← All articles · 2026-06-24

How long does it take to make custom t-shirts, step by step?

Short answer: From approved mockup to your door, custom shirts take 15–20 business days. The timeline runs: free design and mockup (within 24 hours) → sample → full production → finished photos → ships duty-paid. The production clock starts when you approve the mockup, not when you first reach out.

The production timeline, step by step

Here’s exactly what happens, in order:

1. Submit your request (Day 0). You share your design idea, garment, sizes, and quantity (50-piece minimum, mixed sizes at one price). This is free.
2. Free mockup within 24 hours. A designer turns your idea into a proof. Revisions are free — we work until it’s right.
3. Approve the mockup → clock starts. A small deposit kicks off sampling. You get a specific delivery date here.
4. Sample and approval. We produce a sample so nothing goes to full production unseen. You approve it.
5. Full production (the bulk of the 15–20 business days). Printing or embroidery, then finishing and quality checks.
6. Finished photos before you pay the balance. You see real photos of the actual shirts. Only then do you pay the rest.
7. Ships to your door, duty-paid. Delivered DDP — no customs bill — and fully trackable the whole way.

Where the time actually goes

Most of the 15–20 business days is real production and finished-goods inspection, not waiting. The two stages people underestimate are at the front: design (24-hour mockup, but allow time for revisions) and sample approval. Both depend on you responding quickly, which is the single biggest lever you control over the total timeline.

Business days vs. calendar days

We quote in business days, so weekends and holidays don’t count. Fifteen to twenty business days is roughly 3–4 calendar weeks. That’s why we ask you to order at least 3 weeks ahead — and why we won’t take orders inside that window, since we can’t guarantee them honestly.

How Togethread runs the timeline

We never make you guess. When you approve your mockup, you get a specific delivery date instead of a vague window. You see finished photos before paying the balance, so you never pay for something you haven’t seen. Shipping is duty-paid and trackable, and your design is kept on file so reorders skip the design stage entirely. See how it looks for company orders.

FAQ

How long do custom shirts take to make? 15–20 business days from mockup approval to your door — about 3–4 calendar weeks.

Does the timeline include shipping? Yes. The 15–20 business days is door-to-door, including duty-paid delivery, not just printing.

Can I speed up the timeline? The fastest lever is you: approve the mockup and sample quickly. The production stage itself is fixed.

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Related: Custom shirt deadlines: a month-by-month planning calendar · What happens after you approve a mockup · Custom company shirts in bulk

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