Hixson, TN Screen Printing, Custom T-Shirts, and Embroidery

Ordering custom apparel for the first time feels like walking into a conversation everybody else already started. You have a logo somewhere, a headcount that keeps changing, and a date you cannot move. Below are the six things Hixson customers ask us before their very first screen printing or embroidery order, answered plainly, so you know exactly what to bring and what happens next.

1. What do I actually need to bring you before you can start?

Three things get a Hixson custom t-shirt order moving. Your artwork, your quantity, and your deadline.

Artwork is the piece people worry about most and it is usually the easiest. Send whatever you have. A vector file (.ai, .eps, or a layered .pdf) is the gold standard for screen printing in Hixson because it scales to any print size without going fuzzy. If you do not have one, a high-resolution PNG works for plenty of jobs, and our art team can rebuild a rough logo into something press-ready. Quantity matters because it drives which process makes sense. Deadline matters because it tells us whether we are talking about a normal run or a conversation about what is realistic.

Bring those three and we can quote you the same week.

2. My logo is a screenshot off Facebook. Is that going to work?

Sometimes yes, often it needs help, and we will tell you honestly which one you are dealing with before you spend a dollar.

A screenshot pulled off social is low resolution by design. Blown up to an 11-inch chest print on custom shirts in Hixson, it turns soft and pixelated, and no press in Tennessee can fix that at the squeegee. What we do instead is redraw it. Our art department cleans up edges, separates colors for screen printing, and hands you a proof that shows exactly what your Hixson custom hoodies or work shirts will look like coming off the press. You approve that proof before anything gets burned onto a screen.

Nothing prints in our shop until you have signed off. That rule protects first-time buyers more than anyone.

3. How many pieces do I have to order?

Depends entirely on the process, and this is where a lot of Hixson first-timers are pleasantly surprised.

Screen printing runs 12 pieces minimum. Embroidery runs 12 pieces minimum. Those two carry setup work on the front end, which is why they need volume behind them. But DTF transfers start at 1 piece. Laser engraving starts at 1 piece. Sublimation starts at 1 piece.

So if you need 40 custom t-shirts for a Hixson church group, screen printing is your play. If you need a single custom hoodie for a coach or one engraved tumbler as a retirement gift, DTF and laser engraving cover you without forcing a bulk buy you do not want.

4. Can I get a number before I commit to anything?

Yes, two ways.

The fastest path is our live pricing calculator. Punch in your garment, your quantity, and how many ink colors your design uses, and you get a real number in about a minute. No phone tag, no waiting on a callback, no salesperson circling back three days later.

The other way is the quote form. Upload your art, tell us what you are thinking, and a human at our Cleveland shop reads it and replies with a written quote. Use this one when your job has moving parts, like mixed garment types, multiple print locations, names and numbers on team uniforms, or a spirit wear order that mixes screen printed tees with embroidered hats.

Both are free. Neither obligates you to anything.

One tip from years of quoting first-time buyers. Ink colors drive screen printing cost more than most people expect, because every color in your design needs its own screen. A one-color Hixson fundraiser shirt and a five-color one are very different animals at the same quantity. If your budget is firm, tell us the number and let us shape the artwork to hit it. That conversation is free too, and it usually saves more money than shopping around does.

5. How fast can I have shirts in my hands?

Standard turnaround is 10 to 14 business days, and the clock starts when you approve your proof, not when you first email us.

That distinction trips up first-time buyers, so read it twice. If you send artwork on a Monday and sit on the proof for five days, your delivery date moved five days. First-time Hixson customers who hit their deadlines are the ones who check email and approve fast.

We are closed weekends, which means Saturday and Sunday are not business days on that count. Planning a Hixson tournament, a fundraiser, a grand opening, or a school event? Work backward from your date and give yourself a cushion. Call (423) 728-6000 if your timeline is tight and we will tell you straight whether it fits.

6. Do I have to drive to Cleveland to do this?

No. Most Hixson orders never involve a trip.

Artwork comes in by email or through the quote form. Proofs go back to you digitally. Approvals happen by reply. Plenty of Hixson customers handle a full custom apparel order from their kitchen table. That said, our doors at 15 Broad St NW in Cleveland are open on weekdays if you want to feel garment weights, compare a heavyweight tee against a tri-blend, or look at embroidery thread colors under real light. Some people buy better in person. We are fine either way.

You do not need to have it all figured out. Bring artwork in whatever shape it is in, a rough headcount, and a date. We handle the rest, from cleanup and proofing through printing or stitching, on a 10 to 14 business day turnaround from proof approval.

Three ways to start right now.

Send Us Your Artwork and Get a Quote

Run Your Own Numbers in the Pricing Calculator

Call the Shop at (423) 728-6000

Express Screen Printing & Embroidery. 15 Broad St NW, Cleveland TN 37311. Weekdays only, closed weekends. Screen printing, custom t-shirts, custom hoodies, embroidery, custom hats, team uniforms, spirit wear, DTF transfers, laser engraving, and sublimation for Hixson and Hamilton County. Shop Local. Get It Fast.