Organizing a charity run or a 5K walk is a juggling act. You are managing permits, volunteers, sponsors, and sign-ups. Usually, the last thing on your mind is the t-shirts—until you realize the race is two weeks away and you still don’t have everyone’s sizes.
At Tropical Design, we’ve printed thousands of shirts for local Brevard County events. We’ve seen every mistake in the book, and we know how much they can eat into your fundraising budget.
To help you keep more money for your cause (and keep your sanity), here are the 5 biggest mistakes to avoid when ordering bulk event shirts.
1. Ignoring the “Florida Factor” (Choosing the Wrong Fabric)
A thick, heavy 100% cotton tee might be cheaper, but have you ever run a 5K in Melbourne in September? It’s hot. If you hand out heavy, non-breathable shirts, your participants will wear them once and then stuff them in a drawer.
The Fix: If your budget allows, look for “performance blends” or moisture-wicking fabrics. If you need to stick to cotton for cost reasons, ask us about lightweight, ringspun cotton. It’s softer, lighter, and much more likely to be worn around town after the race—which means free advertising for your charity all year long.
2. Waiting Until the Final Headcount
This is the most common stressor. Organizers wait until registration closes to order shirts so they get the exact count. The problem? Registration usually closes 2 days before the race. That puts you in “Rush Order” territory, which can come with expedited shipping fees or rush printing costs.
The Fix: Order early based on projections. It is almost always cheaper to order 20 extra shirts at standard pricing than to pay rush fees on an exact order. Plus, having extra shirts on race day is great for last-minute walk-up registrations!
3. Guessing the Size Curve
If you order 100 shirts, do not order 20 Small, 20 Medium, 20 Large, 20 XL, and 20 XXL. Real people don’t fit into an even split. If you guess evenly, you will end up with a box of leftover Smalls and a lot of angry participants who needed Large or XL.
The Fix: Use the “Bell Curve” method. For most general public events, the bulk of your order should be Large and XL, followed by Medium and 2XL. We can help you calculate a safe ratio based on your specific demographic (e.g., a kids’ fun run needs different sizes than a corporate 5K).
4. Going Crazy with Colors
Screen printing pricing is often based on the number of colors in your design. A logo with 6 different colors requires 6 different screens and setups. If you are on a tight budget, a complex full-color design will eat up your funds fast.
The Fix: Simplify! A skilled designer (like our in-house team) can make a 1-color or 2-color design look amazing. Using the shirt color as a background element allows us to create depth without adding extra print costs.
5. Forgetting Sponsor Logos
Sponsors pay for the event, and they expect their logos to be legible on the back of the shirt. A common mistake is sending us low-quality images saved from a website. When we blow those up to print on a shirt, they look blurry and pixelated.
The Fix: Ask your sponsors for “Vector” files (.EPS or .AI) or high-resolution PDFs. If you only have a blurry JPEG, don’t worry—send it to us early. Our art department can often “re-draw” logos to make them print-ready, but we need time to do it!
Ready to Start Your Order?
Don’t let the t-shirts be the stressful part of your event. At Tropical Design, we specialize in bulk orders for local runs, walks, and fundraisers. We handle the details so you can focus on the finish line.
