The Ultimate Checklist for Screen Printing: Everything You Need Before You Print

Screen printing has stood the test of time as one of the most durable, vibrant, and versatile decoration methods for apparel. Whether you’re printing shirts for your business, event, or team, preparation is everything. Too often, screen printing projects get delayed or produce inconsistent results because the details weren’t ironed out early — artwork files, garment choices, colors, and quantities all play a major role.

At RKT Shirts, we’ve worked with thousands of organizations across North Carolina and beyond, helping them transform ideas into printed apparel that looks sharp and lasts. To make your next project smoother, we’ve put together this ultimate checklist: everything you need to have ready before your screen printing order goes to press.

Understand Your Purpose and Audience

Before you even start designing or choosing garments, it’s crucial to clarify why you’re printing shirts and who they’re for. Printing 200 shirts for a corporate event is a very different project than outfitting a high school sports team or creating merch for an influencer brand.

Ask yourself what outcome you want. Are you trying to promote your brand? Raise funds? Create a uniform look? This decision impacts everything from garment quality to ink colors and placement. For example, lightweight cotton tees may be perfect for giveaways, but if your staff will wear them daily, a premium blended fabric might be worth the small upgrade.

Knowing your audience also guides your sizing mix. Teams and schools often need a full range from youth to adult sizes, while retail orders might skew toward common adult sizes. Defining this upfront will save time during quoting and ensure your order meets its purpose.

Choose the Right Garments for Your Design and Budget

Your design will only look as good as the surface it’s printed on. Not all shirts print the same, and not all fabrics handle ink in the same way. Cotton garments tend to yield bold, consistent prints, while polyester or tri-blends may require specialty inks or underbases to prevent dye migration.

If you’re planning a multi-color or detailed design, choose a smooth fabric with a tighter weave — typically 100% cotton or a high-quality ring-spun blend. For simpler logos or large text designs, moisture-wicking or heathered performance fabrics can work well too.

At RKT Shirts, we often help customers test-print a few garment options before committing to large runs. This ensures you get both the comfort and the print quality you’re after. Remember that you can mix garment styles, sizes, and colors within your order as long as you meet the 15-piece minimum, giving you flexibility without extra setup fees.

Prepare Print-Ready Artwork

Your artwork is the backbone of your screen printing project. The higher the quality of your design file, the sharper your final print will look. Ideally, provide your artwork in vector format — AI, EPS, or PDF files are best. Vector files allow us to resize the artwork without losing clarity and easily separate colors for each screen.

If you only have a raster image (like a PNG, JPG, or Photoshop file), make sure it’s high resolution — at least 300 DPI at the actual print size. Avoid screenshots, low-res downloads, or compressed files from social media. Poor artwork files are one of the most common causes of delays in screen printing.

When you send your artwork to RKT Shirts, our team reviews every file before production. We include one hour of artwork setup time and two rounds of revisions with qualifying orders to make sure your design prints perfectly. Pantone color matching is also available if you need precise brand consistency.

Decide on Print Placement and Size

It’s easy to assume your printer knows where to place your design, but “front center” can mean slightly different things depending on the garment style, size, and artwork dimensions. Always specify the placement and size of your design before production.

Common print locations include full front, left chest, full back, sleeve, or tag area. For example, a company logo might go on the left chest of a polo, while a full event graphic might cover the back of a t-shirt.

Be sure to visualize the proportions — what looks balanced on a small shirt may appear undersized on a 3XL. Many printers, including RKT Shirts, will provide a digital mockup for approval before production. Reviewing and signing off on this proof ensures everyone is on the same page.

Confirm Ink Colors and Special Requests

Color consistency can make or break your project. If your brand or event uses specific colors, share the Pantone codes (PMS numbers) with your printer. This allows the ink to be mixed accurately, matching your logo or brand standards.

Keep in mind that ink colors can appear differently on various shirt colors and fabrics. For example, bright inks may require an underbase on dark shirts to achieve vibrancy. If you’re printing across multiple garment colors, confirm how the design will look on each — sometimes a small ink adjustment is needed.

At RKT Shirts, we offer Pantone matching for $20 per color to maintain brand accuracy, especially for businesses or sponsors who want a polished, professional look. Taking this step before production ensures your colors print exactly as intended.

Finalize Quantities and Sizes

One of the most overlooked steps in screen printing is confirming your exact order quantities and size breakdown. Printers need final counts to set up screens and plan production — even small changes can affect scheduling and ink estimates.

Double-check your roster, team list, or registration data before finalizing. It’s a good idea to order a few extras in common sizes (like M and L) in case of last-minute additions or replacements.

RKT Shirts allows you to mix styles, colors, and sizes within your 15-piece minimum, so you can tailor your order without additional setup fees. Once your invoice and artwork proof are approved, production typically takes 7–10 business days, plus shipping time if you’re not picking up locally.
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Review and Approve Your Proof

Every professional screen printing shop will send a digital proof before production begins. This mockup shows your design placement, size, and colors on a sample garment image. Review this proof carefully — it’s your last opportunity to catch spelling errors, color mismatches, or layout concerns.

Don’t rush this step. Verify the garment color names, design dimensions, and placement instructions match your expectations. If you need adjustments, request them before giving final approval. Once a proof is approved and production starts, changes may incur extra fees or delays.

At RKT Shirts, your proof approval also triggers your production timeline. From there, you can expect your order to be completed within about 7–10 business days, depending on order size and seasonality.

Plan for Delivery or Pickup

After production, you’ll need to decide how you’d like to receive your order. Many customers near our North Carolina facility choose local pickup, but we also offer reliable, low-cost shipping across the U.S.

If your shirts need to arrive by a specific date, be sure to factor in transit time on top of the 7–10 business day production window. Shipping times vary by carrier and location, so confirming this upfront avoids any last-minute stress.

Including your “in-hand” date when requesting your quote helps our team plan accordingly and make sure your shirts arrive right when you need them.

The Importance of Communication and Preparation

The best screen printing projects are the result of collaboration and preparation. When you communicate clearly, provide complete artwork, and approve your proof promptly, the process moves faster and more smoothly.

Even small missteps — like unclear placement instructions or missing file layers — can cause unnecessary delays. The more organized your input, the better your outcome. A detailed checklist like this ensures you and your printer stay aligned from concept to completion.

At RKT Shirts, we believe screen printing should be straightforward and stress-free. Our goal is to make every step — from quote to pickup — clear, transparent, and efficient so you can focus on wearing or distributing great-looking shirts, not managing production details.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re gearing up for a custom t-shirt printing project, this checklist is your roadmap. Having your artwork, garment details, and specifications ready will help your order move quickly and produce better results.

When you’re ready, our team at RKT Shirts is here to help bring your design to life with professional screen printing and embroidery services.

Call +1 (704) 987-1687 or email sales@rktshirts.com to get started.