Our own production

How our own production works

We make every order in our own production, in four stages: artwork and digitizing, decoration, quality control, then packing and shipping. Each piece gets a hand check before it goes into a sleeve with the wearer's name.

Our own productionThree weeks from approvalChecked piece by piecePlastic-free packing

Two people in denim aprons look over a navy polo hooped on a multi-head embroidery machine, in an aisle lined on both sides with machines and navy thread cones — Illustrative image.

When the three weeks of production start

Design and approval move at your pace. The Design Studio does the first pass, and a designer on our team finishes every order and sends you the proof.

Once you approve the design, the order spends three weeks in production and two more shipping within the US. Plan on starting 8 to 10 weeks before the date you need the pieces, which leaves about two weeks for design and approval and a week of buffer.

Artwork and digitizing come first

A designer checks a thread swatch against a polo sleeve beside a rail of navy, sage and oatmeal polos, hoodies and shirts — Illustrative image.

Send your logo as a vector file (SVG, AI, EPS) or a 300 dpi PNG. For a print, the designer sets the art at its real size on the garment. For embroidery, our designers redraw the mark for thread, and the stitch file they make tells the machine where every needle drop lands.

How artwork and digitizing work

How the logo goes onto the garment

A woman reaches for a navy cone on a wall of thread cones running from rust and cream to deep blue, as colleagues look along the wall — Illustrative image.

Embroidery runs from the stitch file one thread color at a time. A left-chest mark takes 5,000 to 12,000 stitches. A DTF print goes onto film first and a heat press transfers it, while DTG puts the ink straight into the fabric. A plotter cuts vinyl for names and numbers, and we also screen print and sew patches onto caps and beanies.

How each decoration method runs

Every piece is checked before it's packed.

Two inspectors smooth a folded tee and a hoodie flat on lit inspection tables, a checklist tablet beside each piece — Illustrative image.

Faraz, our CEO, walks the production floor most mornings. Before packing, each piece goes through a QC checklist app that Suhail, our CTO, wrote for the packing team.

How quality control works

Packing and shipping within the US

People at a long packing table slide folded garments into kraft sleeves banded with first names such as Elara, Jai and Noa, above a row of open cardboard boxes — Illustrative image.

Each piece goes into its own sleeve with the wearer's name on a paper band. The packaging is that band and recyclable board, with no plastic in it. Shipping is free once the order reaches 50 pieces or $2,000 after discount, and on a smaller order the cost is on your quote.

How we pack and ship an order

What we check on every piece

Each piece gets a hand check, one at a time, before it goes into its sleeve.
A piece with a crooked stitch goes back before it's packed.
The fabric is OEKO-TEX certified, on all eight of our garments.
If a defect still reaches you, report it within 30 days with a photo and we'll remake the piece free.

Production questions we get

Where is AffirmGear apparel made?

In our own production. Every order goes through it, from the stitch file for an embroidered mark to the sleeve with the wearer's name.

How do you check quality?

By hand, one piece at a time, before anything is packed. The packing team works through a QC checklist app our CTO wrote, and the fabrics on all eight garments are OEKO-TEX certified.

How long does production take after I approve the design?

Three weeks from the day you approve it, then two weeks of shipping within the US. Design and approval come before that and move at your pace.

What happens if a piece arrives with a defect?

We remake it free. Email a photo of the piece to hello@affirmgear.com within 30 days and we'll reply within one business day.