Navigating Busy Season: Preparing for High-Demand Times with Efficient Production Strategies
TL;DR:
Busy season demands smart preparation. Save time and avoid mistakes by choosing the right transfers. Organize your press setup for efficiency, batch similar jobs, and keep artwork files tidy for fast reorders. Begin holiday product planning early to capture more sales and use clear communication templates to manage customer expectations without extra effort. These steps help you maximize output and profits when demand peaks.
Why This Time of Year Gets So Busy
This season hits hard because multiple industries overlap: back-to-school, fall sports, spiritwear, fundraisers, corporate gifting, and holiday retail. Each adds unique demands and deadlines, increasing order variety and volume. Recognizing this helps you plan staff, equipment, and inventory, so you’re not scrambling last minute. This season, you’re likely managing:
✔ Short-run team orders with names and numbers
✔ Larger group apparel with mixed garment types
✔ Quick-turn promo or event gear
✔ Repeat runs and reorders
✔ Holiday retail and gifting programs
To stay efficient and profitable, your shop needs to be set up for speed, consistency, and flexibility.
Make Smart Transfer Choices Now
Choosing the right type of transfer is one of the best ways to save time, reduce mistakes, and improve press results, especially when things get hectic.
➤ Start with Howard Multi-Purpose, our bestselling plastisol screen printed transfer. It’s the OG for a reason. MP is trusted by shops across the country for its durability, fast press times, and professional finish. It handles high-volume runs with ease and works well for repeat jobs and reorders. Many decorators are turning back to plastisol transfers like MP due to it’s consistency and crisp, clean results.
→ Ideal for teamwear, school spirit, reorders, and branded merch that needs to hold up long-term.
➤ Try Puff for a trending, premium finish that elevates any garment. This dimensional ink rises as it cures, creating bold, tactile graphics that shoppers love. Because of its eye-catching texture, Puff is a popular choice for retail apparel and gift items.
→ Use tone-on-tone puff for subtle branding, or pair with MP for mixed texture designs.
➤ Use Glow in the Dark to light up your fall and Halloween designs. This specialty finish looks great in daylight and glows when the lights go out, making it perfect for spooky shirts, fun runs, kids' events, or novelty retail drops.
→ An easy upsell or limited-edition effect with seasonal appeal.
➤ Reach for Vintage Wash to get that soft, retail-worn look that’s trending in spiritwear and campus shops. It applies at a lower temp, making it a great choice for pigment-dyed and blended garments. The final result mimics a slightly faded, lived-in print.
→ Pairs especially well with soft-washed tees and fleece.
➤ Add colorVIBE DTF when you need full-color prints, personalization, or low minimums. These transfers are ideal designs with a lot of colors and gradients, short runs, seasonal designs, and any job with variable data - like names or numbers.
→ Great for custom drops, back-to-school, or last-minute orders.
Tip: Create a book or wall display of applied transfers by type (order samples here!). Include fabric info and press settings for easy reference during busy season and to help seasonal helpers avoid mistakes. (maybe we can make a printable guide?)
Optimize Your Heat Press Workflow
A well-organized press station makes a huge difference during peak season. To get ahead of the rush:
➤ Keep your essential heat press supplies organized and within reach: heat pillows, lint rollers, parchment sheets, and various platen sizes. Having these tools ready helps you handle everything from tricky seams to delicate prints without slowing down.
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➤ Batch jobs by garment type, transfer type, or press setting whenever possible. Grouping similar items reduces time lost adjusting temperatures, pressures, or repositioning platens, helping keep your workflow consistent and efficient during peak demand.
➤ Pre-sort garments by size, color, and print layout direction before they hit the press. This simple prep step prevents costly mix-ups, speeds up loading, and keeps production flowing without hiccups.
Tip: Post a simple chart near your heat press with the correct time/temp/pressure settings for each transfer type you use. It reduces guesswork and speeds up training.
Organize Files and Artwork for Reorders
Reorders are easy money, IF you can locate everything quickly. During busy season, you don’t want to waste time redoing proofs or searching for sizing.
➤ Save artwork files with clear naming (e.g., “JHS-Basketball-Front-12in-Winter25”).
➤ Keep PDFs, size specs, mockups, and transfer types together in one folder per job.
➤ Document which product was used and any garment notes for accurate reordering.
Tip: Build simple reorder kits for high-volume clients. Each should include art files, mockups, press settings, and garment blanks. It’ll make future jobs friction-free.
Start Your Holiday Planning While You’re Still Sane
The holidays might feel far off, but decorators who start prepping now are the ones who get the big orders later. Use this quieter window to:
➤ Print sample sets for retail or gifting collections (sweatshirts, pajamas, puffed graphics, cozy seasonal palettes).
➤ Offer clients pre-built holiday packages at different price tiers, like Basic, Enhanced, and Premium sets.
➤ Share holiday ordering deadlines early and often so customers don’t miss the window.
Tip: Reuse popular fall graphics in new colorways or finishes (e.g., Puff or Glow for Halloween) to quickly build a seasonal line with minimal redesign.
Set Up for Smooth Communication
During a rush, inboxes get chaotic. A few communication systems now can save hours of time later:
➤ Use email templates and social captions to answer FAQs like turnaround times, rush fees, and order minimums.
➤ Clearly post cutoff dates and lead times on your website and social profiles.
➤ Add a reorder link or QR code to your packing slips for easy reorders without back-and-forth emails.
Helpful Tip: Draft a “Holiday Order Checklist” email you can send to clients in bulk. Include final order deadlines, recommended styles or finishes, and top sellers to spark quick decisions.
Recap: Your Busy Season Toolkit
Here’s what you can do right now to set yourself up for success:
✔ Use the right transfer type to save time and improve results
✔ Organize your press station and rotate your platens
✔ Batch jobs and label garments for faster pressing
✔ Prep your art files for smooth reorders
✔ Start promoting holiday items with samples and photos
✔ Use pre-written messages and posted deadlines to reduce admin stress