How to customise a t-shirt: a step-by-step guide
To customise a t-shirt, you choose the model, prepare your logo, choose the printing technique, then set the placement, size and quantities before ordering. Online, a designer shows the preview and the price with every change: you know exactly what you are ordering before you pay.
A t-shirt with your logo, for a team, an association or a brand, is often the first merch people launch. Here are the seven steps in order, with the right reflexes at each one.
Customising a t-shirt in 7 steps
- Choose the t-shirt.
- Prepare your logo.
- Choose the printing technique.
- Set the placement and size.
- Choose quantities and sizes.
- Check the preview.
- Order and choose your lead time.
1. Choose the t-shirt to customise
Choosing the t-shirt comes down to three criteria: fabric weight, cut and material. A heavier t-shirt holds its shape and a large design better, a loose cut gives a more streetwear look, and organic cotton reassures a community that cares about what it wears.
The tknp.io catalogue has 83 t-shirt models in 100% organic cotton, easy to find with a filter. To go further, our guide covers choosing the fabric weight, and another compares the different cuts.
2. Prepare your logo
To customise a t-shirt, a vector file gives the best result, but a high-definition PNG works in most cases. What matters most is a sharp image, with no stray background, at the right size.
If you are unsure about the format, our article on which file format to choose for your logo goes through the files that work and those that cause problems.
3. Choose the printing technique
To customise a t-shirt, the technique is chosen according to your design, the quantity and how the t-shirt will be used, and on tknp.io DTF, screen printing and embroidery all start from 10 t-shirts. Each technique is explained in our textile printing guide.
You don't have to decide alone: in the tknp.io designer, the printing technique is suggested to you based on your logo and the number of t-shirts. And to decide with figures in hand, the embroidery or print page puts the techniques side by side with the print price at 10, 50 and 100 t-shirts.
4. Set the placement and size
Placement depends on the message: a small chest logo for a subtle look, a large back design for a real statement. The print width tops out at around 28 cm, whatever the cut of the t-shirt.
Two simple rules avoid bad surprises: no more than two prints per t-shirt, and the same technique for both, because chest embroidery and a back print would age at different speeds.
5. Choose quantities and sizes
On tknp.io, an order of custom t-shirts starts from 10 t-shirts, sizes and colours mixed. You split the sizes to match your team, and the basket prices every size, every colour and every print.
The price drops with quantity, model by model: each model follows its own price tiers, shown on the product page before you ask for anything, and if you order one model in several colours under an identical print, all the colours count together towards a tier. How those thresholds are counted is covered in our guide to order minimums.
6. Check the preview before ordering
Before ordering, check the preview: the tknp.io online designer shows your logo on the t-shirt, at the chosen placement and size, with the price updated with every change. This is the moment to judge whether fine text is legible or whether the contrast works on a dark t-shirt.
If you are starting from scratch, the "Create my collection" feature goes further: you give your organisation's name or your file, choose your sector, and you get a selection of garments already dressed with your logo.
7. Order and choose your lead time
On tknp.io, you choose the lead time for your custom t-shirts when you order. Our FAQ page gives "10 working days of customisation as standard"; the short option takes 5 working days, "express (+10%)", and the long one 20, "economy (−5%)". Then allow 1 to 2 working days of delivery in France. For a dated event, start from the date and work back through the calendar.
How much does a custom t-shirt cost?
The price of a custom t-shirt depends on the model, the technique, the number of prints and the quantity. On tknp.io, the B&C #E150 t-shirt starts at 2.65 EUR excluding VAT with printing included, for one print position and at the largest quantities in its grid; an organic cotton t-shirt such as the Stanley/Stella Creator 2.0 starts at 5.94 EUR excluding VAT on the same terms. On a small run, the unit price is higher: the product page shows every tier.
For a full calculation on a real order, our article on the price of 100 custom t-shirts goes through every line of the quote.
Reordering the same batch
On tknp.io, a successful batch of t-shirts can be reordered in one click: the custom t-shirt stays in your account's wardrobe, with the size split from the last order. Handy for a newcomer or the following season.
The designer does almost everything for you, free of charge
Seven steps is the theory. In the tknp.io designer, most of the work is already done: you place your logo, the designer suggests the printing technique that suits your design and your quantity, and both the preview and the price update with every adjustment. Using it is free: you only pay when you order.
To try it, open the page of a t-shirt from the catalogue, such as the #E150 model from B&C, and launch the designer. The whole range of customisable t-shirts works the same way.
And if your plan is to sell these t-shirts to your community, you can already do it without stock to manage with the tknp.io Store: opening it is free and reserved for verified organisations, and your members reserve their t-shirt during a pre-order campaign.
Key takeaways
- Customising a t-shirt takes seven steps: model, logo, technique, placement, quantities, preview, lead time.
- On tknp.io, an order starts from 10 t-shirts, sizes and colours mixed, with a standard lead time of 10 working days plus delivery.
- The designer suggests the technique, shows the preview and the price with every change, and it is free: test your logo before you order.
Vanliga frågor
How long does it take to receive custom t-shirts?
On tknp.io, allow 10 working days of customisation as standard, then 1 to 2 working days of delivery in France. Our FAQ also lists a shorter 5-working-day option (+10%) and a 20-working-day economy option (−5%).
Can you see the result before ordering your t-shirts?
Yes. On tknp.io, the online designer shows your logo on the t-shirt, with the price, every time you adjust the placement, size or technique.
Can you put one logo on the front and another on the back?
Yes, up to two prints per t-shirt, using the same technique for both. Each print adds to the price.
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