- Finalize your event artwork and branding
- Choose your blank garment (brand, style, color)
- Get official quotes from your printer
- Submit your artwork for review and proofing
Design tips:
- Include the event name, date, and year
- Sponsors? Plan logo placement now — do not add them last minute
- If selling merch, design something people would buy even without the event context
- Keep it to 2-3 colors for screen printing to control costs
4-6 Weeks Before: Production Phase
What to do:
- Approve your digital proof (do not sit on this — delays here compress everything)
- Confirm final quantities and size breakdown
- Place your order with deposit
- Your printer orders blanks and begins production
This is the critical window. At French Press Custom, standard turnaround is about 2-3 weeks after the artwork is approved and the deposit is paid. Getting your order placed 4-6 weeks out gives comfortable buffer for any issues.
2-4 Weeks Before: Fulfillment Phase
What to do:
- Production should be wrapping up
- Quality check completed by your printer
- Shipping arranged (ground shipping is 3-7 business days)
- Receive and inspect your order
Pro tip: Request delivery 1 week before your event. This gives you time to:
- Sort by size for distribution
- Discover and resolve any issues
- Set up your merch table or distribution system
- Post preview photos on social media to build excitement
Event Week: Distribution Phase
What to do:
- Set up your merch distribution system
- If selling: have a cash box, card reader, and clear pricing signs
- Have bags for purchases
- Designate someone to manage the merch table
- Take photos of people wearing the merch for social media
Timeline by Event Type
Corporate Events and Conferences
| Phase | When |
|---|---|
| Planning | 8-10 weeks out |
| Design/quote | 6-8 weeks out |
| Order placed | 5-6 weeks out |
| Delivery | 1-2 weeks before event |
Tips: Get attendee sizes in advance through registration. Order 10% extra in popular sizes (L, XL) for walk-ins or sizing errors.
Charity Runs and Races
| Phase | When |
|---|---|
| Planning | 10-12 weeks out |
| Design/quote | 8-10 weeks out |
| Order placed | 6-8 weeks out |
| Delivery | 2 weeks before race day |
Tips: Sizes are collected during registration. Wait as long as possible for final size counts, but not past 6 weeks before the event. Include race distance and year in the design.
School Events (Homecoming, Prom, Spirit Week)
| Phase | When |
|---|---|
| Planning | 6-8 weeks out |
| Design/quote | 5-6 weeks out |
| Order placed | 4-5 weeks out |
| Delivery | 1 week before event |
Tips: Use a pre-order window (2 weeks) to collect sizes and payment from students. This eliminates guesswork and leftover inventory.
Music Festivals and Concerts
| Phase | When |
|---|---|
| Planning | 10-12 weeks out |
| Design/quote | 8-10 weeks out |
| Order placed | 6-8 weeks out |
| Delivery | 2-3 weeks before event |
Tips: Order heavy on M, L, XL. For multi-day festivals, offer different designs per day. Limited edition designs sell better than generic festival branding.
Company Retreats and Team Building
| Phase | When |
|---|---|
| Planning | 6-8 weeks out |
| Design/quote | 4-6 weeks out |
| Order placed | 4 weeks out |
| Delivery | 1 week before retreat |
Tips: Collect sizes when sending retreat details. Consider embroidered polos or jackets for executive retreats vs screen printed tees for casual team events.
Size Estimation Guide
If you cannot collect sizes in advance, use this general distribution for mixed adult groups:
| Size | Percentage |
|---|---|
| XS | 2-3% |
| S | 10-12% |
| M | 25-28% |
| L | 28-30% |
| XL | 18-20% |
| 2XL | 8-10% |
| 3XL | 2-4% |
For 100 shirts: 3 XS, 11 S, 27 M, 29 L, 19 XL, 9 2XL, 2 3XL.
Adjust based on your audience demographics. Youth events skew smaller. Construction industry events skew larger.
What If You Are Already Behind Schedule?
3-4 Weeks Out
Still manageable with standard production. Place your order immediately and approve proofs within 24 hours.
2-3 Weeks Out
Rush territory. Rush is available depending on the schedule, so tell us your date and confirm availability before placing the order.
1-2 Weeks Out
Emergency rush. Whether it is possible depends on the schedule, so tell us your date first. Be flexible on blank garment options. Simplify the design to reduce setup time.
Under 1 Week
Call French Press Custom at (562) 407-3800 immediately. Rush is available depending on our current production schedule. Tell us your date. DTG and DTF printing have the fastest turnaround for emergency orders.
Merch Selling Tips for Events
If you are selling merch (not giving it away):
- Price it right: $20-30 for tees, $40-55 for hoodies
- Display it well: Hang shirts on a rack, not folded in a box
- Accept all payments: Cash, card (Square/Stripe terminal), Venmo
- Bundle deals: "Tee + hat for $40" increases average purchase
- Create scarcity: "Limited to 100 pieces" drives urgency
- Promote beforehand: Show merch previews on social media before the event
Get Your Event Merch Started
Planning an event? Contact French Press Custom early for the best pricing and most options. We handle events of all sizes — from 25-person company outings to 5,000-person festivals.
Call (562) 407-3800 or submit a quote request with your event date and we will work backward to create your timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead should I order event merch?
Start planning eight to ten weeks before the event, lock the design and collect quotes at six to eight weeks, and place the order four to six weeks out. That window leaves comfortable buffer, and requesting delivery a week before the event gives you time to sort sizes and resolve any surprises.
What size breakdown should I order if I cannot collect sizes?
For a mixed adult group, a workable split is roughly 2 to 3 percent XS, 10 to 12 percent small, 25 to 28 percent medium, 28 to 30 percent large, 18 to 20 percent XL, 8 to 10 percent 2XL and 2 to 4 percent 3XL. Adjust for your audience, since youth events skew smaller and construction events skew larger.
What happens if my event is only two or three weeks away?
That is rush territory, and you should call to confirm availability before placing the order rather than after. Be flexible on the blank garment and simplify the design to cut setup time.
Should I pre-order merch from attendees or estimate quantities?
A pre-order window works well for school events because it collects sizes and payment up front and eliminates both guesswork and leftover inventory. For races and conferences, sizes usually come in through registration, so wait as long as you can for final counts without pushing past your order deadline.
