DIY Branding Mistakes: What to Avoid When Creating Custom Merch
Published by: Siobhan Ingram
Date: 03-03-2025
We get it—creating custom merch appears simple. You pick a logo, slap it on a t-shirt, and bam! Instant branding achievement. Except… not always.
At Fox Cities Embroidery, we've seen the good, the bad, and the downright disastrous when it comes to DIY branding. Don't let a merch blunder haunt you in bulk order form before we review some of the most common pitfalls—and how to avoid them.
1. The Billboard Effect: Too Big, Too Bold, Too Much
It's tempting to make your logo as big as possible so that it can't be missed. But be realistic—most people don't want to look like a walking billboard.
What Goes Wrong:
Logos that are too big dominate the design and make the shirt look corporate instead of cool.
Busy designs with too much text or small details that don't print well.
The Fix:
✔ Less is more. A well-positioned left chest logo, subtle sleeve detail, or vintage-inspired graphic goes much further than a giant center print.
Example: One school spirit store we partnered with found that their big, full-front logo shirts weren't selling. When they switched to subtle, distressed designs featuring smaller graphics, sales soared.
2. The "I'll Just Use Any Shirt" Mistake
Opting for the cheapest, lowest-quality apparel might save a buck up front, but nobody wants to wear a boxy, scratchy t-shirt that shrinks after one wash.
What Goes Wrong:
Uncomfortable materials get your merch relegated to the bottom of the drawer (or worse, the donation pile).
Cheap fabric can fade, pill, or stretch out, which makes your brand look cheap too.
The Fix:
✔ Choose soft, comfortable materials like tri-blend or ringspun cotton.
✔ Quality over quantity—a few high-quality shirts are preferable to hundreds of low-quality, uncomfortable shirts.
Example: A local brewery we worked with switched from stiff, plain tees to ultra-soft, vintage-style shirts—and suddenly, customers were buying them up faster than they could restock.
3. The "One-Size-Fits-All" Fail
Newsflash: Unisex does not mean universally flattering. If your apparel doesn't fit well, people won't wear it—simple as that.
What Goes Wrong:
Few women's cuts or plus sizes can be alienating to part of your audience.
Cheap, boxy, unflattering fits make the apparel unappealing for everyday wear.
The Solution:
✔ Stock fitted silhouettes for different body types.
✔ Choose brands that offer extended sizes without price gouging.
Example: A high school we partnered with saw a huge jump in spirit wear sales when they started offering fitted styles alongside basic unisex tees. More people found something they actually wanted to wear.
4. The Color Clash Catastrophe
You love your brand colors, but that neon yellow print on a hot pink hoodie? Maybe not.
What Goes Wrong:
Terrible contrast makes designs hard to read (black on navy? No thanks).
Too saturated colors can be dated or unwearable.
The Fix:
✔ Use neutral base colors (black, gray, navy, earth tones) that people actually wear.
✔ Make sure your logo has sufficient contrast with the garment.
Example: A charity event we partnered with switched from neon event tees to heathered navy with subtle accent colors. Volunteers started wearing them well after the event, giving the brand extended visibility.
5. The "Set It and Forget It" Approach
You designed a killer piece of merch—so you should just order 500 units and call it a day, right? Nope.
What Goes Wrong:
Ordering in bulk before testing leads to boxes of unsellable merch.
You don't have any customer feedback, so you don't know if people even like the design.
The Fix:
✔ Print a sample run first and get feedback from real live humans.
✔ Try social media polls or pre-orders on interest.
Example: A nonprofit we worked with put up two possible hoodie designs on Instagram and let their followers vote. The winning design sold out twice as fast because customers were already invested in it.
Final Thoughts: Don't DIY Your Merch into Disaster
Custom merch should be something people want to wear, not just something they’re given. When done right, it becomes a powerful tool for brand loyalty, awareness, and fundraising.
At Fox Cities Embroidery, we’ve seen (and fixed) our fair share of DIY branding mistakes.