Occasionally, when researching how to buy your Leavers Hoodies, and who from, you have questions about the process and the products available. Most companies provide an FAQ page with a dozen or so of the most popular but also the most basic questions. We do – see the Leavers Hoodies Company FAQ page!
Today we wanted to extend the list of questions and especially the answers. Rather than just the short one line answers to the few most popular questions we are trying to provide a more comprehensive answer to a broader range of questions. All of these have been asked of us – but some wouldn’t generally get a spot on a Frequently Asked list!
If you have further questions you would like answers to – send them through to us and we will do our best to respond, and then update this article too!
Ordering Process
What is your minimum order?
The screen printing process has a ‘relatively’ costly set-up step and we find that spreading the cost of that step over fewer than 20 garments makes us uncompetitive for printing a leavers design with names.
However, for orders between 10-20 pieces we can offer alternative options such as an individual printed name only, or the year leaving printed without the names inside.
Can I choose any garment colour?
We buy in the garments direct from the manufacturers. Occasionally they have shortages of specific colours and / or sizes. While rare it does happen. If it happened after you had placed your order we would get in touch with you to discuss alternatives.
Alternatives could include chosing a different colour, or waiting until the stock is replenished by our manufacturers.
What are your prices?
Prices quoted include VAT and delivery of all of the decorated hoodies to the school address.
Do you provide a mock up/ artwork of the garment?
We can’t print or embroider a garment for you to check prior to placing your order. However, the visual / proof we provide enables you to check that the printing and embroidery are going to appear as you want them to. We require your acknowledgement and acceptance of the visual / proof before starting production.
What is your online shop offer
For orders which will exceed 100 garments we could provide you with an online shop (your unique URL) through which your leavers / students can:
- order,
- specify their required size / colour choices,
- detail their personalisation requirements, and
- pay directly
The shop takes away the administrative burden from the organiser. Once the order has been placed with us we take the orders, produce the decorated hoodies and deliver them to the single specified delivery location. The only thing the organiser has to do is chase up any lagards who haven’t ordered as the deadline approaches.
What is your order form for?
When the Online Shop isn’t used we can provide you with spreadsheets or an online order form to ease the process of capturing the size, colour and personalisation requirements.
If you are happy creating your own spreadsheet to collect the information then we will accept that rather than you using the ones we provide. However, in order to make the process efficient we do need to have the details electronically. This reduces time, avoids transcription errors and ensures that the hoodies received are as ordered.
What are the payment options?
We accept BACS, Credit Card payments and cheques.
Do you provide a sample of the finished garment?
We can’t print or embroider a garment for you to check prior to placing your order. However, the visual / proof we provide enables you to check that the printing and embroidery are going to appear as you want them to. We require your acknowledgement and acceptance of the visual / proof before starting production.
How long will they take to process?
You can expect delivery of your order 15-20 working days from receipt of payment, or official school purchase order. This is an approximation and may vary depending on the size or complexity of the order. We will always try our best to accommodate your needs so if you need a specific delivery date please let us know.
To learn a little more about the How & When of buying leavers hoodies read our post – HOW AND WHEN TO BUY LEAVERS HOODIES
HOW AND WHEN TO BUY LEAVERS HOODIES
HOW AND WHEN TO BUY LEAVERS HOODIES
HOW AND WHEN TO BUY LEAVERS HOODIES
Do you provide samples?
Plain garment samples can be supplied subject to a refundable charge when they are returned in the same condition they were sent. Obviously we can’t provide samples of each colour available. So the sample is provided primarily to enable you to assess the quality of the garment.
Do you do home delivery?
Why should we buy from you?
You will choose the supplier who best fits your criteria for selection. You will be looking for competitive prices, good service, and the garment choices which meet your needs.
We can wax lyrical about how long we have been decorating hoodies for school leavers, how many happy clients we have, how much we have enjoyed working with the schools who use us. But ultimately it comes down in many cases to competitive prices and good service. We are happy to be chosen on that basis.
Can I talk to someone?
We have been doing this for a while now and still enjoy talking to people who want us to help them. Please call during normal office hours and we will be happy to help.
How much does delivery cost?
The delivery cost is included in the quoted price. We generally use Parcelforce for deliveries as we have found them both reliable and cost effective – like us!
Can I do an additional order?
If the additional requirement is identified before we have started the decoration process then we can accommodate it – although it could affect delivery times.
If the additional order is for multiple garments then the design elements of the process can be re-used.
Printing or embroidering one off garments is very expensive and rarely happens because the person who forgot the deadline is generally unwilling to pay the price necessary.
I forgot someone's name, what shall I do?
I need to change something on my order.
Once we start production we can not make any changes.
However, if we haven’t started production then depending on the nature of the change it may be possible to accommodate it.
Design Issues
What print colours do you offer?
Black print on light colours and white print on dark colours is the norm. If you have a specific requirement please let us know when requesting a quote.
Different colours don’t cost more but sometimes there is a conflict and they simply won’t work for the full range of garment colours available. Your print colour choice could impact the range of colours we would recommend you offer to your wearers!
Can I print my own leavers hoodie design rather than the designs you offer?
We know that people like to have their own designs on their garments and think it is a great idea. Most designs are not a problem to print or embroider but we do need to see what you are trying to achieve before we can quote on it.
The costs of using your own design are calculated based on the work involved. Sometimes they turnout to be more expensive than the standard designs which get used more often. Sometimes they are cheaper.
If you are trying to use your own designs please see our short “Using your own design guide”.
If you already have your own design you can either just raise a quote request and send it through to us or call us to discuss what you have done and get an immediate opinion as to the likelihood of our being able to do it.
What text can I have above or below the Leavers print?
The standard “Leavers” or “Class of” doesn’t suit everyone. So we can print pretty much what you like subject to number of character limits depending on print size. Whatever you choose to have printed must be the same on all garments on the order.
Can you match the colours of our school logo if I provide the Pantone colour reference?
We have a fantastic range of colours available and are more than happy to help you to find the perfect colour fit for your school. Please email any Pantone references that you have to us at [email protected] The manufactured garments are provided in predefined colour options and if your colour requirement is not one of those available we will advise you of the options that we believe will best fit your individual requirements. Ultimately the choice is yours.
Do we all have to have the same design?
If you will be ordering in the hundreds of garments then we may be able to offer a different design on some of the hoodies. Setup costs will be applicable for the second and subsequent designs.
What is the best way to design our hoodies
We provide a number of examples for each ‘use case’ so Leavers, Ski Trip etc etc. If one of these suits your purposes keep it simple and use it. Unique designs may be hard to find. Although in reality your badge, logo, motif etc will make your garments unique.
If the examples we provide online don’t meet your needs then feel free to give us a call to discuss what you are trying to achieve.
Is my logo a high enough resolution?
A few years ago graphic files seemed to cause untold confusion. Now most schools, colleges, clubs etc know what is required and provide sufficiently high quality files of their logos, crests, motifs etc for us to use for printing or embroidery.
Occasionaly, when asked to put a picture of something on the back of a garment, we receive a file which is not workable. Very occasionally because the resolution is too low – more often because the image is something which is simply not going to look good when printed or embroidered.
Will my design work?
Most custom designs which are sent through to us can be produced technically. People seem to have a reasonable feel for what is possible.
The bigger issue can come down to cost. What are your leavers, or their parents, going to be willing to pay? Some designs are prohibitively expensive to produce. Often, talking it through with the Leavers Hoodies Company design experts can retain the basics of your design while bringing the cost back within the bounds of reasonable!
Money is rarely ‘not a consideration’ so you, as the designer of yor hoodies, need to take account of that.
I can't decide on a design - can you help please?
Definitely.
Our team has helped design and produce thousands of different leavers hoodies designs and orders across the last 16+ years (we did the same thing for businesses and universities for 20 years before we started with Leavers Hoodies too!).
Garment Specifics
What quality are your hoodies?
The hoodies vary in thickness features available. The hoodies are made of a cotton and polyester mix. The more expensive hoodies generally have more features or are heavier. All of the hoodies are produced by first class manufacturers and the durability of them is similar across the range.
What sizes are available?
Each hoody style has a different range of sizes available. For example, hoodies for kids come in sizes suitable for 3-year olds right up to 13-year olds, whilst those for secondary school and college students can range in size up to a 5XL in some styles. In some garments / styles the colour range available is more limited in the very large or very small items.
How do I care for my personalised garment
Garment care depends on the materials from which the garments are made. The printing and / or embroidery don’t affect the longevity of the garment or its care requirements.
How do I measure the sizing?
Chest size is the governing measure for all hoodies. Using a tape measure the person around the chest just under the armpits and compare that with the sizing chart provided
Where are your garments made?
