faqs

We filter a lot of questions throughout a typical day. In an effort to get you the information you need as quickly as possible, we’ve provided you with a list of answers to the questions we most commonly receive below. If you don’t see an answer to a particular question you have, please feel free to leave us a message in the contact form below! You can also email us directly at info@estbcprints.com. 

ORDER MINIMUM

Our minimum order for custom garments is 12 pieces per design. We can facilitate smaller orders but there are restrictions as to how many colors and placements can be used on your shirt. To inquire about a smaller order, please email us at info@estbcprints.com for special pricing.

print services

STANDARD PRINTING – Plastisol is the traditional screen printing ink. It has excellent coverage on a wide variety of fabrics, many options for special effects, & comes in a huge array of colors.

DISCHARGE PRINTING – Discharge printing uses a chemical process to bleach out the color of the garment only where the design is printed.  It’s soft, especially discharge base which is indistinguishable from the shirt itself. It also gives the print a vintage feel because it takes the sheen out of plastisol.

NYLON PRINTING –  A difficult process if printing multiple colors due to flash drying .It is best to keep designs at 1-3 colors and each color should be able to move 1/8 to 1/4 inch in any direction without detracting from the design.

WATER BASED PRINTING – Water based inks are perfect for the soft hand feel that many consumers want today, color matching is a real challenge and almost impossible.

CYMK PRINTING – CMYK screen printing, also called 4-color process, is an acronym for cyan, magenta, yellow, & black that significantly reduces the cost of printing full color. CMYK screen prints are composed of halftones set at different angles so that they blend optically to create a wide range of colors.

customer-supplied garments

Minimums for customer-supplied garments are 144 pieces. We are able to facilitate smaller orders but this is done on a case-by-case basis, so please contact us with any questions. Customers will be charged a fee for supplying garments.

turnaround time

Our standard turnaround time is 10-14 working days. We do have rush service available under certain conditions and at an additional cost.

• Rush Charges of 30% (5 – 6 Business days)
  
• Rush Charges of 40% (3 – 4 Business days)
• Rush Charges of 50% (2 Business days)
• Rush Charges of 100% (1 Business day)

artwork requirements

We are an “artist-run” shop, so if you need art created for your project, we can definitely help. If you already have art, please take a moment to confirm that your Artwork meets our requirements below. If your artwork does not meet our requirements, we can make adjustments at a $75 rate charge per file or design.

REQUIREMENTS

We only accept Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator files.

Photoshop files should be 300 dpi and not to exceed 600dpi, and should be sent to us at the final printing size. A large size print can be scaled down but a small print cannot be stretched out. Acceptable file formats include .eps, ai, .psd.  JPEG’s and GIF’s are unacceptable.

Do not flatten your artwork.

Document Color Mode should be set on CMYK. Please use a true 100% black swatch. If you are using Pantone® inks, use the “Solid Coated” Pantone® swatches. Illustrator files should be submitted at 100% printed size, also in CMYK Color Mode.

All fonts must be outlined (Choose “TYPE > CREATE OUTLINES”).

For technical and printing specifics allow our team to determine halftone size and angle. We are not responsible for errors or unsatisfactory results caused by halftones created by the client.

Please allow us to assist you if you’re not familiar with the screen printing process.

Please proof-read any and all copies and mock-ups. We are not responsible for mistakes in copy, grammar, or spelling.

Avoid using images from the internet when possible.

Remember that “Press Checks” require scheduling and will result in additional fees.

TO AVOID ART FEES: Make each file on its own Layer (in both Photoshop & Illustrator). Convert all strokes to Outline Document Color Mode should be set on CMYK. If you need a Pantone® Ink Color mixed, use the PANTONE® solid coated Swatches.

proofing

At your request we can design a digital mock-up (or proof) of your design for a $75 fee.  Once you have approved the design or made any notes for us to change, we are ready to start printing. In some cases we will print a physical sample for your approval before we start printing your actual merchandise.

ink choice (mixing pantone® color)

We offer plastisol, water-based, discharge, & metallics for garments. For flat stock we primarily use water-based, but UV inks are also available for certain items at an additional cost.

Our experienced press technicians are happy to custom mix ink colors to your specifications. Pantone® matches generally incur a $60 fee per color.

payment

We accept checks, credit cards, and electronic transfer through Venmo, Paypal and CashApp. We offer net terms to approved accounts. We require payment in full (of your finalized quote) when you place your order.  Once we receive the complete payment your order will go into the production schedule.