Behind the Threads: What Really Goes Into Making Custom Merch?

Published by: Siobhan Ingram
Date: 02-26-2025

You ever wonder what goes on when you hit "submit" on that custom t-shirt order? At Fox Cities Embroidery, we're pulling back the curtain to give you a glimpse of how your branded swag goes from concept to completion. Warning: there's a whole lot more to it than most people would imagine!

More Than Just Pressing "Print"

When individuals talk about custom merch, they imagine something simple: put a logo on a t-shirt and voilà. Reality? It's a highly practiced ballet of design, tech, craftsmanship, and quality control.

The life journey for a custom t-shirt starts a long time prior to the initial seam being sewn or the initial ink being flattened. It starts with the awareness of just what you are trying to make with your products.

The Design Phase: Art Meets Intent

Every great custom t-shirt begins with attention to design. It's not so much about designing something that looks good (as much as looks do matter!). It's more about having an awareness of:

• How the design will work with multiple products and sizes

• Which method of production will yield the most effective results for your particular requirements

• How to make sure that your brand colors turn out just right

• What position will have the most impact

Our design team does not simply work with your logo—they consider how your branded products will actually be used in the outside world. Will it be washed frequently? Will it have to be visible from a distance? These everyday considerations inform every design decision.

Choosing the Perfect Canvas

The quality of the base product matters. We select with care the clothing that is the perfect canvas for your brand. That includes taking into account:

• Quality and composition of fabric that affects comfort and durability

• How different materials respond to different decoration methods

• Fit and size consistency across product lines

• Ethical manufacturing and sourcing processes

Cutting costs on the base product is never an option—even the prettiest design can't compensate for uncomfortable or poorly made clothing.

The Magic of Production

Depending on your project, we might employ one of several decoration methods:

Embroidery: In this process, thousands of precisely placed stitches create a high-quality, textured appearance. In the background, our digitizers take your artwork and convert it into a file that our machines can read and stitch your logo—a task that requires technical proficiency as well as a creative flair.

Screen Printing: For bold designs and long runs, screen printing is the best option. Each color in your picture requires its own screen to be created, aligned in microscopic order, and then printed in sequence.

Heat Transfer: Perfect for names, numbers, and specialty applications where durability and precision are essential.

Every process involves different preparation, equipment, and skill—and choosing the right one is what makes your finished product stand out.

Quality Control: The Unsung Hero

Any product that leaves our building initially goes through multiple quality checkpoints. We check each item for:

• No distributor defects

• Color accuracy and consistency

• Precise placement and alignment

• No missed stitches or print flaws

• Proper finishing and packaging

This care and attention to detail is why companies trust us to represent their brand. It isn't about getting it done—it's about getting it done right, flat out.

The People Behind the Products

While we've invested heavily in cutting-edge technology and automation to streamline our process, the key to excellent custom merchandise is the human element. Our folks bring decades of expertise and pride of craftsmanship to each project.

From the graphic design and sales experts who help bring your idea to fruition to the production specialists who ensure the execution is perfection, real people with passion for quality are the game-changer.

Beyond Production: The Full-Service Solution

Coming up with incredible custom apparel is just half of the solution. The back-end of getting goods into the hands of team members, managing inventory, and easy reordering is something we've solved with our custom online stores and fulfillment systems.

The FCE Difference

What distinguishes truly remarkable custom merchandise isn't the apparent quality—it's the unseen attention that goes into each step of the process. Unlike massive conglomerates churning out bulk orders with little thought, we take the time to ensure every piece reflects your brand’s identity with care and precision. Your branded clothing isn’t just another item in a warehouse—it’s a physical embodiment of your organization’s personality, crafted by real people who genuinely care about your vision.

The next time you slip into that beautifully embroidered company polo or hand out those jaw-dropping event tees, remember the journey they took and the attention to detail that went into creating them. Because at Fox Cities Embroidery, we believe what you wear matters—and how it's created matters too.

Interested in seeing our craftsmanship firsthand? We love sharing with customers the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into creating their custom gear!