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What you get when your printer actually speaks design.

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Blank selection for print performance

Not every blank prints the same. We'll tell you which print style works best with your chose garment, and preserve your design intent through production.

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Pantone color conversations

Real talk about ink chemistry, fabric interaction, and what to expect on-press. Before the run, not after 500 shirts are printed.

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Samples before you scale

Order a single sample before committing to volume. See it, feel it, approve it - then we ship the full run.

Shelves of mixed screen printing inks in dozens of colors

Methods, tradeoffs, and when to use what.

Multiple print styles, embroidery, and patches. Each method exists for a reason, and the right one depends on your design, garment, and timeline. We'll walk you through what works best, and if something isn't the right call for what you're trying to do, we'll tell you.

Close up of the screen printing process

Production that respects the artwork.

Tight registration. Honest color reproduction. Screen alignment that holds across the run. Real Thread's production team has been screen printing for almost two decades, and the difference shows up on shirt 950 of a 1,000-unit run.

Close up of an embroidery machine running custom thread work

Embroidery, puff, and specialty work.

Beyond standard screen printing, we run embroidery in-house plus puff printing, metallic inks, and many other specialty applications. If your file calls for it, we can likely make it happen. And if we can't, we'll say so upfront.

Person wearing a navy hoodie with white puff print custom design

Order a single sample before you commit to volume.

Designers are sample-first buyers - so are we. Order one shirt on your actual blank, with your actual file, and see exactly how the print will land.

Start a project with Real Thread.

Send us the file. Figma, Illustrator, PDF - whatever you've got. We'll match it to the right blank, the right method, and a timeline that respects your launch date. Creative briefs welcome.

Designer FAQs.

AI, PSD, PDF, EPS, high-res PNG. For screen print we prefer vector. For DTG we'll work with raster files at 300 DPI. If your file needs prep work, our designers can clean it up.

We do PMS color matching for screen print. Ink chemistry and fabric interaction matter - your AM will walk through realistic expectations before the run. We can also mix custom colors when needed.

Yes. Pre-production samples (your actual artwork on your actual blank) are available before volume runs. For local clients we can accommodate press checks - ask your AM.

Depends on the artwork, fabric, and quantity. Screen print is best for solid colors and volume. DTG handles full-color and small runs. Discharge gives the softest hand. Puff, foil, and metallic are decorative add-ons. We'll recommend the right call for your file.

After your order is placed, we send a digital mockup for approval. For custom or risky jobs we'll send a physical sample. Nothing goes to production without your sign-off.