Free Custom Apparel Order Checklist for Schools, Churches & Businesses

Ordering custom shirts, polos, hats, uniforms, or event apparel gets much easier when the important decisions are made before artwork and production begin. Use this free checklist to organize an order for a school, church, nonprofit, crew, team, event, or business.

1. Define the purpose of the order

Write down what the apparel is for: staff uniforms, volunteer shirts, a fundraiser, school spirit wear, a retreat, a construction crew, a sports program, an event, merchandise, or another use. The purpose affects the garment, decoration method, artwork placement, quantity, and reorder plan.

2. Choose the garment type

Decide whether you need T-shirts, performance shirts, polos, hoodies, sweatshirts, jackets, hats, workwear, or a mixed package. Think about where the apparel will be worn, how often it will be used, whether employees work indoors or outdoors, and whether you need youth, adult, extended, or women’s sizing.

3. Build the size breakdown

Do not order from a guess if you can collect sizes first. Create a simple size count such as Youth S–XL and Adult XS–5XL, then total the quantities. If the apparel is being stocked for future use rather than assigned to named people, note that separately so the order can be planned as inventory.

4. Gather artwork files

Collect the cleanest version of every logo or design you want used. Vector files such as AI, EPS, or SVG are ideal when available. High-resolution transparent PNG files can also be useful. Include brand colors, fonts, previous approved artwork, and any rules about how a logo may or may not be changed.

5. Decide the artwork locations

Common placements include full front, full back, left chest, sleeves, hat fronts, and jacket chests. Write down every desired location before quoting so the estimate reflects the actual finished garment rather than a simplified version.

6. Pick the decoration method with the job in mind

Screen printing, embroidery, and direct-to-film transfers each solve different problems. Screen printing is commonly considered for repeatable printed designs and larger quantities. Embroidery is often chosen for polos, hats, jackets, and a more dimensional stitched look. DTF can be useful for detailed artwork, full-color designs, smaller runs, names, and flexible reorder situations. The best method depends on the garment, artwork, quantity, placement, and intended use.

7. Set an in-hands date, not just an event date

Write down the date the finished apparel actually needs to be in your hands. If shirts need to be sorted, distributed, packed, or shipped to another location before an event, build that into the date you provide.

8. Decide how reorders should work

If the design will be reused, plan for that now. Keep the approved artwork, garment style, garment color, decoration method, placement, and prior size breakdown together. This is especially useful for employee uniforms, annual school orders, church teams, sports programs, and organizations that add new people throughout the year.

9. Prepare the quote request

A strong quote request includes: organization name, contact information, garment type, garment color, total quantity, size breakdown, artwork files, artwork locations, preferred decoration method if known, delivery or shipping location, and the required in-hands date. If something is undecided, say so—your decorator can help narrow the options.

Copy-and-use order worksheet

Organization: __________ Order purpose: __________ Garment type(s): __________ Garment color(s): __________ Total quantity: __________ Size breakdown: __________ Artwork locations: __________ Artwork files ready: Yes / No Decoration method: __________ Shipping or delivery location: __________ Required in-hands date: __________ Will this order be repeated? Yes / No Special notes: __________

Need help turning the checklist into an order?

Kingdom Thread provides custom screen printing, embroidery, DTF, and apparel solutions for organizations and businesses. If you already have the information above, you are ready for a much faster quoting conversation. If you do not, send what you have and we can help you work through the remaining choices.

Ready for the next step? screen printing, embroidery or get a fast custom apparel quote.