It’s a familiar story: the event is Saturday, and the shirts don’t exist yet.
That’s usually the moment people start searching for rush screen printing in Austin, so let’s skip past the sales pitch and get to what’s realistic.
We’re Kong Screenprinting, a screen printer working out of our own shop in Austin since 2011. We print for the organizations that keep this city moving, breweries, restaurants, trades crews, startups, schools, and nonprofits, and we’ve earned more than 100 five-star Google reviews doing it. Rush jobs land on our schedule every week. This guide walks through what’s realistic for screen printing and DTF on a tight clock, why embroidery needs more lead time, and when an extra fee is unavoidable, so you know what to expect before you call.
The quick answer, before you read the whole thing
If you only read one section, read this one.
- Tell us your real date up front, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. The earlier in the process we know it, the more likely we are to be able to hit it.
- Standard turnaround is about three weeks after your order is approved.
- Screen printing and DTF run with more flexibility in our production schedule. In most cases, there’s no rush fee to hit a tight date.
- Embroidery runs tighter, with less flexibility. Rushes are not out of the questions, but often require rush charges.
- When a fee is unavoidable, we say so up front. No surprises after you’ve committed.
- We’d rather turn down a date we can’t hit than take your order and blow a deadline you’re counting on.
Tell us when you need them
If you have a specific date that you need your order complete, just tell us! We’re not great at mindreading, but we are fantastic at living up to our commitments. We’ll be up front about what is realistic and if we say we can do it you can rest assured it will get done.
It’s how we plan our days and weeks. A desired date lets us slot your job against everything else already in our production pipeline, instead of promising something we’d have to walk back later. If we can get it done, we’ll do it. If we can’t, we’ll tell you that too, and we’ll tell you why.
So don’t soften your deadline to sound reasonable. Give us the date the shirts need to be in hand, and start the conversation on our contact page or by calling 512-851-7024.
Rush screen printing and DTF in Austin: what’s realistic
Screen printing and DTF both generally run with flexibility in our production schedule. We can move things around to slot in rush requests. That in-house control is also the heart of our local vs. online screen printing comparison, if you’re weighing a website order against a local shop.
Our standard turnaround is about three weeks after your order is approved, and that window covers confirming the design, ordering garments, printing, and a quality check before anything ships. A rush job compresses that window. A simple one-color logo with clean, ready-to-go art and stock garments has the best shot at a fast turn. A ten-color photo-realistic design on a specialty blank takes longer no matter how much you want it by Friday
And in most cases, we don’t charge extra for it. Our approach is simple – if we can get it done, we’ll do it, with no rush fee needed. It’s just how we like to run the shop.
Embroidery runs on a different clock
Embroidery is where the rush conversation changes a bit. The production schedule for embroidery has less flexibility. That doesn’t mean embroidery is off the table for a quick turn. It just means we aren’t as able to say yes as easily to rush requests and when we do, they are more likely to carry rush charges. The earlier you flag a hard date on hats, polos, or jackets, the more room likely we are to be able to accommodate requests shorter than the 3 week standard.
If you’re weighing print against stitching for your timeline, our screen printing vs. embroidery breakdown covers how the two compare beyond just speed.
When a rush fee is unavoidable, we say so up front
Most of the time, a fast turn doesn’t cost extra. But there are times an extra fee is needed, usually when a job requires after-hours press time or bumps something else off the schedule to make room.
When that happens, we tell you before you commit, not after. There’s no surprises. You’ll know exactly what the rush costs, if it costs anything, before you say yes. For specifics on how quantity, colors, and garment choice factor into any quote, our guide on what goes into a custom screen printing quote covers the full picture.
We’d rather turn down an order than miss a date that you’re counting on
Here’s the part that matters most. Some jobs come in too close to hit safely. When that happens, we’ll tell you honestly instead of taking your money and hoping it works out.
Missed deadlines aren’t good for anyone. They cost you the event, the launch, or the reason you needed the merch in the first place. And they cost us our reputation. We care about getting that right more than we care about never saying no.
What to send us for an honest rush answer
The fastest way to get a quick answer on a tight timeline is to tell us all the details you can. Here’s what’s most important.
- Your real deadline. The actual date, not a padded one.
- How many pieces.
- Your design or logo. Clean, ready-to-go art moves faster than a file that needs rebuilding.
- Your garment choice. In-stock blanks move faster than a special order.
- Your preferred method, if you have one. We’ll tell you if a different method fits your date better.
Send us those five things and we’ll tell you straight whether the date works, what it involves, and whether anything extra applies. If you’re also weighing your total order size, our guide to minimum orders and turnaround times, explained walks through how quantity affects both your price and your timeline.
Frequently asked questions
Can Kong do 24-hour or same-day screen printing in Austin?
Sometimes, but there are some important constraints. Having ready-to-go artwork and choosing in stock garments have the best shot at a 24-hour or same-day turn. A large run, multiple placements, or an embroidered piece needs more lead time. Call us with all the details, and we’ll tell you honestly whether we can hit it.
Do you charge extra for a rush order?
For screen printing and DTF, usually not. If we can get it done, we’ll do it, simple as that.
Is embroidery available on a rush timeline?
It’s a more complicated answer, because embroidery runs on a tighter schedule. The earlier you flag the deadline, the more room we have to work with it. A rush embroidery order also typically carries a rush charge, unlike screen printing or DTF, where in most cases it doesn’t.
What’s the standard turnaround if I’m not in a rush?
About three weeks after your order is approved.
What do you need from me to quote a rush job?
Your real deadline, how many pieces, your design or logo, the garment you want, your preferred decoration method, and any other relevant details about your project. It also helps keep the process smooth to be on top of payment and proof approvals. Clean, ready-to-go artwork moves faster than a logo that needs rebuilding. Send us those details and we’ll tell you straight whether the date works.
Will Kong ever turn down a rush order?
Occasionally, yes. We’d rather turn down an order we can’t hit than miss a deadline that you’re counting on. It’s rare, but when it happens we’ll tell you honestly instead of taking the order and running the risk of ruining your event.
Does a rush order still get a proof before it prints?
Yes. A digital proof is standard on every order and in the event of a rush order, it’s extra important to be meticulous about all the details. If there’s time, we’re also happy to coordinate a photo proof or an in-person press check, free of charge, though a same-day job may only have room for the digital version.
Ready to start
Your custom merch deserves a partner, not just a printer, especially when the clock is running. Tell us your real deadline and what you need, and we’ll give you a straight answer on whether we can make it happen. Get a quote or contact our team and let’s talk timeline. You can also see examples of past work in our gallery or read more on how our process works from first call to delivery.
