Ordering Custom Shirts for a Small Business Without Over- or Under-Ordering

The classic small business mistake is ordering 50 shirts because that's what "sounds right," then finding 30 of them in a closet a year later. Here's a better way to size a first order.

Separate 'wear it' from 'give it away'

Staff uniforms and customer giveaways have completely different sizing logic. Staff apparel should match your actual headcount plus a small buffer for turnover. Giveaway or promo apparel should match a realistic estimate of foot traffic or event attendance, not an aspirational one.

Order smaller the first time than feels comfortable

A smaller first order costs a bit more per piece (see how setup fees and quantity tiers work), but that's a much smaller loss than 30 unused shirts sitting in a closet. Once you know how apparel actually gets used or worn, the second order can be sized accurately — and if the print file's on record, that reorder is fast and doesn't repeat the setup cost.

Pick the method based on how often it'll be worn

Daily-wear staff apparel (polos, uniforms) generally favors embroidery for durability. One-time event or launch apparel favors screen printing or DTG, where upfront cost matters more than multi-year durability.

Don't let quantity discounts talk you into overbuying

A steep per-piece discount at 100 pieces is only a real saving if you'll actually use 100 pieces. Do the math on total spend, not just per-piece price, before let a quantity break push the order size past what you actually need.

Quick Questions

How many shirts should a new small business order for a launch event?

A reasonable starting point is your realistic expected attendance, not your hoped-for attendance — it's easier and cheaper to reorder more later than to have a large unused surplus.

Is it worth ordering extra staff sizes as a buffer for new hires?

A small buffer in your most common sizes is reasonable if the file's kept on record for an easy reorder anyway — but don't over-buffer just because a bulk price looks attractive.