Consistency is the goal for everything that we do. Everyone knows how important it is for everything to look consistent within an order, but it’s something that is often overlooked when re-ordering a design months or even years later.
At Kong, we’ve built our processes around making sure your designs can be reordered and replicated consistently reorder after reorder. This guide covers how we do that, what can shift between runs, and how to plan for your next one.
The quick answer, before you read the whole thing
If you just need a quick summary, this is it. Your reorder stays consistent because of what we keep on file:
- Your artwork. The exact file we printed from, ready to run again.
- Your garment specs. The blank, the size run, and how your design was scaled using Seddi Decorator, our digital proofing tool.
- Your ink mixes and formulas. The Pantone match or custom mix from your first run, either already mixed or ready to mix again.
- Your order history. Quantities, sizes, and any notes so nothing gets lost between orders.
When you’re ready for more, just tell us what, if anything needs changed; a different size count, a new shirt color, a small design tweak. We’ll build the rest around what’s already on file.
What we keep saved so your reorder matches
Reordering a design is easy because of the work we already did on your first run.
For every order, we save all the digital artwork files, mockups from Seddi Decorator, and ink Pantone colors. Sometimes we even save a physical copy of the print! We also have your invoice archived, so we know what blank shirt you selected, the colors, and the quantities of each size.
Reorders should be simple, and we start planning from the beginning to ensure that they are.
How a reorder works, start to finish
When it’s time to reorder a previous design, just tell us what’s changed or that nothing has. We pull your previous invoice, your artwork, your garment, quantities, and your ink formulas. We’ll confirm what might have changed and resend you the digital mockup for approval. Once you approve it, we’re off to the races.
Most reorders move faster than a first order, because the decisions that take the longest (which garment, which colors, how the art gets scaled) are already made. Our process page walks through the full five steps we follow on every order, first-time or repeat, and the last one is exactly this: we keep the details on file for the next round.
What can change between runs, even when everything’s on file
Keeping everything on file does the trick most of the time. It doesn’t make every variable disappear, so here’s where things can get tricky.
Garment manufacturers discontinue and update styles and colors from time to time. Also, garment manufacturing is international in every sense of the word and events around the world can have impacts on stock availability. If the blank garment you ordered last time isn’t available, we’ll recommend alternatives that would closely match.
We’re also always working to improve the quality of our work by adopting new technologies and equipment that allow us to print in higher detail. For certain types of designs, that could mean the print might look different than it before. But we guarantee that it will only look better!
If exact brand-color accuracy across every run and every season is what you’re planning around, our guide to Pantone and brand color matching in screen printing goes deeper on how that process works.
Reorders for organizations that order every season
This is most important to the school that reorders spirit wear every fall, the restaurant that needs their new staff shirts to match their old staff shirts, and the youth sports league that needs the same jersey five years running. Schools, PTOs, churches, teams, and nonprofits often need this kind of consistency the most, since spirit wear and staff shirts get compared side by side, sometimes years apart.
For a group ordering in bulk, we can also set up webstores, so everyone can place their own reorder in exact quantities and sizes. Avoiding the dreaded scenario of one person chasing down a hundred parents for sizes and payment. You can see how this plays out on past projects in our work gallery.
Planning ahead for your next reorder
If you know a season, a launch, or a new hire cycle is coming, tell us before you’re down to the wire. That gives us room to confirm your blank is still in stock and get ahead of the calendar. Our guide to minimum orders and turnaround times, explained covers how far ahead to plan in more depth.
If your next reorder is small, say a handful of shirts for a couple of new hires, DTF might be the better fit. Our full breakdown of screen printing vs. DTG vs. DTF covers how the methods compare if you’re deciding which one to reorder in.
Reordering embroidered pieces, like polos or hats? Embroidery runs on a tighter production schedule, so give us a little extra notice. Our screen printing vs. embroidery breakdown covers how the two compare if you’re thinking of doing something different.
Frequently asked questions
How do screen printing reorders work at Kong?
When it’s time to reorder a previous design, just tell us what’s changed or that nothing has. We pull your previous invoice, your artwork, your garment, quantities, and your ink formulas. We’ll confirm what might have changed and resend you the digital mockup for approval. Once you approve it, we’re off to the races.
Will my reorder match my first order exactly?
That’s the goal. We keep your artwork, garment specs, and Pantone ink colors on file instead of working from memory. Essentially, your new batch is created from the same source material as your last one. If a garment style has changed or been discontinued by the manufacturer, we’ll tell you and help you pick the closest match.
What if I need to change something on my reorder?
That’s normal, and easy to handle. A different quantity, a new hire’s name and number, an added print location, or a small design tweak are all easy to update. Tell us what’s different and we’ll create your new quote and proof around it, same as we would for a first order.
Does a reorder cost less than my first order?
Not automatically. We quote every order, including reorders, based on quantity, colors, garment, and method, the same factors as a first run. What a reorder saves you is time and guesswork, not necessarily cost.
Do embroidery reorders work the same way as screen printing reorders?
Mostly, with one difference. Embroidery runs on a tighter schedule than screen printing and DTF, so a reorder uses your saved specs the same way but has less room to move on timing. Give us a little extra notice on an embroidery reorder.
What happens if my old garment style isn’t available anymore?
Manufacturers discontinue and update styles sometimes, and occasionally there are stock shortages for certain styles and colors. If that happens, we’ll help you pick the closest current match to your original blank so the fit and feel stay as close as possible.
Ready to start
Your custom merch deserves a partner, not just a printer. Tell us what’s changed since your last run, or that nothing has, and we’ll take it from there. Get a quote and let’s get your reorder moving. For the full picture on how we work with organizations that need consistency in their merch, see our hub, custom screen printing in Austin, made for business.
