Blank quality
Weight, knit, fit, shrinkage, surface texture, dye, color continuity, and inventory depth all matter. The right blank supports the decoration and the brand position.
All services
Full-service merch production in Chicago
One vision. Every production detail.
A strong merch collection is a system—not a logo dropped on random blanks. We connect the concept, garment, decoration, assortment, finishing, packaging, and delivery so every piece belongs to the same world.
CAOS CREATES / CHICAGO Creative direction and mockups Garment sourcing and decoration Finishing, packing, and fulfillment
From concept to finished product
Merch should feel like a collection, not an order form.
We begin with the audience, use case, price point, and story the collection needs to carry. That determines the assortment: which pieces deserve to be the hero, which support the drop, which garments need premium weight or structure, and where the budget creates the most visible value.
Then we engineer production. Artwork is adapted for each placement and decoration method, garments are sourced around fit and fabric, and every size, color, label, print location, packing instruction, and delivery point is documented before manufacturing begins. The result is a cleaner launch and fewer expensive surprises.
ACTUAL CAOS WORKFrom our shop
Merch that carries the idea.
A strong finished piece connects garment choice, graphic scale, color, and production planning instead of treating them as separate decisions.
View the production piece Make Something Like ThisInside the work
How a collection moves from idea to inventory.
- 01
Creative brief
We define the audience, purpose, visual direction, product mix, target quantity, retail price, launch date, and non-negotiable brand details.
- 02
Assortment planning
Hero products, supporting pieces, colors, size ranges, and price tiers are chosen as one collection instead of disconnected individual items.
- 03
Garment sourcing
We compare fit, fabric weight, hand feel, color availability, size range, stock depth, decoration compatibility, and budget before blanks are ordered.
- 04
Design and mockups
Artwork is built or adapted for the actual garments, print areas, thread limits, and production scale. Mockups communicate placement and intent clearly.
- 05
Proof and sample
Print details, colors, placements, sizes, labels, and finishing are approved. Complex pieces may need a physical sample before the full run.
- 06
Production
Screen printing, DTF, embroidery, or a combination is scheduled around the artwork and garment—not chosen just because one method is convenient.
- 07
Finishing and QC
Pieces are inspected, folded, tagged, bagged, relabeled, or prepared with the agreed retail details so the product feels finished when it arrives.
- 08
Pickup, ship, or fulfill
Orders can move to local pickup, bulk shipping, or fulfillment support depending on how the collection needs to reach customers, staff, or an event.
Expert production choices
Production planning protects the creative.
The best-looking mockup can still fail if the blank, method, price, and deadline do not support it. We solve those relationships before money is committed.
Decoration mix
Screen print, DTF, embroidery, neck prints, labels, and specialty details each solve different problems. A collection can use more than one without losing cohesion.
Assortment and size curve
Quantity should follow expected demand by product, color, and size. Even a beautiful drop becomes expensive when the assortment is poorly balanced.
Unit economics
Garment, setup, decoration, finishing, packaging, freight, and spoilage allowance shape the real landed cost—not the blank price alone.
Brand finishing
Printed neck labels, sewn labels, hangtags, folding, and packaging can move a piece from promotional apparel toward a retail-ready product.
Launch schedule
Artwork approval, garment availability, samples, production, finishing, and freight are reverse-planned from the in-hands date so the deadline is real.
Artwork guide
Give us the full picture.
A complete brief lets us recommend the right products and quote accurately. Rough ideas are welcome, but the production targets need to be clear.
- Share logos, typefaces, color standards, reference imagery, and any existing brand guide.
- List the products you are considering, approximate quantities, size range, and garment colors.
- Identify every artwork placement and whether the files are final, editable, or still conceptual.
- Include the event, launch, or in-hands date—not only the day you hope production begins.
- Explain pickup, bulk shipping, individual fulfillment, folding, bagging, labels, or hangtags.
- Provide a target budget or retail price so we can build a realistic assortment instead of guessing.
Where it shines
Full-service production is the right move when...
- You have a strong idea but need help turning it into a manufacturable collection.
- The project uses multiple garments, print methods, placements, or finishing steps.
- You are planning an artist drop, streetwear capsule, event, staff rollout, or campaign.
- You need garment sourcing and honest method recommendations—not only decoration.
- The product must arrive folded, labeled, bagged, packed, or ready for distribution.
- You want one production partner accountable from the first mockup to the final box.
Before production
Questions, answered by printers.
Every design, garment, and deadline changes the best production route. We'll review the details before we quote.
Can you create the merch design too?
Yes. We can work from finished artwork, improve an existing direction, or develop original merch graphics and mockups from your concept, references, audience, and brand goals.
How do you choose the right garment?
We compare fit, fabric weight, feel, available colors and sizes, inventory, decoration compatibility, intended use, and target cost. The most expensive blank is not always the best production choice.
Can one collection use screen print and embroidery?
Absolutely. A collection might use a large screen print on tees, a small embroidered mark on hats, DTF for a low-volume full-color piece, and a neck print or sewn label to unify everything.
Do you offer private-label finishing?
Finishing can include options such as printed neck labels, sewn labels, hangtags, folding, and bagging depending on the garment, quantity, and project. We confirm compatibility and cost before production.
What determines the final price?
The garment, quantities by size and color, decoration method, number of colors and locations, artwork preparation, labels, finishing, packaging, freight, and turnaround all contribute to landed cost.
How early should I start?
Start as early as possible when a launch date matters. Garment sourcing, design revisions, samples, production, finishing, and freight each need time. Rush options may exist, but planning creates more choices and better control.
Built for your project
Let's make the right piece.
Send the artwork, quantity, garment type, print locations, and deadline. We'll recommend the production plan.
Start your project DESIGN / MAKE / DELIVER