SMPLFD PRINTING
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ALL SERVICES OFFERED:
Full-Custom: Screenprinting, Embroidery, Vinyl lettering and numbers, Sewing, Digital full-color heat transfers, Custom patches, Woven Tags, Design Services, Private Labeling, Folding & Bagging, Chenille Patches, Flock, Appliqué, and many more.
WHAT KIND OF SCREEN PRINTING INKS DO YOU OFFER?
Plastisol, waterbase, soft hand, puff, metallic, glitter, reflective, and glow in the dark. Looking for something not on the list? Let us know and chances are we can make it happen.
HOW DO I PLACE AN ORDER?
All jobs start with a free quote that can be found on our website at smplfd.com/printing. The customized nature of our industry means that there is rarely a one-size fits all approach for all projects. Each job is unique, with dozens of variables that go into pricing and producing each project/job. We’ve built our quote form to capture all of the information we’ll need to provide you with the best service fit, the most accurate quote, and ultimately the highest quality printed product/project/garment.
TURNAROUND TIME:
Standard*: 12-15 days business days
Lead time starts when the digital proof is approved, the artwork is print-ready and the payment is received.
Note: Complex orders or multiple types of services in one project will add days or weeks to the lead time.
*Subject to change certain times of the year.
RUSH FEES:
If available, please inquire to learn about open rush job slots.
5-9 Business days: 20% of total order
3-4 Business days: 30% of total order
1-2 Business days: 50% of total order
GENERAL MINIMUM ORDER QUANTITIES:
We use the term "General" because each job is unique and we'll make a judgement call on what a specific minimum will be based on numerous factors (artwork, ease of job, customer experience, lead time, garment type, and many more).
Quite frankly, some jobs just aren't worth the time. Each job has dozens of variables, and the more variables that fit our normal standard operation procedures the more likely we are to take the project on.
In our industry, the heavy majority of the labor is spent in the pre-production phase. This includes customer service, artwork, scaling, mockups, ink matching, preparing screens, and test printing. The money is made in this industry with volume - so the more we produce the more profit there is to operate our business.
So, naturally, jobs that require extra variables/headaches/requests AND don't have a high number of units will most likely be passed on.
We're happy to hit our minimum order amounts if the request is reasonable; otherwise, we'll politely decline the job and hopefully recommend a local shop that can help.
NOTE: All minimums below include fixed dimensions, print location, print colors (ink or thread), garment material type, and possibly garment color. Garment size isn't a factor unless it demands a change in fixed art size due to smaller size garments.
| PLEASE READ THE PARAGRAPH BELOW NOTE: All minimums below include fixed dimensions, print location, print colors (ink or thread), garment material type, and possibly garment color. Garment size isn't a factor unless it demands a change in fixed art size due to smaller size garments. |
| SERVICE OR PRODUCT | MINIMUM ORDER QUANTITY (MOQ) | DETAILS |
| SCREEN PRINTING | 30 PCS | PER DESIGN (SEE NOTE ABOVE) |
| SCREEN PRINTING JOB W/ 3+ LOCATIONS | 50 PCS | PER DESIGN (SEE NOTE ABOVE) |
| SCREEN PRINTING JOB W/ 4+ COLORS | 50 PCS | PER DESIGN (SEE NOTE ABOVE) |
| EMBROIDERY | 12 PCS | PER DESIGN (SEE NOTE ABOVE) |
| DIRECT-TO-FILM TRANSFERS | 20 PCS | PER DESIGN (SEE NOTE ABOVE) |
| PROVIDING GARMENTS | 100 PCS | SUBJECT TO APPROVAL |
| EMBROIDERED PATCHES | 50 PCS | PER DESIGN/TYPE |
| WOVEN LABELS | 100 PCS | PER DESIGN/TYPE |
| CUSTOM DESIGN WORK | $500 MIN | 5 HOURS AT $100/HR |
| PRINTED INSIDE TAGS | 100 PCS | TOTAL PER PROJECT |
| FOLD & POLY BAGGING | 100 PCS | TOTAL PER PROJECT |
DO YOU OFFER SAMPLES?
Unfortunately, we don’t do samples or test prints. Due to the laborious nature of our industry, it’s the same set-up whether we print one or 1,000 garments. Shops that offer one-off custom garments are often using DTG or cheaply printed transfers, not screen printing techniques.
CAN I SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION?
Over the past 7 years, we’ve been able to handle 99% of jobs via email, phone, and text. Like most of our inbound projects, we'll use our 15+ years of experience to decide whether a project requires some extra discussion. A few options:
- Free 10-min Phone Consultation - We’ll schedule a call to go over the details of your project, answer any questions you may have, and explain our process in detail.
- Paid 30-min In-person Consultation - We’ll schedule a time for you to come to our showroom for a sit down to review samples, discuss our services and processes at length, and answer any questions you have about your project. Note that this option requires a non-refundable $150 deposit, and the deposit will apply to your project if you decide to move forward with us.
There are special circumstances that warrant changes to the above; if we believe a free in-person consultation is necessary then we’ll reach out in our response to the free quote form submission.
Reach out to us at printing@smplfd.com to inquire about setting up a time.
HOW SHOULD I SUBMIT MY ART/DESIGN FILES?
In order to guarantee the best results, please provide your artwork in the following file formats (.pdf, .eps, .svg or .ai). We also accept raster image file formats (.psd, .tiff or .jpg or .png as long as they are 300 dpi (ppi) and above. Your design should be scaled to your desired printed specs. All text must be converted to outlines in vector files. The quality of our printing is reliant on the quality of the files provided. If you’re unsure of your artwork, please submit it for review with your quote form. Most artwork can be vectorized for $40-$75/logo.
CAN YOU HELP ME WITH DESIGN?
A typical design job from the initial to closing phases encompasses anywhere from 5-20 hours of work. A very basic design consisting of a simple logo or garment design is likely to take around 5-10 hours, while a more complex design with multiple images, or garments typically takes around 15+ hours to complete. $100/hr is currently our appropriate design rate with a $500 minimum.
WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?
We accept credit and debit card, ACH, Zelle, Venmo, Cashapp, or in-person via business check.
THE ORDER PROCESS
1. SUBMIT YOUR QUOTE + GRAPHICS
Visit SMPLFD.COM and fill out our Quote Form. Provide as much information as possible, but don’t worry if you can’t answer every question. If you have a graphic ready, you can upload it there. If you need our help because you only have a doodle or a low-res image from the internet, upload that and explain your needs as best as you can.
2. ARTWORK REVIEW
During this process, we determine if your graphic(s) are print-ready. If you provide a non-vector based file, then the raster image must be 300 dpi or higher in resolution quality. Fees and labor may apply for anything of lesser quality.
3. QUOTE SENT FOR APPROVAL
Using all of the information provided in the quote form, we’ll put together a detailed quote for your review. Once approved, we’ll collect payment to get the job started.
4. DIGITAL PROOFS
Once paid, our art team will get to work on creating the digital proofs that will be sent to you for approval. This is your chance to review for scaling, sizing, placement, and colors.
5. APPROVAL
Once approved, we move your job into the pre-production queue where we'll start creating the screens, mixing the inks, and test printing.
5. PRODUCTION
Once pre-production is complete, your job will enter our production-ready queue. Once production is complete, the job will move through our Quality Control department to ensure accuracy.
6. RECEIVE YOUR PROJECT
You will receive a notification that your job is complete and ready for pickup, shipment, or delivery. Our team will reach out directly to coordinate the steps to get your job into your hands.