At Merchy’s, your approval of mockups and proofs is essential before we begin production. This ensures that screen printing, embroidery, or any custom apparel printing meets your expectations in terms of design, placement, color, and material. We explain below why this approval matters, how we request it, and what to expect if it’s delayed.
Why Customer Approval Is Essential
Set Expectations Clearly: A mockup or proof gives you a detailed visual preview of how your custom apparel will look. This includes design placement, color accuracy, sizing, and other important design details. It helps avoid surprises once the garments are printed or embroidered. (Graphic Design Eye)
Prevent Mistakes and Rework: Errors in spelling, colors, design alignment, or design elements are often caught during the proof stage—before screen printing or embroidery. Making changes after production starts is expensive and can delay delivery. (Imprint Connect)
Ensure Quality & Consistency: Approvals confirm that what you see matches what we’ll produce—color shades, material texture, embroidery placement etc. This helps maintain high standards of quality across all custom apparel printing orders. (SEDDI)
How Merchy’s Requests Approvals
Mockup / Proof Creation:
Once your design artwork is finalized (you’ve submitted the art files, chosen the style, materials, printing method like screen printing or embroidery), our design team creates a mockup or proof.
Proof Sent to You:
We send the digital proof via email or through your customer portal. The proof shows the design on the chosen apparel, with the proposed placement, colors, and any requested embroidery or screen print details.
Review Process:
You’ll review the proof carefully—checking spelling, design (logo, image) placement, sizing, font styles, color matching, especially if you have brand colors. If any changes are required, you communicate those back to us.
Final Approval:
When you are satisfied, you formally approve the mockup/proof (via reply, click-through or signature, depending on our process). This signals to us to start production.
What Happens If Approval Is Delayed
Production Delays: If approval isn’t given in the timeframe agreed upon, production can’t start. This in turn can push back your entire delivery schedule.
Rescheduling / Slot Rebooking: We may need to reschedule your order in our production queue. Orders are often organized by design-ready status; delayed approvals may push your order behind others.
Potential Cost Adjustments: If delayed approvals lead to rush work or late changes, there may be extra fees (e.g. for expedited screen printing, overtime, or preventive adjustments).
Risk of Inaccuracies or Compromised Options: Sometimes designs or materials we quoted for may no longer be available later, or color batches may have changed. That means late approval could force adjustments or substitutions.
Customer Communication: We will reach out to remind/customer about outstanding approvals and confirm whether you’d like to proceed or adjust timelines.
Best Practices for Streamlining Approvals
Review proofs soon after receiving them (ideally within 24-48 hours)
Have all stakeholders (team, client, etc.) ready so everybody can sign off
Be as specific as possible about changes you want (e.g. “move logo up ½ inch”, “use Pantone 186 red”)
Provide high-resolution artwork from the start to reduce back-and-forth
Keep a record of your approvals and feedback, so there’s clear reference
FAQ
Q: What is a proof or mockup, and how is it different from the final product?
A: A mockup/proof is a digital preview of how your design will appear on your chosen apparel (like a t-shirt, hoodie, or hat), showing layout, colors, fonts, and placement. It is not the physical item. The final product may have small differences due to material, embroidery thread or print ink variations, or fabric texture.
Q: How long do I have to approve a proof?
A: We’ll typically request your approval within a set timeframe (e.g., 2-3 business days). If not approved by that deadline, we’ll follow up. Note that delays may push back production and delivery dates.
Q: What if I request changes after I approve the proof?
A: Once you approve, we begin production. Changes after approval may incur additional costs, delays, or may not be possible if production has started (especially for screen printing screens or embroidered goods).
Q: Can I get a physical sample before full production?
A: In some cases, yes—if requested in advance. Physical samples may involve extra cost, so we’ll quote that for you. If not, proofs are your main confirmation step.
Q: What happens if I don’t respond at all to proof requests?
A: If there’s no response after reasonable follow-ups, we may assume approval as-is (depending on our policy), or the order may be placed on hold. We’ll contact you to clarify before proceeding. However, proceeding without final input risks the design not matching your expectations.
If you have any questions about proof approvals, or want help reviewing your mockup, just reach out to our support or your account manager. We’re here to make sure your custom apparel printing (screen printing, embroidery, etc.) turns out exactly how you want it.
