How Long Does Custom Merch Take? A Year-Round Ordering Guide
The most common question we get: how long will it take?
It depends on the product. A printed tee and a box of printed chocolates are very different jobs.
Lead times by product
Counted from artwork approval, outside the Christmas period:
- Custom apparel: 5 business days
- Astrid drink bottles: 5 to 7 working days
- Percy umbrellas: 7 to 10 working days
- Ace playing cards and Rory fidget spinners: 2 weeks
- Gigi chocolate minis: 2 to 3 weeks
Then add delivery. Pickup from Chadstone Shopping Centre is free. Shipping is $10 flat rate Australia-wide.
The clock starts at approval
Production begins once you sign off your mockup. A logo file in the wrong format or a size list that arrives a week late pushes everything back. Send a high-resolution PNG or vector logo, a headcount and sizes in one email.
When to order across the year
January and February starters. Order onboarding kits in early December, before the holiday rush, or in the first week back in January.
Events and conferences. Work back from the event date using the lead times above, then add a week for approvals and delivery.
End of financial year. If you're spending budget before 30 June, order in early June so stock arrives in the same financial year.
Christmas. Turnarounds stretch over the holidays: 7 business days for printed orders and 10 for embroidery and promo merch. Each year we publish exact Christmas cut-off dates on this blog.
Minimums
Apparel starts at 12 units across any styles, so everyone on a small team can pick their own cut and size. Promo merch minimums vary by item. Drink bottles and umbrellas start at 25.
Email hello@madebyspool.com.au with your date and headcount, and we'll tell you when to order.