SAMPLE IN 7 DAYS · BULK IN 14-21
Know your delivery date
before you order.
Backper lead times are committed, not estimated. Every quote carries a guaranteed ship date backed by buyer protection. Use the estimator to see realistic timing for your category, quantity and shipping method.
7 days
Sample turnaround
96%
On-time vs. committed date
14-21d
Typical bulk lead time
LEAD-TIME ESTIMATOR
Your delivery date
PRODUCT TYPE
QUANTITY
SHIPPING
22
days
EST. DELIVERY
Sample · 4d
Tooling · 3d
Production · 9d
Ship · 6d
Committed dates are guaranteed — late without cause earns an auto shipping credit.
/ WHERE THE DAYS GO
Every order moves through five stages.
A typical 1,000-unit custom order, broken down stage by stage.
Sampling
Pre-production sample made and shipped for your sign-off.
Tooling & setup
Cutting dies, screens and embroidery files prepared for the run.
Bulk production
Cut, sew and assemble the full quantity across the line.
QC & pack
Inspection against tech pack, photos, and export packing.
DDP transit
Air in days or sea in weeks — duties and customs handled.
Order placed
Production: ~14 days
Delivered
/ BY CATEGORY
Typical lead times across the catalog.
CATEGORY
SAMPLE
IN-CATALOG BULK
CUSTOM BUILD
5d
12-14d
18-21d
7d
14-18d
21-28d
7d
14-18d
21-26d
6d
12-16d
20-24d
8d
16-21d
26-34d
5d
12-15d
18-22d
8d
—
24-35d
Production days only — add 3-24 days for DDP transit depending on air vs. sea.
/ WHAT MOVES THE DATE
The big levers on your timeline.
Customization depth
A catalog restyle ships fast. New patterns, custom hardware or fabric dye-to-match add tooling and sampling time.
+ +6-14 days for custom builds
Order quantity
Bigger runs need more line time, but per-unit speed improves. 50k units isn't 50x the days of 1k.
+ +2-8 days above 1,000 units
Shipping method
The single biggest variable. Express air clears in days; ocean freight is cheaper but adds weeks of transit.
− Air saves ~18 days vs. sea
Sample approvals
The clock pauses while we wait on your sign-off. Fast feedback on the pre-production sample is the easiest day to save.
− Same-day approval saves 2-4d
Season & capacity
Q3 pre-holiday and back-to-school peaks tighten factory capacity. Book early to lock your slot.
+ +3-7 days in peak season
Artwork readiness
Print-ready vector files move straight to tooling. Anything we have to redraw or re-color adds a round trip.
− Clean files save 1-3 days
/ NEED IT SOONER
Three ways to compress the timeline.
Stock & ship
3–5 days
- Ready-made styles from regional stock
- Logo printing added in 1–2 days
- Best for reorders & tight launches
MOST POPULAR
Priority production
8–12 days
- Front-of-line factory slot
- Parallel tooling & sampling
- Air DDP included to one warehouse
Express air upgrade
+0 prod days
- Swap sea for air on a normal build
- Cuts ~18 days of transit
- Door-to-door DDP, duties handled
01
Are your lead times guaranteed?
Yes. Every quote carries a committed ship date, not a vague estimate. If we miss it without a documented cause (force majeure, your own approval delays), you get an automatic shipping credit under buyer protection.
02
When does the clock start?
Production time begins once two things are done: your deposit clears escrow and you’ve approved the pre-production sample. Until then, sampling runs but the bulk clock is paused.
03
How fast can I get a sample?
Most catalog samples ship in 5–7 days; fully custom builds take up to 8. We send tracking the moment it leaves the floor, and sample cost is credited back when you place a bulk order within 90 days.
04
Why is sea freight so much slower?
Ocean transit itself is 18–35 days depending on lane, plus port handling and customs. It’s dramatically cheaper per unit, so it’s the default for large, non-urgent orders. Air DDP cuts transit to 3–6 days for a higher freight cost.
05
Do lead times change in peak season?
They can. Back-to-school (Q2) and pre-holiday (Q3) tighten factory capacity and may add 3–7 days. We flag it on your quote and recommend booking your production slot early to lock current timing.
06
Can I split delivery to hit a deadline?
Often, yes. We can air-freight a first tranche to cover a launch while the balance follows by sea — you get goods on shelf fast without paying air rates on the whole order. Ask your rep to structure it.
/ ON A DEADLINE
Got a hard ship date? Tell us up front.
Send your in-store or launch date and we'll work backward — picking the production lane, shipping method and rush option that lands your goods on time.