What to Do When Your Custom Apparel Delivery Arrives

When your custom apparel arrives, pause before handing it out. Keep the cartons, packing documents and approved artwork together, then check the order in a controlled space before garments are washed, worn, altered or distributed. Confirm the quantity, style, sizes, colours, decoration and general condition against what you ordered. If something is wrong, record it clearly with photos and contact the supplier promptly.

This first inspection is important because a mistake is much easier to investigate while every garment is still together. Once shirts have been allocated, worn at an event or mixed with other stock, it becomes harder to establish what arrived and what happened afterwards.

1. Prepare a receiving area and your records

Choose a clean, well-lit area with enough room to open cartons and lay garments flat. Avoid inspecting black or dark garments under poor lighting, as marks, uneven printing and colour differences can be difficult to see.

Have the following ready:

your order confirmation, invoice or purchase order;
the packing list and delivery paperwork;
the approved artwork, proof or pre-production sample details;
a phone or camera with enough storage;
a tape measure or ruler;
a pen and inspection sheet; and
labels, sticky notes or separate bags for setting aside questionable items.

Before opening the shipment, photograph the outer cartons, labels and any visible damage. A crushed corner, torn carton or wet packaging is worth recording even if the garments inside appear unaffected.

If the delivery driver is waiting, follow the delivery terms that apply to your order. If you cannot inspect the contents immediately, note any visible packaging damage on the delivery paperwork where possible and begin the detailed inspection as soon as you can. Do not throw away cartons or wrapping until you are satisfied with the order.

2. Check the cartons and total quantity

Start with the outside of the shipment. Count the cartons and compare them with the packing list. Check carton numbers, if provided, and look for missing or duplicated numbers. If the packing list separates the order by garment type, colour or size, keep those categories separate while counting.

Then count the garments inside each carton. Do not rely only on the number written on the carton. A carton can be labelled correctly but packed incorrectly, or several sizes can be mixed together.

Create a simple count by:

garment style, such as polo, hoodie or singlet;
colour;
size; and
decoration or wearer group, where relevant.

For a large order, one person can call out the size and colour while another records it. Recount any category that does not match the paperwork. Keep a running total and compare it with the order quantity before separating garments for distribution.

If pieces are missing, extra or incorrectly categorised, photograph the relevant carton label and the counted contents. Write down the expected quantity, actual quantity and the difference. “Short by some shirts” is difficult to act on; “ordered 18 navy medium polos, received 16” is clear.

3. Confirm garment style, colour and size

Compare the delivered garments with the description in your order and the approved sample or proof. Check the garment type, fabric appearance, neckline, sleeve length, hood, pockets, zips and other features that were part of the specification.

Colour needs a careful check. Compare garments under consistent lighting rather than judging one item beside a window and another under artificial light. Look for:

the wrong colour being supplied;
different shades within the same order;
panels or trims that do not match the main garment;
uneven colour between cartons; and
decoration that appears to have been placed on a different colour or style than intended.

Some variation can be easier to notice when garments are grouped together. Lay several items of the same colour side by side and inspect them as a batch, not just one at a time.

Next, sort the garments by size and count each size. Check the printed or sewn size label, but do not assume the label alone confirms the fit. If the order was based on a size chart, measure a representative garment from each style and size using the same method shown in that chart. Record which points you measured, such as chest width or body length.

Measurements can vary slightly, so compare them with the agreed tolerances or sizing information for the order. If there is a substantial or consistent difference, photograph the measuring process and retain the measurements. Do not wash or alter the garments before resolving a sizing concern.

4. Inspect the decoration and artwork

Check printed, embroidered, heat-applied or otherwise decorated areas against the approved artwork. Look at the design itself and its position on the garment.

Inspect for:

misspelled names, words or numbers;
the wrong logo, version or colour;
missing elements or extra marks;
poor registration between colours;
cracking, peeling, lifting, bubbling or incomplete coverage;
loose or uneven embroidery stitches;
thread ends that have not been trimmed; and
decoration that is noticeably crooked, too high, too low or off-centre.

Use a straight edge or tape measure if placement matters. Measure from a consistent reference point, such as the shoulder seam, centre front or hem, and note the result. Photograph the full garment as well as a close-up of the problem. A close-up shows the defect; the wider image shows where it appears on the garment.

Check names and numbers individually when the order includes personalised garments. A team shirt with the wrong player number or a staff garment with a misspelled name should be set aside immediately, not placed into the general distribution pile.

For a structured inspection record, an apparel and garment inspection checklist can help you organise checks for materials, workmanship, measurements, appearance and functional details. You do not need a complicated system: the useful part is making sure each category is checked and each issue is tied to evidence.

5. Check the physical condition of every batch

Inspect garments for visible defects before they are folded away. You may not need to examine every square centimetre in the same way, but every piece should receive a basic visual check. Pay particular attention to areas that may be hidden when garments are stacked.

Look for:

holes, tears, pulled threads or open seams;
stains, marks, oil spots or transfer residue;
fabric pulls, snags, thin patches or weaving faults;
twisted seams, uneven hems or distorted panels;
broken, missing or poorly attached buttons, zips, cords and snaps;
damaged labels or incorrect care labels; and
odours or signs that garments have been exposed to moisture.

Turn garments inside out where practical. Check the inside of decorated areas, seam allowances and the underside of collars and cuffs. For hoodies, inspect the hood, drawcord area and pocket. For polos or work shirts, check buttons, plackets and cuffs.

Do not wash a garment to see whether a mark disappears. Washing changes the condition of the item and may affect your ability to show that the problem was present on arrival. Keep any affected garment in its original state until the supplier responds.

6. Separate, label and photograph problems

When you find an issue, take the garment out of the good stock and label it. A separate tub, rail or clearly marked table prevents a faulty item being handed to someone by mistake.

Use a consistent record for each issue. Include:

the date the delivery was received;
the carton number or location;
the garment style, colour and size;
the quantity affected;
a plain description of the problem;
the name or number printed on the garment, if relevant;
the photograph file names; and
the action you are requesting.

Photograph defects in good light. Take one image of the whole garment, one showing the label or size, and one or more close-ups of the defect. Include a ruler or familiar reference object where it helps show scale. If the issue affects several identical garments, photograph examples and record the total quantity checked and affected.

Keep the original photos rather than relying only on screenshots or edited images. If you mark up a photo with an arrow or circle, retain the unmarked version as well.

7. Decide whether the order can be distributed

Do not distribute the full order until you have completed the basic checks. If the concern is minor and clearly isolated, you may be able to hold only the affected pieces, but confirm the appropriate next step with the supplier first.

Hold the entire relevant batch when the issue could affect many garments, such as a wrong colour, incorrect artwork, inconsistent sizing or a suspected production fault. Keep good and questionable items traceable rather than mixing them back into cartons.

If an event or work deadline is close, avoid making a rushed decision based only on the calendar. Contact the supplier with the facts and ask what they can do, what information they need, and whether they want the affected garments returned. Keep any replacement or rework discussion in writing.

8. Raise a clear issue with the supplier

Send one organised message rather than a series of incomplete notes. Use a subject line that identifies the order and the type of problem. State when the delivery arrived and explain what you ordered compared with what you received.

A useful format is:

Order details: reference number, delivery date and garment type.
Issue: the exact difference between the order and delivery.
Quantity: how many were checked and how many appear affected.
Evidence: photographs, count sheet and measurements where applicable.
Request: replacement, correction, credit, return instructions or another proposed resolution.
Timing: the date by which you need a response, particularly if the garments are for an event.

For example, write: “We ordered 30 black large hoodies with the approved front logo. We received 30 hoodies, but four have the logo visibly off-centre. The affected items are labelled and photographed as images 04–07. Please advise whether you would like them returned and confirm the proposed correction.”

Avoid making claims you cannot support, such as saying every garment is faulty when only two have been checked. Be precise about the inspection method and the number affected. Keep copies of your message, attachments and the supplier’s reply.

9. Keep a final distribution record

Once the issue is resolved, update your count. Record replacements received, garments returned, items retained and any people who were already allocated an affected piece. If names or numbers are involved, match each garment to the recipient before distribution.

Store the remaining garments in a dry, clean place, preferably sorted by style, colour and size. Keep the approved artwork and final inspection notes with the order record. This makes later questions easier to answer and gives you a useful reference for your next apparel order.

Practical summary

Receive custom apparel as an inspection task, not just a delivery. Photograph the cartons, count and sort every category, compare garments with the approved details, inspect decoration and construction, record each problem, and keep affected items separate. Raise any issue promptly with specific quantities and evidence, before garments are worn, washed or handed out.