What is a Set-Up Charge?

Ever look at your cell phone bill and see these random charges on it and wonder what they are for? Then you read the explanation of the charge and that makes less sense then the charge itself. Now I’m not trying to compare our charges to a cell phone, but one of the most frequently asked questions is: What is a set-up charge and why do I have to pay it?

Well, there is no hidden meaning here… a set-up charge is just that, a charge for setting up an order for production. The better question to ask is: What does this all encompass? Here is a brief overview of what a set-up entails. A set-up charge basically starts from the moment your order starts. We properly format your artwork so a computer can read it to recreate your art onto a product. The artwork you want is adjusted to make sure it fits in a given imprint area on a particular promotional product. Your artwork is then thoroughly checked for all the fine details to ensure you receive the imprint you desire. Set-ups vary from product to product depending on the imprint method and the intricacies it takes to make sure your image shows up on the item the way you want it to.

Doing the digital portion of the artwork is just the beginning. Next is the manual labor portion of the process. For each screen printed order, a film with your artwork needs to be created. This film is then used to line your artwork onto a screen coated with emulsion. If your artwork has more than one color, a screen needs to be created for each color. Next your screen is placed into the screen printing machine, and your selected imprint color is poured into a tray. Your product is then placed on a paddle, positioned to the desired imprint location. Finally the ink is pressed through the screen onto your product creating a finished decorated item.

Embroidery decoration also has a set-up process for each order. Again first your artwork needs to be digitized for an embroidery machine to read your artwork. The desired product is then fitted with a hoop over the imprint area and is then locked into an embroidery machine. The machine heads are threaded with the desired thread colors and your customized promotional product is ready to be decorated!

As you can see, it takes time and effort to set-up your order to make sure we have it just the way you want it. And unlike your cell phone bill, there are no hidden charges!

Please visit our Artwork 101 Page to learn more about how to create the best artwork for your custom promotional products!