The most common merchandising problem at events isn't quality, design, or budget. It's timing. Someone leaves ordering too late, realises it too late, and either compromises on the product or arrives at the event with nothing to show. This is the guide to avoiding that, covering what different production types realistically take, where delays happen, and how to plan backwards from your event date.

Why Lead Times Vary

Lead time depends on production method, quantity, customisation complexity, the type of product, shipping destination, and current demand across production partners. Understanding which variables affect your order helps you plan more accurately, and means no surprises when we confirm your timeline.

Lead Times by Production Type

Here's a realistic breakdown of standard production timelines from order confirmation through to ready-for-dispatch. Delivery time is excluded from these ranges, so always factor in shipping on top:

• Screen print: 1-2 weeks. Quantity matters here too: a 50-piece order can be completed in a few days, while a 500-piece order will take up to 2 weeks. Delivery time excluded.
• Embroidery: 1-2 weeks. Delivery time excluded.
• Hard goods (bottles, tech accessories, bags): 2-3 weeks depending on customisation method and supplier. Can extend to 4+ weeks for very bespoke productions. Delivery time excluded.
• Fully custom or bespoke manufactured items: 8-10 weeks. Strongly depends on order details, design, and production location. Delivery time excluded.

Planning Backwards From Your Event Date

The most reliable way to avoid a lead time problem is to plan backwards from the event date, not forwards from when you feel ready to order. Based on the production windows above, here's how it shapes up in practice:

• Event date minus 1 week: Delivery at venue or collection point. This is your hard deadline.
• Event date minus 2 weeks: Items dispatched. Builds in transit buffer and contingency for customs clearance.
• Event date minus 3–4 weeks: Production starts for standard items - screen print, embroidery, hard goods. Confirmed brief, locked design, signed-off quantities.
• Event date minus 4–6 weeks: Brief confirmed with us for standard items. Design rounds and any sampling happen in this window.
• Event date minus 9–11 weeks: If you're commissioning bespoke or cut-and-sew items, this is when the conversation needs to start. Bespoke production runs 8–10 weeks before shipping.

In practice, most event teams start thinking about merch 4–6 weeks out. That's workable for stock customisation and gives us room to do it properly. If your event has significant budget or strategic importance, or involves bespoke items, the conversation should start earlier.

The Difference Between 'Can Be Done' and 'Should Be Done'

We'll always tell you honestly what's achievable in your timeframe. An extremely tight deadline usually means: limited product choice, reduced design complexity, fewer opportunities for sample review, and higher per-unit cost. The result is often a product that doesn't fully represent the brand. The better question isn't "can this be done in time?" - it's "what's the best product we can produce well in the time we have?" Letting the timeline shape the brief, rather than forcing a brief into an impossible window, almost always produces better outcomes.

Get a Timeline for Your Brief

Every order is different. The fastest way to understand what's achievable for your specific event, product choice, and destination is to share the brief with us. We'll come back with a realistic timeline and honest options, including what to prioritise if time is short.