← All articles · 2026-06-28

Company offsite t-shirts: a manager's ordering checklist

Short answer: Order company offsite shirts at least 3 weeks before the event, collect sizes from all attendees upfront, approve a digital mockup before production starts, and confirm a specific delivery date — not a vague window.

Offsite shirts are one of those details that can make or break the “we’re all in this together” feeling of a company retreat or team day. Get them right and people wear them proudly. Get them wrong — wrong sizes, late delivery, or a logo that looks blurry on fabric — and you’re the person who ruined the vibe.

Here’s the full checklist.

1. Lock in your headcount and sizes first

Before you design anything, collect sizes. People forget, sizes vary, and late additions are inevitable. Build in a buffer:

• Send a size survey at least 4 weeks out
• Collect: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL (ask if anyone needs 4XL+)
• Round up by 5–10% for last-minute additions and reprints
• Decide: unisex sizing only, or separate men’s/women’s cuts?

One price for all sizes (50-piece minimum) makes budgeting simple — no per-size surcharges.

2. Define the design and logo requirements

Element	What to prepare
Company logo	Vector file (.ai, .eps, .svg) preferred; high-res PNG (300 dpi+) acceptable
Color palette	Hex codes or Pantone references
Placement	Left chest, full front, back — or a combination
Text to include	Offsite name, date, location (optional)
Number of colors	Full-color digital print has no per-color charge

If you don’t have a finalized design, a free design service can mock up 2–3 options in 24 hours based on your logo and brief.

3. Choose the right fabric for your event

• Outdoor activity / team-building games: performance fabric (moisture-wicking, lightweight) keeps people comfortable
• Evening dinner / casual daytime: heavyweight combed cotton (180–220 g/m²) has a premium feel and holds print detail well
• Cool-weather offsite: fleece pullover or zip-up works better than a tee

Match the shirt to the schedule, not just the logo.

4. Run the timeline backward from your event date

This is where most managers get burned. Work backward:

1. Event date — your hard deadline
2. Buffer for shipping surprises — add 2 extra days
3. Production time — 15–20 business days after mockup approval
4. Mockup approval — give yourself 2–3 days to review and get sign-off internally
5. Place order — this is your drop-dead start date

Minimum runway: 3 weeks before the event. Four to five weeks is comfortable. If you’re inside 3 weeks, ask for an honest delivery estimate before committing.

5. Pre-ship checklist before you confirm the order

• Headcount confirmed (including remote attendees receiving shirts by mail?)
• Sizes collected and totaled
• Logo file submitted and resolution confirmed
• Mockup reviewed and approved in writing
• Specific delivery date (not a range) confirmed
• Delivery address correct — office, hotel, or individual homes?
• Someone assigned to receive and sort shirts on arrival

How Togethread helps

Togethread handles bulk custom shirts for company offsites with a 50-piece minimum and one price regardless of size mix. Submit your logo and brief, and you’ll have a free digital mockup within 24 hours. Production runs 15–20 business days from your mockup approval, and you get finished product photos before the balance is due — so there are no surprises on delivery day. All orders are delivered duty-paid to a US address with a confirmed delivery date.

Get a free quote for your company offsite →

FAQ

How many shirts should I order as extras? Order 5–10% above your confirmed headcount. Extras are cheaper per unit when ordered upfront than as a rush follow-on order later.

Can we ship directly to remote employees’ homes? Yes — provide a list of addresses and the order can be split-shipped. Confirm this requirement when placing the order so it’s included in the delivery timeline.

What if the event date moves after we’ve ordered? Communicate immediately. If production hasn’t started, adjustments are easier. Once shirts are in production, the timeline is fixed — which is why confirming your event date before ordering matters.

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Related: How early should you order custom shirts for an event? · Custom company shirts bulk

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