The 90-Day
Custom Apparel Program
Reserve early, lock late. Designed for event-driven apparel where the deadline is fixed but the count is fluid. Used by race organizers, summer camps, corporate buyers, and growing brands since 2018.
Why the 90-day program exists.
Traditional custom apparel production assumes you have a final count 60-90 days before delivery. Most event-driven apparel doesn't have that data. The 90-day program fixes the mismatch between how suppliers want to plan and how buyers actually know their numbers.
Fixed event date
Marathon, race, festival, conference, trade show, camp session. The date is set, the apparel is one piece of a larger event.
Rolling registration
Registration opens 6 months out, attendees sign up gradually. You need a supplier who can hold capacity without forcing a final count early.
Season-based ordering
Camps, sports teams, clubs. The season opener is fixed, but the roster is fluid. Lock late, produce fast.
Test-and-scale brands
New brands testing 3-5 designs. Sell-through data informs which designs to scale. 90-day program allows for that.
Lock capacity, lock design, defer the count.
Most custom apparel programs fail because the customer is forced to commit to a final count before they have the data. We don't. Phase 1 is about locking the production line, not the count.
Deliverables
- Inquiry submitted with event date and estimated quantity
- Production capacity reserved in our schedule (you don't owe us a final number)
- Free digital mockup of your design
- Physical sample on production fabric (paid, refunded on bulk)
- Pantone, sizing, and placement locked. Sample sign-off is the contract.
- Estimated count updated monthly. We hold the line for you.
The advantage
If your event is 90+ days out, you get the best fabric choices, the most production-line flexibility, and the lowest pricing tier.
Lock the count, produce, ship.
By T-30, your registration numbers (or staff list, or member count) are real. We adjust production to your actual headcount within 5% of your estimate. No penalty, no panic.
Deliverables
- Final count locked 30 days before your event
- Production cut, printed, sewn, and inspected in 15 business days
- 4-stage quality control with photo evidence at each stage
- Pack-out, poly-bag, and carton labeling
- DDP shipping arranged. Ocean, air, or US warehouse domestic — your choice.
- On-time delivery for 96% of orders in 2024
The advantage
You only pay for what you produce. If your estimate was 500 and the real count is 472, you pay for 472 + 5% buffer.
90-day vs. traditional.
Side-by-side comparison of how we work versus the typical China-direct custom apparel model.
| Aspect | Traditional | 90-Day Program |
|---|---|---|
| Final count due | 60-90 days out | 30 days out |
| Design changes after lock | Penalty + restart | Minor tweaks OK |
| Count over/under estimate | Full penalty, pay for 100% | ±5% absorbed, no penalty |
| Rush order for late additions | New 12-week lead time | 30-day re-order, same per-piece |
| Pricing stability | Quote locks for 7 days | Quote locks for 30 days |
| Best for | Stock designs, in-house buyers | Events, reg-driven orders, growing brands |
Common 90-day program questions.
What if I'm under 60 days out?
You can still join the 90-day program in compressed form. Phase 1 (sample + design lock) is shortened to 15 days. Phase 2 (production) is compressed to 15-20 days via air freight. Pricing is 20-30% higher due to rush fees and air freight.
What if I'm under 30 days out?
We recommend the US warehouse drop-ship model. We stock blanks (white tees, black tees, blank polos) in Fontana, CA. We decorate and ship domestically in 2-5 days. Best for true emergencies. Limited to stock designs and a small color palette.
Can I cancel the reservation?
Yes, up to T-45 with no penalty. We just open the production slot to the next customer. After T-45, we've started sample production and can't refund the sample fee, but you're not committed to bulk production.
Do you offer the 90-day program for re-orders?
Yes. Re-orders run on a 30-day compressed version. Same per-piece pricing, same AQL 2.5 QC, but reduced lead time because we've already locked the design, fabric, and Pantone in the first run.
Got a
project?
Send us your design, your quantity, and your deadline. We'll reply with a quote within 24 hours.
Zhejiang, China
Fontana, CA 92335
United States