Good decisions.
Better merchandise.
A useful custom merchandise quote starts with a brief that describes the finished order. Tell us who the merch is for, which products you are considering, the physical quantities, the artwork and the date you need the goods. If some decisions are open, explain your priorities so the recommendation can solve the right problem.
You do not need a production expert’s vocabulary to make a good enquiry. A clear list, the best artwork you have and a few labelled references can give the team enough context to review the job. This guide shows what to include, how to keep a mixed-product order organised and how to compare the reply. There is a fictional worked enquiry and a blank brief you can copy at the end.
Explain who the merchandise is for and what it needs to do
Start with the purpose of the order. Staff clothing, a first retail drop and event handouts have different priorities, even when they use the same logo. Explain who receives the item, where it will be used and the impression you want it to make. That context helps the team recommend a product or finish rather than guessing what “good quality merch” means to you.
For a team order, the brief may centre on everyday use, recognisable branding and a practical colour. A retail accessory might put more emphasis on the design and how it fits into the range. An event item needs a realistic distribution quantity and a confirmed arrival requirement. Name the main purpose, then add secondary uses if they affect the specification.
Tell us which decisions are fixed. If a black garment is part of the brand, say so. If you are happy to compare two suitable blanks, explain the fit and feel you want. Clear priorities make recommendations more useful: the team can understand what to preserve and where there is room to propose an alternative.
Give every product its own line in the brief
A mixed order is easier to review when each product has a separate entry. List the item, quantity, proposed material or finish, artwork and any options. Keep a shared project name above the list so the products remain connected without merging their different requirements.
Use an exact product reference when you have chosen one. If you have not, describe the intended result and ask for a recommendation. For example, “a cuffed beanie for outdoor staff, with a compact embroidered emblem” provides useful direction. You can then compare the budget cuffed beanie options with your priorities in mind.
For accessories, use the custom keyring options to identify a likely route. A moulded PVC piece and a metal keyring are different specifications. If you want advice, explain the look, use and budget you are trying to achieve instead of choosing a material name at random.
| Detail | What to include |
|---|---|
| Product | Selected page, product reference or description of the result |
| Physical quantity | Pieces required, with size or colour splits where relevant |
| Specification | Material, base colour, finish, fitting or other important options |
| Artwork | File and revision, proposed dimensions and placement |
| Open questions | Decisions that need a recommendation or suitability check |
State quantities that describe the actual pieces
Give the physical number needed for each product. If you are considering complete packs, write the pack count and the finished-piece total together. If you are using a configurable page, confirm what its selected quantity represents. A line that says “100 stickers” is easier to quote than “two lots” when the route has not yet been agreed.
Separate the committed specification from comparison quantities. You can ask for an option at another quantity, but label it clearly: “Please quote 100 pieces, with 200 as a separate comparison.” That tells the team to show alternatives rather than assume both quantities belong to one order.
For clothing, give the size split for each garment and colour. For headwear with colour options, list the requested counts and total. Add them yourself before sending so a missing size or an extra row does not change the intended order. If the split is provisional, mark it as provisional and explain when you expect to confirm it.
Include stock reserved for team use, samples or photography within the physical total. You can describe those uses separately if they affect the plan, but the quote needs to cover the actual pieces being produced. Keep your own distribution worksheet beside the enquiry so the purchasing decision and the launch plan agree.
Describe garment decoration one placement at a time
For printed or embroidered clothing, identify the garment code if known, base colour and size quantities. Then give each decoration position its own entry. A small chest mark and a large back design need separate descriptions, even if they use the same logo. Name the proposed position, the file and the dimensions you have in mind.
A mockup can make the visual intention easier to understand, but add written dimensions alongside it. The size of a picture on a laptop or phone is not a production measurement. If you need advice on the width, say which parts of the design must remain readable and let the placement be reviewed against the exact garment.
Describe the decoration result as well as any preferred method. A tonal chest logo, a full-colour illustration and a large one-colour back design suggest different questions. Our screen printing services and custom embroidery service explain those routes. If you are open to advice on the method, include the desired effect, garment and quantity rather than treating the process name as a fixed requirement.
For other printed garment enquiries, review DTG garment printing and DTF printing options. The brief should still describe the same finished job: garment, artwork, positions and quantities. Ask for a suitability recommendation against that specification.
Separate shape, material and finish for accessories
An accessory brief should identify more than the logo. Give the proposed overall dimensions, shape and the finish or construction you want reviewed. If a fitting, reverse side or additional detail matters, name it and ask whether it belongs within the chosen product’s options. Keep essential requirements separate from ideas you would like priced as extras.
For stickers, distinguish the cut outline from the surface finish. A shaped sticker can use standard gloss vinyl or a holographic finish; those decisions should be described separately. The gloss vinyl and holographic sticker guide can help you decide which effect suits the artwork. Use the die cut sticker options for the product specification and available quantities.
For keyrings, the PVC, metal and embroidered keyring comparison is a useful starting point. Once you have a direction, identify the relevant product in the enquiry. For example, the soft PVC keyring page gives the context for a moulded piece; a photograph of a different construction should be labelled as a reference rather than treated as an included option.
A concise note about the intended use helps here too. An accessory for retail sale, a club keepsake and an event handout may prioritise different details. Explain what needs to stand out and where you are happy to discuss a simpler or different solution.
Send the artwork and explain the role of each reference
Send the best original design file you have, together with the name of the revision being proposed. Explain which file belongs to each product or position. If there are several versions, identify the one to review and say what changed. A compact cuff mark and a full back graphic can belong to the same identity without being interchangeable production files.
Keep references separate from the artwork you want reproduced. A photograph may show a fitting, finish or placement you like. Add a caption or a line of notes describing that feature. This prevents a visual example from being read as an instruction to reproduce the entire pictured design.
If the original artwork is missing, say what you have available. The team can assess the file against the proposed size and product. A quote enquiry is also the right place to explain artwork that is still being finished. State whether the supplied file is final, a direction for review or a reference only.
Give finished dimensions where you know them and ask for advice where you do not. This guide concerns the enquiry as a whole; the detailed file handover and product-specific proof can be reviewed separately once the specification is clear.
Give the required arrival date and the decisions still open
Write the date you need the finished goods, along with the reason it matters. An event, photography session or staff start date can have different consequences if only part of the order arrives. Explain whether all products need to arrive together, or whether separate deliveries would be acceptable.
Distinguish the arrival requirement from the date you expect to finish the artwork. Product-specific production ranges may depend on approval, and delivery needs to be considered separately. Ask for the complete plan to be reviewed before making a promise to customers or an event team.
List unresolved decisions in one place. That could be a garment recommendation, a colour that needs checking, an artwork adaptation or packaging you would like quoted separately. The team can then answer those questions alongside the product lines rather than searching through unrelated messages.
For a time-sensitive job, keep the priority clear: exact specification, required date and flexibility. If you would consider another product or a smaller scope to meet the purpose, say what can change. An urgent label on its own does not communicate those choices.
Explain the budget and ask for a comparable quote
If you have a budget for the complete order, include it and explain the basis. Say whether it needs to cover VAT, delivery, decoration, setup and requested extras. A useful ceiling gives a recommendation direction; it is different from quoting a desired price per piece without the surrounding specification.
Ask for the reply to identify what is included and which choices are optional. Keep garment or product costs, decoration, setup and additional services understandable against the stated quantities. If you are comparing two configurations, ask for each complete total to be shown separately.
When the quote arrives, compare like with like. Check the physical quantities, product references, dimensions, artwork scope, positions, finishes and tax basis. If packaging is included in one option and separate in another, make that difference visible before deciding. The same applies to a different blank or material.
A lower cost per piece may describe a larger total commitment. Keep the full amount beside the unit figure and review whether the extra stock serves the plan. Ask about any unclear line before approving; a good enquiry should lead to a specification you can understand and check.
Worked example: one mixed-product enquiry
The following enquiry is fictional. It shows how a team could request clothing and accessories in one organised message. The proposed dimensions and dates are details to review, not confirmed production options or promises.
Project: Northside Workshop open-day team merch.
Purpose: Branded clothing for the crew, with accessories for visitors. We would like the same recognisable identity across the set.
Garments: 30 black T-shirts. Please recommend a suitable blank for everyday team use. Requested sizes: S 3, M 8, L 11, XL 6, 2XL 2. Please confirm the available sizes on the recommended blank.
Decoration: Small logo on the left chest, proposed width 80 mm; larger mark centred on the back, proposed width 250 mm. Please review both sizes and advise on the method for this artwork and quantity. We would like the logo to read clearly against the black garment.
Keyrings: 100 soft PVC keyrings, proposed overall size around 45 × 45 mm. Use our compact emblem. Please advise on the shape, colour treatment and standard fitting for the selected product.
Stickers: 100 gloss vinyl die cut stickers, proposed width 80 mm, with a visible border. Please review the cut outline and smallest lettering.
Artwork: Logo_Master_v03 is the source; Chest_v01, Back_v02 and Emblem_v01 identify the proposed uses. The placement picture is a reference only. Artwork is ready for suitability review.
Required arrival: 12 March 2027. All items should be ready before the open day; please confirm whether that date is feasible before we commit.
Quote request: Please show the complete cost and VAT basis, including any setup and delivery. Price any requested individual packaging separately. We are happy to discuss a different blank, but would like to keep black garments and the identity consistent.
The size split totals 30 garments: 3 + 8 + 11 + 6 + 2. Each product has its own physical quantity and specification. The enquiry identifies the open decisions, keeps the references separate and asks for the whole order to be reviewed against the arrival requirement.
A blank custom merchandise brief to copy
Use the structure below for your enquiry. Repeat the product section for each item and write “please advise” beside choices that need a recommendation. Include the files with the message so the written brief and the artwork can be reviewed together.
Project or brand:
Main purpose and intended recipients:
Product or selected page:
Physical quantity:
Size or colour breakdown:
Preferred product reference, material and base colour:
Decoration positions or proposed cut shape:
Finished dimensions to review:
Artwork filenames and revisions:
References and the feature each one illustrates:
Required arrival date:
Must the full order arrive together?
Decisions that are fixed:
Decisions needing advice:
Optional extras to quote separately:
Complete budget and what it should include:
Before sending, check that the quantities add up, the filenames match the attachments and the required date is written clearly. If a follow-up changes a product, count or revision, identify the change in one message and keep a current copy of the brief.
Use the reply as a decision document
Read the quote alongside your brief. Resolve any substitutions, options or missing details before approving the job. Once a product-specific proof is supplied, check it against the agreed specification rather than relying on the enquiry’s reference image. Keep the quote, current brief and approved artwork together for the order and any later discussion.
Ready to put the plan into one message? Choose the relevant product or service pages, gather the original artwork and send your custom merch brief. Tell us what is fixed and where you would like advice. A clear enquiry gives the team the context needed to recommend and quote the finished order you have in mind.
