T-Shirts FAQ
Stickers FAQ
Buttons FAQ
Ordering FAQ
Artwork FAQ
General FAQ
Do I have to pay for shipping?
Nope! Well, it's extremely doubtful. How 'bout this: We'll give you FREE Fed EX Ground shipping (in the continental US) for all orders over $100 (which is basically every order). Deal?
$5 for optional signature confirmations, $10 for shipping to non-business addresses. Just send it to your work so you dont have to pay the 10 bucks. If your boss says "no" you should quit! I'm serious! Plus FedEx "guarantees" on-time delivery to businesses. And those kids/hobos/people of the culture you dont understand down the street wont be able to eyeball your stuff.
[Top]
Why is Acme's screen printing SO much greener than other screen printers'?
We fancy ourselves one of, if not THE, greenest screen printer in Arizona. In a way, that's not saying much because our industry is under-regulated and we really don't have much competition in the 'green' category. But since we’ve always been sincere about our environmental commitment, we go far, far beyond what any company like ours has to. We offer special Eco-series water-based inks, 100% natural soy-based plastisol inks, and bamboo, recycled & organic apparel. We always use soy-based cleaners, employ multiple extra steps to ensure plastisol ink residue is managed responsibly, and we've been among the top 10 purchasers of SRP Earthwise Energy for the past 3 years. Now let’s get to the details…
Oil-based plastisol inks are the standard inks used in screen printing all around the world. Fully cured plastisols are not environmentally hazardous, but un-cured plastisols pose a risk to the environment and health. The problem with plastisols is that they don't dry and must be cured at 300+ degrees in order to no longer be in a liquid state. So the ink on your shirt poses no risk, but the ink that gets cleaned off the printer's screens, squeegees, spatulas, etcetera, usually goes down their drain. Presently, this is completely unregulated. When cleaning our printing instruments at Acme, we use a recirculating sink to removing the inks. Every 8 to 12 weeks Solvent Recy-clean picks up our mineral spirits, filters it, and re-uses it.
Far worse than plastisols are the harsh chemicals used in the screen reclaiming process. These go down the drain in 99% of screen printing shops. We use Franmar chemicals for screen reclaiming. They are 100% biodegradable, non-caustic, non-toxic and most are made from soybeans. Why don’t other printers use them? Because they cost more.
A common question is, “aren't water-based inks environmentally friendly?” Though water-based inks are generally thought of as more environmental, printing with water-based inks is usually even worse because of the harsh VOC solvents needed during the printing process, with the exception of Matsui's Eco-Series water-based inks, which we use. They are the most environmentally-friendly type of water-based screen printing inks commercially available. They are free of all PVCs, phthalates, heavy metals, azo compounds, nonylphenol and formaldehyde, and contain no harmful chemicals or toxic substances known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
We also offer brand-new soy plastisol inks that print just like standard plastisols, but are entirely soy-derived.
Though we are a relatively small company, Acme has received awards for the last 3 years for being among the top 10 purchasers of SRP Earthwise Energy in Arizona, which produces electricity from renewable resources such as sun, wind, the earth's heat, flowing water in canals and even decomposing garbage in landfills.
[Top]
Do you guys feel stupid making up questions for yourselves to answer?
Heck no! We amuse ourselves for hours this way. It's almost as fun as putting a sock around a cat's waist.
*No animal was harmed researching this FAQ.
[Top]
How long have you been providing this great service to the known Universe?
Dan started printing t-shirts on his back porch for his band that you've never heard of before the turn of the century (1999), and officially started 'From The Get-Go Screen Printing' in 2001. In 2003 the name changed in an ill-conceived, never-realized partnership, but the name he came up with stuck. Before we knew it the business became the humongoid supergiant you now know as ACMEPRINTS!! ALL BOW TO THE SCREEN PRINTING GODS!!! Ahem. sorry.
[Top]
Do I get a discount if I order hats, buttons & t-shirts?
I think we can do that for ya. Talk to us when you are making your order and if you're lucky, we'll work somethin' out!
Do you hate when people call you "garment decorators"?
Yes. Yes we do.
[Top]
I don't have much to spend. How do I keep the price down on shirts?
Here are some things you can do to keep costs down:
#1 - Order white shirts: Colored shirts are ALWAYS more expensive than white shirts, sometimes almost $1 more per shirt. Doesn't sound like much at first, but it adds up quickly. Heather gray shirts are right between white and colors.
#2 - Limit the number of printing locations: When you print on multiple locations (i.e. front chest & the back of the shirt) you almost double the printing costs since it doubles the amount of work we need to do. It's cheaper to add more colors to one print location than it is to add another location.
#3 - Limit the number of colors: The more colors you want on your shirts, the more expensive it is. Don't underestimate what we (or a good designer) can do with just 2 colors. In fact, some of the most impactful designs we have created have been only 2 colors.
#4 - If you're trying to keep the price down per shirt more than the overall order total, order as many as you can at once. The price per shirt is much lower at higher quantities. Why fer, you ask? Well, lemme tell you…
[Top]
Why are shirts so much more expensive at lower quantities?
You'll especially notice this with a lot of inks. The amount of time it takes to set up a job is enough that doing 100 shirts only takes a few more minutes than doing 50. So, when you divide it up, we spend far more time per shirt at low quantities. Keep in mind that we don't have screen fees, so you'd be paying about $20 per color, per location at other screen printers. Jerks!
[Top]
Do you have a minimum number of shirts I have to order?
We prefer to print at least a dozen (that's 12!), but if you want less, we can do direct-to-garment printing, which is an inkjet printing right on the shirt, or use heat transfers (like old-school iron-ons). Those are about $10-15 per print location, plus the shirt cost.
[Top]
Do I have to order in certain quantities? Dozens?
Nope! But garments from a few specialty companies are significantly less if you order at least 12 of any size/color combo.
[Top]
Can I be sure my shirts will turn out the way I want?
Yes. Why? Because we're badasses, silly! AND we always send digital mock-ups of what the design will look like on a shirt. We can also print the first one and send pictures of it via email, or send the actual print via snail mail, carrier pigeon, et cetera before we print your order. An extra charge usually applies to printed shirt proofs. You can snail mail us a printout showing the composite image & the color separations if you like.
[Top]
Can I switch inks for the same design?
You sure can...at a measley cost of $25 per change! This actually takes a lot of work, so $25 is a good deal.
[Top]
Are some shirts colors more expensive than others?
Yup. Dying the shirts ain't free, pal. White & natural cost the least, heathers cost about $.40 more, & solid colors run about $.60 more.
[Top]
Can I mix & match different shirt colors?
Of course. You'll still receive a volume discount regardless of shirt colors, but the prices of each shirt will change according to the color category.
[Top]
Can you print on my old tighty-whiteys?
Technically, yes, but no. We can print on almost any type of clothing, but worn stuff may not be printable if there is fuzz/pills or wear. If we can, you better wash it real good-like. Sweat can stain a shirt at 350 degrees & it smells the place up somethin fierce.
[Top]
Can you order me NEW tighty-whiteys, or other clothing besides shirts?
We can get you just about anything, from thongs to hats to rain jackets to socks to t-shirts for your pooch. Check out our online catalog on the 'shirts' page.
[Top]
Can I order blank clothing for personal use? Cuz my girlfriend totally wants one of those girly hoodies.
Sure can. Anything available for printing is also available blank. And the prices you will pay through us will be MUUUCH cheaper than what you would pay anywhere else.
[Top]
How about inks... do some colors cost more?
Specialty inks we don't have to custom mix (metallics, glow-in-da-dark, & fluorescents) cost 25 cent more per shirt, per ink. Inks we have to mix (discharge, puff, suede, air-dry, etc.) cost 50 cents more. Keep in mind that some inks, like glow-in-the-dark require a white underbase to be visible. If you're feeling picky and you want us to match an ink to a pantone color...no problem. We'll do it for a one time fee of $10.
[Top]
What is an underbase?
If you want to print light colors on dark items we recommend printing an underbase. This is a layer of white ink printed directly underneath the color in question. Why, you ask? Simple really. It's like trying to paint a black room white (dang goths). One coat just wouldn't do it. Without an underbase, the dark colored fabric tends to show through the inks, making the print appear kind of transparent, dark or faded. This could be a benefit if you're going for the Urban Outfitters-esque vintage look. Printing on top of the underbase makes the ink appear very opaque, so that it really sticks out on the shirt. An underbase counts as another ink per location, so it adds a little to the price. Truth is, it's worth it.
[Top]
I hate ink! Can I get stuff embroidered?
Absolutely! Send us an order just like you would for printed stuff (artwork, sizes, placement et cetera). Then, in an e-mail, by phone, or on the order form, just drop us a hint like "Hey, jerks! I want this embroidered!" We'll crunch the numbers on our super-computers and get back to you with an estimate as soon as we feel like it. Well you did just call us jerks after all.
[Top]
I don't have completed artwork... can I still order shirts?
YES! We have a professional staff of highly trained graphic designers (his name is Ben) who can work with you to build your design from the ground up. Any basic art clean-up or simple modifications that take us 15 minutes or less are free. For design above and beyond the call of cleaning, we charge $55/hr. We can work with anything from a Photoshop or Illustrator file to a pencil sketch.
[Top]
How fast can I have my shirts?
The typical turnaround is around 2 weeks. But we can work with almost any deadline. Keep in mind, some of our apparel distributors may not have exactly what you need RIGHT NOW & may take more time to find it elsewhere. Patience is a virtue. Or so I'm told.
[Top]
Do I have to pay any set-up fees or screen charges?
NOOOO! Acme has no hidden screen/set-up fees for printing!
However, in some situations your art may require a special separation process, which would add $20 per ink. This is only in cases where your art contains complex color gradients or phot-realistic art. We'll let you know if you'll need 'em.
caveat: embroidered images are subject to a one-time-only "digitizing" fee to cover the time and cost associated with translating the image into the format necessary for automated stitching. We will keep your "digitized" artwork for the REMAINDER OF ALL TIME...that means you and the generations of ancestors that follow will enjoy embroidery of said image in a state of "no fee-like" nirvana.
Can you guys print on a different colored vinyl other than white or like clear vinyl even?
You bet your sweet petunias. Just drop us a line & let us know what you are interested in & we'll probably be able to make it happen.
[Top]
How many colors can I have on a sticker?
We can do up to 4 different colors on a sticker or full color process. Take THAT!
[Top]
Can I make stickers with photographs on them?
Yes, but the maximum LPI (lines per inch) is 55. Very fine lines can get lost, so don't expect to be able to read the Constitution on a 4" x 4" sticker.
[Top]
What's the minimum amount of stickers I can get?
The minimum we require is 125 for most stickers.
[Top]
What's the biggest sticker I can get?
REAL big! We've done 11"x 19" stickers before, so the sky's the limit. Just let us know what you need. We can do
virtually any size you want.
[Top]
How long does it take to get stickers made?
We can have your stickers done in about 2 - 3 weeks! You ever wait 3 months for
stickers? It sucks, huh? (That's kinda why we started making them)
[Top]
Buttons FAQ
Can I get more than one design in one order?
You bet! You can have up to 3 designs per 100 buttons (33 and 1/3 button each) provided we don't have to mess with fixing craptastic art. For each additional design, add $5. Or, just order another 100!
[Top]
How many different sizes of buttons can you make?
We can make 1 inch & 1.25 inch buttons. If you need bigger buttons let us know, because we can usually get them for you.
[Top]
How many colors can I get in my buttons?
We print the buttons on a color printer, so any & all colors that are in your design will be on your buttons. Keep in mind that if your design has a lot of colors &/or detail it may look jumbled on a small 1 or 1.25 inch button. Make your designs bold & bright so people can see your design from more than a foot away.
[Top]
What is the average turnaround time after I order my fantastic buttons?
The standard turn time is two weeks. We might be able to do them faster without a rush fee depending on some stuff. And things.
[Top]
How big should my button image be when I send it to you?
Make the image about 3 inches & at least 300 dpi (or a vector image). We need a good amount of 'bleed' around the edges or we'll have to go in and Photoshop that thing. Please don't send art that has a circle on the image already or that circle will be on your button. If you are just trying to let us know where you want the design positioned on the button, just send a second image as a mock-up.
[Top]
Can you make just one button for me?
No sir/ma'am. Unless you want to pay $10 for it, but I kinda doubt you want to do that.
[Top]
Ordering FAQ
How do I pay for all the great stuff you
guys make for me?
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal payments, e-checks, cash, money orders (no international money orders) & vegan donuts.
[Top]
I want to order right now. I can't wait one more second. I'm about to explode! What do I DO?!
Just click on the "ordering" button & you'll be home free. The instructions
are up there and it's SO easy! You can call us too. Or email us. Or swing on by. Whatevs.
[Top]
Artwork FAQ
What kind of file should I send you for my artwork?
Good question! Check out the Artwork Guidelines!
[Top]