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Top 5 Mistakes Brands Make When Ordering Custom Fabric (and How to Avoid Them)

Ordering custom fabric is an exciting step in building your product line, but it’s also an area where small brands often stumble. Whether you’re working with cotton, linen, viscose, or polyester, small missteps can lead to costly mistakes like wrong colors, pixelated prints, or fabrics that don’t behave as expected.

To help you avoid production headaches, here are the five most common mistakes brands make when ordering printed fabrics — and how to prevent them with smart planning and the right print partner.

1. Choosing the Wrong Fabric for Your Product

Not all fabrics are created equal — and not all are suitable for every product. Choosing a fabric based solely on looks can lead to issues like stiffness, transparency, or poor print results.

  • Why it matters: The texture, thickness, and fiber content affect how your design prints and how the finished product wears.

  • How to avoid it: Test before investing. Caspar Create offers a Fabric Sample Pack with all available materials — from lightweight cotton to soft flannel fleece.

  • Pro tip: Match the fabric to the product’s function — bags need durability, blankets need softness, apparel should balance comfort with structure.

2. Sending Low-Resolution or Incorrect Print Files

Your fabric will only look as good as the file you provide. A common mistake is sending a low-res image or the wrong file format, especially for digital fabric printing that we use.

  • Why it matters: Low-res images or wrong file formats can cause blurry prints, misaligned patterns, or color mismatches.

  • How to avoid it: Always use high-resolution files (150–300 DPI) in .PNG or .JPEG format. Caspar Create also offers optional print file checking and clear guidelines to ensure your design prints perfectly.

3. Skipping the Sample or Test Print Step

Some brands skip test prints to save time or money — but end up spending more fixing mistakes later. Every printer, fabric type, and print method reacts differently, especially with natural fabrics like cotton or blends like cotton-viscose.

  • Why it matters: Colors can shift, patterns misalign, textures may distort. Every fabric type reacts differently, especially natural fabrics.

  • How to avoid it: Order a Fabric Sample Pack or print a Color Map to preview your custom colors on the actual fabric. This is especially important for AOP and repeating patterns.

4. Ignoring Shrinkage, Stretch, or Fabric Behavior

Some fabrics shrink after washing. Others stretch when cut. If you don’t account for this, your final product might come out smaller or warped.

  • Why it matters: Failing to account for shrinkage or stretch can result in warped or too-small products. Cotton shrinks, polyester stretches, and blends behave unpredictably.

  • How to avoid it: Check shrinkage and stretch data for each fabric type. Caspar Create provides detailed information so you can plan product dimensions accurately.

5. Misjudging Print Scale or Placement

A common issue that brands underestimate is the scale of the design once printed on fabric. What looks perfect on screen might turn out way too big or small in real life — especially if you’re working with repeating patterns or all-over prints.

  • Why it matters: Designs often look perfect on screen but appear too large or too small once printed. Scale affects aesthetics and usability.

  • How to avoid it: Test the print scale on a real fabric swatch. Caspar Create prints actual-size samples and helps you adjust the scale to ensure your design looks perfect on the final product.

Conclusion: A Smart Process Makes Custom Fabric Printing Easier

Avoiding these five common mistakes saves time, money, and stress. With careful planning and the right print-on-demand partner, ordering custom fabric can be smooth and successful.

How Caspar Create Helps:

With these steps, you can focus on creating products your customers will love — without surprises.

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