← All articles · 2026-06-24

What happens after I approve my custom shirt mockup?

Short answer: Approving your mockup starts the production clock. Next comes a small deposit → sample → full production → finished photos → balance payment → ships duty-paid to your door, all within 15–20 business days. You get a specific delivery date the moment you approve.

The mockup approval is the green light

Until you approve, nothing is locked in and the clock hasn’t started. Approving the mockup is your “go” signal — it confirms the design, garment, and placement are exactly right. From that moment, you get a specific delivery date, not a vague window, and production begins.

Step by step after approval

1. Small deposit starts sampling. A modest deposit (not full payment) kicks things off. You’re not paying for the full order yet.
2. We produce a sample. Nothing goes to bulk production unseen. The sample confirms the real garment matches the mockup.
3. You approve the sample. Another checkpoint where you stay in control.
4. Full production. Printing or embroidery, finishing, and quality checks on every batch.
5. Finished photos before you pay the balance. You see real photos of your actual shirts.
6. You pay the balance. Only after you’ve seen the finished goods. You never pay for something you haven’t seen.
7. Ships duty-paid and trackable. Delivered DDP — no customs bill — and you can track it the whole way.

Why the checkpoints matter

Each stage is a place where you can confirm things are right before more money or time is committed. The deposit is small. The sample comes before bulk production. The balance comes after finished photos. This sequence exists so a single misread detail can never turn into a few hundred wrong shirts on your doorstep.

How Togethread protects you after approval

We deliberately put your money behind your eyes: a small deposit to start, then the balance only after you see finished photos. Payments run through PayPal, so you have buyer protection. Shipping is duty-paid and trackable, and your approved design is kept on file for fast reorders. See how this works for fundraiser orders.

FAQ

Do I pay in full when I approve the mockup? No. A small deposit starts sampling. You pay the balance only after you see finished photos of your actual shirts.

Can I still make changes after approving the mockup? The mockup is the design lock-in, but the sample stage is a second checkpoint to confirm the real garment looks right.

When will my order ship? Within the 15–20 business-day window from approval. You’ll have a specific delivery date and tracking.

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Related: The custom t-shirt production timeline, step by step · How the deposit-and-balance payment process works · Fundraiser shirts in bulk

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