How to Order Custom T-Shirts, Hoodies, and Hats in Utah County (Without the Stress)
- Pro Ink Utah
- May 5
- 5 min read
Maybe you're a small business owner who finally wants branded shirts for your crew. Maybe you're organizing a 5K, a church retreat, a company party, or a family reunion and you need everyone in matching gear. Maybe you've tried ordering custom apparel before and it didn't go great — the colors were off, the turnaround was longer than promised, or the shirts shrank in the first wash.
Whatever your situation, you've probably got one main goal: you want to hand people great-looking shirts without the whole process becoming a part-time job.
This guide walks you through everything — from getting your design ready to placing your order to holding your finished gear in your hands. We're going to make this simple.
Step 1: Know What You're Ordering (And Why)
Before you think about design or quantity, start with the end in mind. Ask yourself: who is going to wear this, when, and for how long?
The answers shape every decision that follows.
A staff uniform that your team will wear 5 days a week needs to be durable and comfortable — a different garment and printing method than a one-time event tee that's meant to be a fun keepsake.
Here are the most common situations we see at Pro Ink and what usually works best for each:
Business uniforms and staff apparel — You want consistency, professionalism, and durability. Screen-printed or embroidered polos, t-shirts, or button-downs are the move. Embroidery on hats and outerwear elevates the whole look.
Event shirts (fun runs, fundraisers, company parties) — Most of these are one-time or annual orders. Screen printing gives you the best value at higher quantities, and the bold ink colors show up great in photos.
Youth sports teams — Screen printing for practice tees, embroidery for hats and jackets. If you need jersey numbers or player names, DTF (Direct to Film) handles that without the setup cost.
Church groups, school clubs, and nonprofit teams — Screen printing is almost always the right fit here. Budget-friendly at higher quantities, and the results look clean and professional.
Family reunions and group events — These orders are about connection and memory. Go with a comfortable shirt and a design that actually means something to your group. We can help with design if you don't have one ready.
Step 2: Get Your Design Ready (Or Let Us Help)
This is where a lot of people get stuck. When they want a custom t shirt in Utah County, they have an idea in their head but aren't sure how to get it to a printer.
Here's the honest truth: you don't need a perfect, print-ready file to get started. You need a clear idea of what you want.
If you have a logo or design file, the best formats for printing are vector files (.ai, .eps, .svg, or .pdf from a design program). High-resolution .png files (300 dpi or higher) also work well. If you're not sure what you have, just send it over — we'll tell you if it's usable.
If you have a rough concept, we've worked from hand-drawn sketches, email descriptions, and blurry phone photos of existing logos. Tell us what you're going for and we'll put together a mockup for your approval before anything gets printed.
If you have nothing yet, that's fine too. We can help with design, or point you in the right direction. The important things to communicate are: the occasion, your color preferences, any text you want included, and the feeling you're going for (professional, fun, bold, simple, etc.).
One important note: if you're using a logo from another company or a design you didn't create yourself, make sure you have the rights to use it for printing. This protects everyone.
Step 3: Pick Your Garment
This matters more than most people realize. The garment is what people actually wear — and a great print on a bad shirt feels cheap. A simple print on a great shirt feels like quality.
A few things to think about:
Fabric weight: Heavier shirts (5.5–6 oz) feel more premium and hold their shape better over time. Lighter shirts (4–4.5 oz) feel soft but can wear thin faster. For casual events, lighter is fine. For uniforms or anything with a longer lifespan, go heavier.
Fit: Standard, relaxed, and slim fits all exist at every price point. If you're ordering for a mixed group, consider ordering a variety or going with a relaxed fit that's forgiving across sizes.
Color: Dark garments require different printing preparation than light ones. If your design is complex or full-color, and you want it on a black or navy shirt, DTF or screen printing with special inks will handle that.
Brand: We work with a wide range of blank apparel brands — Gildan, Bella+Canvas, Next Level, Port & Company, and more. Each has strengths at different price points. Ask us and we'll match the right garment to your budget and use case.
Step 4: Figure Out Your Quantity
Quantity affects price more than almost any other factor, especially for screen printing.
Here's a general rule: the more you order, the less each piece costs. This is especially true with screen printing, where setup costs (creating the screens) are fixed regardless of how many shirts you print. Spread that setup cost across 100 shirts instead of 24, and the per-unit price drops significantly.
For embroidery and DTF, pricing scales differently — those methods are more consistent across quantities, which makes them better for small runs.
Minimum orders: At Pro Ink, we work with a wide range of quantities. For screen printing, we typically recommend at least 24 pieces to get the best value. For DTF and embroidery, minimums are much lower.
Don't know exactly how many you'll need? It's almost always more cost-effective to over-order slightly than to reorder later. A second run means another round of setup costs.
Step 5: Give Yourself Enough Lead Time
This is the step most people skip — and then regret.
Custom apparel takes time. From design approval to printing to drying and packaging, a standard order typically takes 7–14 business days. Rush orders are possible but cost more and add stress to everyone involved.
Here's a simple rule of thumb: figure out the date you need your shirts in hand, then add a week as your buffer, and work backwards from there to when you need to place your order.
If your event is June 15th, plan to have shirts in hand by June 8th. That means your order should be placed and your design approved by late May.
The earlier you come to us, the more options you have — on timeline, on garment selection, and on price.
Why Businesses and Individuals Choose Pro Ink For Custom T Shirts in Utah County
We grew out of Pro Signs, a trusted Utah County sign and graphics company, which means we understand branding and we take accuracy seriously. When you send us a logo, we don't just throw it on a shirt — we make sure the colors are right, the placement looks intentional, and the finished product is something you're proud to hand out.
We're local. We're not a faceless print-on-demand website — we're real people in Utah County who answer the phone, respond to emails, and will tell you honestly if your design needs tweaking before we print it.
We do screen printing, embroidery, DTF, digital prints, hats, hoodies, stickers, banners, and more. One shop, one relationship, one person who knows your order from start to finish.
If you're ready to get started — or even just have questions — we'd love to hear from you. Request a quote here or call us at (385) 236-3091. We'll take care of the rest.
Pro Ink serves Utah County communities including Orem, Provo, Lehi, American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Springville, Spanish Fork, Payson, and beyond.
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