Frequently Asked Questions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Dye Sublimation?
Dye Sublimation is a process that imprints graphics and images into the fibers of 100% polyester fabric essentially making the designs a permanent part of the fabric.
What is the difference between sublimation printing & full dye sublimation?
Sublimation printing is the process of taking a "blank" garment and heat pressing in a front and back image or logo. The printing area is limited to the size of the press and often creates a blank, shadow, or overlap where the print overlaps the seam of the garment.
Full dye sublimation allows you to create a complete design that is not hindered by the existing shape or layout of the garment. Our process creates a completely custom garment with designs that are printed first and then sewn together to create your custom garment without issues with seams or overlaps.
How much do the initial art fees and set-ups cost?
Because we work to create unique one of a kind items we do charge a non-refundable $40.00 deposit on most orders to begin our artwork process. The $40.00 is applied towards the total art fees that we will charge and we will give you an artwork price quote prior to you making your deposit. Total art costs will vary based on what needs to be created and designed. Many art costs can be avoided or significantly reduced if you can provide vector artwork (.eps or .ai) files of any images or logos you wish to use in your design. Please be ready to e-mail those files to our art team when we begin the creation process.
How does art and the art charges work?
Art charges can vary from $40 to ?. If you order a "Build Your Dreams" design and you use all items from our library changing colors and names to be as you want them - your art cost is a flat rate $40.00 for the entire project (not per garment) and this includes setting up all player names! If you supply a vector logo of a sponsor - we only charge $10 to add that to the design - again per project. If you have something more creative in mind - please email us and we will quote your project before we begin. Our average art costs run from standard ($40.00) to full custom with custom created artwork and imaging (from $50 - $120.00+ depending on the complexity). We treat art and garment costs differently. Art is per project and standard jerseys made with that design are $36.99 each for standard sizes and $43.99 for sizes 6XL - 9XL. All art that is set up for use in making our jerseys remains the property of Flashpoint Designs and any art files that are created also remain the property of Flashpoint Designs unless prior art fees are negotiated to provide customer with "takeaway art" that is created for their project. All art deposits are directed to a specific quote. If you choose not to order a completed design as quoted - the art deposit is non-refundable and any remaining balance above the deposit will need to be billed out and paid for to conclude the project. In the event of changes in the creative process additional art costs may be incurred but will be communicated for acceptance prior to moving forward with changes. If you choose to change a design completely the original design will be billed out and a new quote and deposit will need to happen to start the new design. All designs are saved for future orders.
What is the difference between a "proof" and a "draft" and how does that work as I commission a design?
An art draft is a rough draft. Essentially a diagram or example of how something may appear when you assemble an art design. A proof is actual piece of print ready art.
As part of our custom process we require customers to send us a diagram for placement and elements they wish to include as part of their unique custom design. Some customers are unsure of what they want. In those cases you can request a rough draft of how things may look but these often take time to get back to you if you are in a rush. What is often easier is if you assemble elements yourself in a simple art program like Paint or Sketchpad so you can get a feel for how your design may look before you get to the point of getting a quote for us to create your custom design. Once you decide on what you want - we give you a quote - get a deposit - and then a graphic artist starts making your actual design. When the artist comes back you get a "proof" back. This is print ready art and we do our best to get the proof exactly right the first time. At the proof stage - we can make minor edits within the scope of the project - but we create what we quoted to create in the project. In the event that you are not pleased with how the proof looks and you decide to make changes to the design beyond resizing or minor recoloration we can do that - but there will be additional costs do to that as art proofs require both a graphic artist and a significant amount of time to create. It is best to have a clear vision before you get a quote and commission the creation of your custom art. Some customers use local artists to create their vector ready design and we simply set it up, print, and physically make the jerseys. This is always an option. Please be aware that our artist will often go the extra mile to bring a project to completion - but at a certain point their time is valuable and they will need to charge you to make the edits beyond the creation of the quoted design.
What happens when I make a re-order?
Once we have your artwork on file we do not charge to re-create it! If you place a later order the art costs are free if there are not changes. If you add a name or series of new player names that need to be set up there is a $10 charge to set up the new names for the existing design. Each standard jersey then printed is $34.99 each. If you want changed made other than player names - there may be reasonable added costs, but we will inform you of that before we proceed. If you decide to have the same artwork remade - but in a different color combination for most projects this is a one time charge of $20.00 (Plus $10.00 more if there are new names that also need to be set up). Our goal is to keep these costs down and we always communicate costs before we begin. If you have a design and want several colors made up at the onset (for example you are a bar owner and have 7 teams that you all want in different colors) we can quote that as a project to reduce your overall art costs. We want this to be affordable and your teams to look top notch!
What is a "RUSH" order and what is the difference from "Standard" processing?
Standard order lead time is usually 5-6 weeks. Sometimes things happen and you need them faster. "RUSH" order processing is an option when timing is important. There is an added cost of $5 per garment for RUSH orders. Rush orders will be processed and are Guaranteed to ship out in 28 days or less from the date of invoice payment or the Rush charges will be refunded 100%. (Only the rush charges are refundable on Rush orders - not the costs of the garment).
What is the minimum order?
Because we are a custom made to order company the minimum order is always only 1 garment for standard orders. We do offer volume discounting on orders of 25, 50, or 100 or more of the same design. Please e-mail us for specific quantity discounting.
Can we get size samples?
We provide a very clear sizing chart prior to you placing your orders. Please review that chart in contrast to the measurements of a favorite garment you currently possess (lay your favorite shirt down and measure the two measurements to see what size is best for you). We follow our size charts for all garments that we produce. We do offer men's sizes (up to 9XL), longer lengths(our standard shirts are slightly longer than most), women's sizes / cuts, and children's sizes. There are additional costs for sizes above 5XL ($7 per garment more). Please feel free to contact us if you have further questions on sizing or any special needs. In the event that you must have size samples we can accommodate that but the customer may be required to pay a deposit and shipping costs to receive and return them. We will work with you as we want all your wearers to be fit properly!
How do I wash and care for these garments?
Flashpoint Designs uses materials designed to wick excess moisture from the body, but improper care can inhibit performance.
- Machine wash inside-out in cold water with like colors
- Use powdered detergent instead of liquid detergent
- Do Not wring excess water
- Tumble dry clothing on low heat or air/hang dry on a cushioned hanger.
- Do Not use bleach, dryer sheets or fabric softener.
- Do Not dry clean
If you need to iron your Design, please use the cool setting to avoid damaging the garment.
Can you match colors?
Color matching with dye sublimation can be very difficult. Many of our shirt designs have "layers," "overlaps'" and "shading." We do have a dye sublimated color swatch that we can send to you (deposit and shipping costs required) that has a complete chart of all PMS printed colors or you can send us a garment sample to try to match. We will not guarantee an exact match to any color but we will do the best we can to create the colors you desire. Please take note that these garments are just as much works of art as they are the most comfortable garment we can produce.
What is your return policy?
We do our very best to ensure 100% customer satisfaction. We ask you the customer to please carefully review any design artwork we create for you (A second set of eyes never hurts!). We are not responsible for errors on the artwork after the artwork is approved for production (Please pay special attention to spelling of names). Once an artwork is approved the order is pre-paid prior to our production. These garments are one of a kind items that are of little or no value to anyone other than the client requesting their creation. If you are looking for anything unusual or non-standard (coloration, font changes, international lettering, ect.) please be sure to email out customer service team prior to placing your order to avoid problems before they happen. Once the garment is printed (normally 1-5 days after the order is placed) there are no refunds. Any invoicing errors are the responsibility of the customer. Any defects in sewing or materials should be brought to our attention immediately. All claims must be submitted via e-mail within 10 days of receipt of the garments - clearly noting what the defect is in workmanship (please provide photos and descriptions of any flaw). If a defect is determined to exist we will correct or begin to correct that defect within 30 days with the goal of complete satisfaction. There are no claims on merchandise after 10 days of receipt. Flashpoint Designs is not responsible for variations in coloration, image sizing, name spelling, fonts and lettering deviation, or quality of any artwork that is provided and not produced by our highly skilled art team.
Flashpoint Designs is also not responsible for any variations that may occur in the print process - this includes image sizing adjustments (all images are re-sized depending on size of garment), and coloration (every combination of colors can print differently on a specific material or with shading and backgrounds used in the design). We do everything we can to keep colors exactly as imaged - but we are not responsible for any color variation. Due to the custom nature of these creations we do not offer any refunds on any garments we produce. Flashpoint Designs is not responsible for any acts committed while wearing our creations and we and not responsible for any injuries that may occur while you are wearing our garments. We strongly urge you avoid direct contact with any flame or heat source as these are polyester garments.
Returns may be accepted for any non-personalized items referred to as "Gear". Any Gear cannot be worn, used, washed, altered, or opened. Any unopened items may be returned with a pre-authorized return code prior to shipping your return. All items must be shipped back at the purchasers expense via UPS, USPS, or Fedex to the return address provided with the Return Authorization Code clearly marked on the packege. No "In Person" returns are accepted. In the event that the rerurned item is deemed "non-returnable" the customer will be given the option to have the item shipped back at the customers expense or opted to be disposed of by Flashpoint if not opting to pay for the return after 30 days.
What if I change my mind and want to cancel an order?
Because of the nature of how we make the jerseys - we dye the fabric, cut it apart, and sew it together - we normally try to print jerseys as soon after the order is placed as possible. Once the fabric is dyed the jersey is "made", but not finished and cannot at this point be refunded. If you do change your mind our need to adjust and order please email us as soon as possible to info@flashpointdesigns.net. We can make modifications or deletions to an order for up to 24 hours if you find you made an error in your order. After 24 hours we will do our best to assist you but all custom orders are non-refundable.
Will you sponsor any teams or organizations?
Please e-mail us at info@flashpointdesigns.net with any opportunities and we will be happy to consider them.
What are the shipping costs?
Shipping costs are for shipping via USPS or UPS anywhere in the US. Please e-mail for other requests. Sales tax will also be added to orders as required. Please see our Shipping Chart for specific rates.
Please note: Shipping for Sweatshirts is a different cost due to the bulkiness of the item(s). Shipping on each Sweatshirt is $9.99 each.
Customer is responsible for the return shipping costs or re-shipping costs for any orders that are undeliverable do to customer entered incorrect addressing or any products that received a return authorization from Flashpoint Designs to return any product for a refund.
How Fast Do Orders Ship?
Shipping time on our jerseys will vary depending on the workload we have each week. With all of our personalized jerseys we dye the fabric with your name it in, dry it, cut it apart, and sew the jerseys together. It is a timely process compared to a quick screen print - but the results are the best jerseys you can buy. Standard orders normally ship out (leave our door) in 5-6 weeks from the date the order was placed (paid).
Rush orders normally ship out our door in 28 days or less (we have a 98% fill rate on rush orders).
Please note: Shipping is done via USPS or UPS and once they leave our door we cannot guarantee how long it takes for the delivery service to get the package to your doorstep. We provide tracking information as soon as the label is printed if you provide your email in the checkout process. It is always best to plan ahead so you are not waiting until the last minute for your order to arrive.
*****Please be aware that with worldwide events and disruptions to the international supply chains (like wars and Covid closures) are beyond our control and could affect lead times. Should these situations arise we will do everything in our power to get your jerseys completed and too you as fast as possible - but once the fabric is dyed the order cannot be cancelled. ****