Sampling
We start with your idea, a sketch or a product you love, and turn it into a spec. Fabric, color, size and hardware are picked with you, then a sample or a pre-production proof is made for you to approve before the full run.
Factory / Custom manufacturing
Made from scratch, straight from the factory.
Most merch is a stock product with a logo on it. We can do that too. But for most of what we make, we go direct to the factory, which means your merch can be built around your brand, not just printed with it.
The best merch we make did not exist until someone asked for it.
A jacket in your exact colors. A box that opens the way you pictured it. A product shaped like your logo. None of that comes off a shelf. It comes from a factory that can cut, sew, mold, glaze or print it for you, and a team that knows which factory that is.
Going to the source gives you two things a catalog cannot. You can make almost anything, and at volume you usually pay less per piece for it.
Designed from scratch for our clients
A few of the custom pieces our design team has drawn up for client programs.
How a custom piece gets made
You approve it at every turn. We handle everything in between.
Production
Your run goes to a factory that makes that product every day. Sewing lines for apparel, kilns for ceramics, molds for hard goods. We place the order direct and stay on it until it ships.
Quality checks
Pieces are checked against the approved sample before they are packed. Stitching, color, placement and counts. Anything off is fixed at the factory, not on your doorstep.
Packaging
Boxes, inserts, tissue and cards can be made for the product too, so it arrives looking like it was meant to. Kits are packed at the source or at our warehouse, whichever ships better.
From the factory to your door, on one timeline.
We book the freight, clear customs and handle the duties, then deliver to one address, hundreds of addresses or our warehouse to ship later. You get the dates on your quote, and we track every step against them.
Custom or stock, picked for the job
Custom is not always the answer. Stock products decorated with your brand are faster and work better in small runs. We will tell you which one fits.
Go custom when
- Your product does not exist yet, or not in the shape, color or material you want
- You are ordering in the hundreds or thousands, where factory pricing pays off
- You want the brand built into the product, not just printed on it
- You have eight weeks or more before you need it in hand
Go stock when
- You need it in two to four weeks
- You are ordering a smaller quantity
- A name brand blank is part of the appeal
- You want to reorder the same piece again and again with no wait
Made for where it will be used
Start with where the piece will live, a game day, a first week at work, a weekend away, and design it for that. Merch made for the moment is the merch people reach for again.
White glove, from sketch to shipment
Custom manufacturing is part of our white glove service. Tell us what you have in mind, even if it is only a rough idea, and we will come back with what it takes to make it.
- One person who owns your project from the first sketch to delivery
- Pricing from the factory, with every cost shown before you commit
- A sample or proof to approve before the full run
- Freight, customs and duties handled for you
- Delivery to one office, many addresses or our warehouse for later
Tell us what you want to make
Common questions
What does factory direct mean?
For most of what we make, we go straight to the factory that produces it instead of buying from a distributor. We work with a network of factories we have vetted around the world, each chosen for what it does best. Fewer hands in the middle means more control over the product and a better price per piece.
Is custom always cheaper?
Not always. At higher quantities a product made from scratch often costs less per piece than a branded stock item, and it is exactly what you want. At small quantities the setup costs of sampling and tooling usually make stock the better value. We will tell you which way your order leans before you decide.
How long does custom production take?
Plan on 8 to 12 weeks for overseas production, sometimes longer around the holidays. Some custom work made closer to home is faster. In stock items with simple decoration usually arrive in 2 to 3 weeks. Your quote always carries the real dates.
Is there a minimum order?
It depends on the product and the factory. Apparel cut and sewn from scratch, molded goods and printed packaging all have minimums set by how they are made. Tell us your quantity and we will show you what is possible at that number.
Can I see a sample before the full run?
Yes. Custom work gets a sample or a pre-production proof for you to approve before the full run. If it needs changes, we make them and send another until it is right.
Can I mix custom and stock items in one order?
Yes, and many of our clients do. A custom hero piece next to quick stock items is a common way to launch a program on time and still have something nobody else has.
Ready to build your merch?
Custom design, production, campaigns, and global fulfillment. One partner, zero platform fees. Nothing off a catalog.
Request an account and our team will set it up with you on a quick discovery call.