A decorated T-shirt should be released through a sequence of approvals, not a single email saying the artwork looks good. Artwork approval confirms the design file. A strike-off confirms a physical result on a specific material. A washed production-equivalent garment confirms how the complete product behaves.
Keep those decisions separate and connect them through sample references and revision numbers. This guide assumes the decoration method has been selected; its purpose is to prevent the approved design, color, placement or care performance from changing between sampling and bulk.
Freeze the artwork inputs
Provide the original artwork in the format the decorator requests, with final dimensions and an identified revision. Vector files are useful for scalable logos and separations; high-resolution raster artwork can be appropriate for photographic designs. Confirm resolution at the actual print size rather than assuming a file extension proves suitability.
State which fonts are outlined or supplied, which elements may be simplified and whether the decorator may adjust trapping or fine details. Require approval of changes that alter the visible design. A screenshot of a previous garment should be a reference, not an invitation to recreate the artwork without review.
Use an approval-gate register
| Gate | Evidence to review | What the approval covers |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork proof | Final file, dimensions, text, color references and revision | Design content and permitted production interpretation |
| Actual-fabric strike-off | Identified fabric/color, method and process reference | Physical color, coverage, detail and hand |
| Placement sample | Complete garment with measured position and tilt | Artwork location and proportions for the stated size group |
| Washed sample | Care procedure, cycle count, photographs and results | Agreed appearance and durability after care |
| First production pieces | Bulk fabric lot, approved file and production setup | Permission to continue that production configuration |
| Final inspection | Samples selected under the agreed plan | Conformance of the inspected lot, with deviations recorded |
Record approver, date, sample ID, open issues and the next action at every gate. An approval with a substitution should state exactly what remains unapproved. Do not allow a color approval on substitute fabric to become a release for bulk material automatically.
Define placement from fixed points
Identify whether the placement refers to the artwork’s top edge, center or baseline. Give vertical and horizontal distances from named garment references and specify how the garment is laid out for measurement. State permitted tilt as well as position variation where it matters visually.
Review at least the relevant small and large sizes when one design spans a broad range. Decide whether artwork dimensions or placement change by size group. A fixed graphic can look very different on a boxy large tee and a narrow small one.
Ask how the decorator aligns garments without stretching them on the platen or in the fixture. A correctly measured design can become distorted if the knit is pulled during application and relaxes afterward. Keep a photograph of the approved garment in its relaxed state.
Approve color on the actual base
A color reference tells the decorator the target, but fabric color, texture, underbase, ink system and curing can alter the final appearance. Compare the strike-off under agreed lighting and retain a protected physical reference.
If instrumental color tolerances are required, agree the formula, measurement conditions and suitable limit with the supplier or laboratory. A color-difference number without its method is incomplete. A screen image or photograph should not be the sole color standard.
Check registration between colors separately from overall color match. Define how gaps, overlaps or shifted outlines will be assessed. Any trapping or artwork adjustment should be approved before screens or production files are finalized.
Verify care performance before bulk
Use the intended garment care conditions and an agreed number of cycles. Inspect fading, cracking, peeling, edge lift, puckering and changes in hand as applicable to the method. Check the surrounding fabric as well, because differential shrinkage can distort an otherwise intact graphic.
Retain an unwashed control and the washed reference. Record whether other laboratory tests, such as rubbing or laundering colorfastness, are required and what they prove. Do not use one test result to imply resistance to every wear or care condition.
The decorator should establish and control its appropriate curing or application settings. The buyer should ask how those controls are verified in production, not invent settings that may be unsuitable for the chosen system.
Catch drift when the run starts
Check first-off garments before a large quantity is decorated. Recheck after meaningful changes such as a new fabric lot, ink batch, screen, transfer batch or machine setup. Agree which changes require a new approval rather than leaving the decision to the operator.
Include packing in the final trial. Confirm that the decoration is ready for folding and packing under the process requirements and that the chosen fold does not create transfer, sticking or visible damage. Do not assume a universal waiting time works for all methods.
Keep the release record usable on reorders
Store the approved file, placement diagram, physical references, care results and exception history together. Agree access to production-ready files and any setup reuse conditions commercially. A paid setup charge does not by itself establish ownership or indefinite free reuse.
When a reorder changes fabric, color, artwork scale or decorator, reopen the affected gates. The unchanged product name is not evidence that the old decoration approval still applies.
Related purchasing guidance
For the next purchasing checks, see print-color disputes and logo placement tolerances.
