How Many Custom Shirts Should You Order for a Fundraiser or Event?
Order custom shirts for an event by starting with the confirmed headcount, adding a small buffer of spares, and splitting the total across sizes with a size curve rather than guessing. Quokka Prints has minimums as low as 10 to 25 pieces depending on the product, free custom artwork within 24 hours and no setup fees, so a second small run is never a penalty.
- Count confirmed participants, not the invite list
- Add roughly a tenth of the headcount as spares for walk-ins, staff and misprints
- Use a size curve so medium and large carry most of the order
- Minimums as low as 10 to 25 pieces; free artwork within 24 hours; no setup fees
What is the simplest way to decide how many event shirts to order?
Start with the number of people who will actually receive a shirt, not the number who were invited. For a fundraiser run that is registered participants plus volunteers, for a school event it is the students and staff who signed up, and for a camp it is campers plus counselors. Then add a buffer and split the total into sizes.
Written as a formula: confirmed people, plus a buffer of about a tenth for walk-ins and staff, rounded up to the nearest full dozen so sizes pack evenly. Quokka Prints quotes any quantity above the product minimum, and because there are no setup fees, a later add-on run costs only the shirts, which takes the pressure off getting the number perfect the first time.
Why do event shirt orders run short, and how big should the buffer be?
Shirt orders run short for three reasons: late registrations, people who were never on the list such as volunteers, sponsors and photographers, and the occasional misprint or wrong size that has to be swapped on the day. A buffer of about a tenth of the headcount covers all three for most events.
- Races and walks: late registrations spike in the final week, so lean toward a larger buffer.
- School and PTA events: staff, chaperones and siblings are the usual surprise recipients.
- Camps: counselors, kitchen staff and a few replacement shirts for lost ones.
- Corporate events: executives and guests who confirm at the last minute.
Spares are not waste. Leftover event shirts become staff shirts, raffle prizes or next year's early-bird giveaways, and because Quokka Prints keeps your artwork on file, reorders match the original run.
How should the order be split across sizes?
Most adult event orders follow a bell curve centered on medium and large, with fewer smalls, extra larges and larger sizes at the edges. If you collected sizes during registration, use those numbers directly and add the buffer in medium and large, which are the sizes that run out first. If you did not collect sizes, a general-purpose curve looks like this.
| Size | Share of adult order | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Smaller share | More for women-focused or youth-heavy events |
| Medium | Largest shares, together with large | Put most of the buffer here |
| Large | Largest shares, together with medium | Runs out first at mixed-age events |
| Extra large | Moderate share | Larger for volunteer and staff groups |
| Two and three extra large | Small share | Always include a few; they are hard to swap on the day |
Youth events need youth sizes listed separately, since a youth large and an adult large are completely different garments. Quokka Prints prints youth and adult sizes in the same run, so the mockup and quote cover both without a separate order.
Does the shirt style change how many you need?
Yes, in two ways. A unisex tee like a Gildan or Comfort Colors blank fits a wide range of bodies, so one size curve covers everyone and the buffer can stay small. A fitted or women's cut needs its own size run alongside the unisex shirts, which means two curves and two buffers, so most organizers who want both styles keep the fitted option to a known group such as a volunteer team.
Heavier garments change the math too. Hoodies and crewnecks for a fall fundraiser are usually sold as a pre-order rather than handed out, so the quantity is simply the number of orders collected plus a handful of spares. That keeps spending tight on the expensive items while tees remain the all-hands giveaway.
How do you plan quantities for an event with both free shirts and shirts for sale?
Many fundraisers hand a free shirt to every participant and also sell a premium item such as a hoodie or a limited-color tee at the merch table. Treat those as two separate counts. The free shirt is sized from the confirmed headcount plus the buffer, as described above. The sale item is sized from pre-orders plus a small display stock, because the artwork is already paid for and Quokka Prints can print a reorder from the file on hand.
Keep the sale item in one or two colors and a tight size curve so unsold stock stays small. If the merch table sells out early, that is a good problem: collect names and sizes at the table and send a single add-on order the next day. With free standard shipping and no setup fees, the add-on run costs only the garments.
When should the order be placed so the shirts arrive before the event?
Work backward from the event date. Quokka Prints returns free custom artwork within 24 hours of receiving your logo or idea, production typically takes 7 to 14 business days after you approve the mockup, and free standard shipping adds 3 to 4 days. Rush production is available when a date is close, and the team will tell you up front whether it is realistic.
- Close registration or the pre-order window, then count.
- Add the buffer and split into sizes.
- Send the totals, sizes and artwork to Quokka Prints.
- Approve the free mockup, which starts production.
- Receive the shirts with free shipping, with a few days to spare.
The step that most often slips is closing the count. Set a firm cutoff a few days before you need to approve the mockup, and treat anything after it as part of the buffer rather than reopening the order.
What should you check before approving the final quantity?
Before approving, confirm that volunteers, staff, speakers and sponsors are counted, that youth and adult sizes are listed separately, that the buffer sits in the sizes most likely to run out, and that the event date leaves room for production and shipping. Check the spelling of the event name and date on the mockup, because those are the two things that cannot be fixed after printing.
If you are torn between two quantities, choose the larger one. Spares are useful after the event, while running out on the day means a volunteer or a late registrant goes without a shirt. With no setup fees and the lowest price in the U.S. backed by a price match guarantee, the cost of a slightly larger order is small compared with the cost of coming up short.
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Tell us about your order
Click Get Started, tell us the items, quantities and the event date, and send any artwork you already have.
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Approve the design
Review the mockup and the quote. Quokka Prints matches any lower U.S. price.
Production and free shipping
Production typically takes 7 to 14 business days plus 3 to 4 days of free standard shipping. Rush is available.
Frequently asked questions
How many extra custom shirts should I order for a fundraiser or race?
Add a buffer of about a tenth of the confirmed headcount, placed mostly in medium and large, to cover late registrations, volunteers, staff and the occasional size swap on the day. Leftover shirts become staff or raffle shirts, and Quokka Prints keeps your artwork on file for a matching reorder.
Should I order event shirts based on registrations or on the number of people invited?
Order based on confirmed registrations plus the people who are not on the list but will be there, such as volunteers, sponsors and photographers, and then add the buffer. Invite lists overstate attendance and lead to large piles of leftovers, while a confirmed count plus a buffer lands close to what is actually needed.
What size breakdown works for an adult event shirt order when I did not collect sizes?
Use a bell curve with medium and large as the two biggest groups, a smaller share of small and extra large, and a few two and three extra large shirts so nobody is left out. Shift the curve toward smaller sizes for women-focused events and toward larger sizes for volunteer and staff groups.
Do youth and adult shirts need to be counted separately for a school or camp event?
Yes. Youth sizes and adult sizes are different garments, so list them as separate lines with their own buffers. Quokka Prints prints youth and adult shirts in the same run with the same artwork, so one mockup and one quote cover both without a separate order.
What is the minimum number of custom shirts Quokka Prints will print for a small event?
Minimums are as low as 10 to 25 pieces depending on the product, so a small committee, club or classroom event qualifies on its own. Free custom artwork within 24 hours and no setup fees apply to small orders as well as large ones, and standard shipping is always free.
Is it better to order too many event shirts or too few?
Order slightly more. Spares turn into staff shirts, giveaways and next year's early-bird prizes, while running short means a volunteer or late registrant goes without one on the day. With no setup fees and a price match guarantee at Quokka Prints, the cost of a modest buffer is small.
How far ahead should I order custom shirts for an event?
Allow for free artwork within 24 hours, production of about 7 to 14 business days after you approve the mockup, and 3 to 4 days of free standard shipping, then add a few days of margin. Rush production is available for close dates, and Quokka Prints will confirm whether your timeline is realistic before you commit.
Can I add more shirts after the first event order is placed?
Yes. Because Quokka Prints keeps your artwork on file and charges no setup fees, an add-on run costs only the shirts and follows the normal production timeline. Send late additions as soon as the count moves rather than waiting to batch them, so the add-on still arrives before the event.
Should fundraiser hoodies be ordered the same way as giveaway tees?
No. Hoodies and crewnecks are usually sold as a pre-order, so the quantity is the number of orders collected plus a handful of spares, while tees are the all-hands giveaway sized from the headcount. Keeping the expensive items on pre-order protects the budget without leaving anyone out.
What should I double-check on the mockup before approving an event shirt order?
Confirm the event name and date are spelled correctly, every group including volunteers and staff is counted, youth and adult sizes are separate lines, the buffer sits in the sizes that run out first, and the event date leaves room for production and shipping. Those are the items that cannot be fixed after printing.
Which blank tee works best for a mixed crowd at a fundraiser or community event?
A unisex cotton tee such as a Gildan or Comfort Colors blank fits the widest range of bodies, so one size curve covers everyone and the buffer stays small. Quokka Prints offers free custom artwork and matches any lower U.S. price, so the blank choice comes down to feel and budget rather than setup costs.
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Click Get Started, tell us what you need and when, and a Quokka Prints team member reaches out within 24 hours with free designs or a quote. No setup fees, free standard shipping, lowest price in the U.S.