← All articles · 2026-06-24

How does the deposit-and-balance payment process work for custom shirts?

Short answer: You pay a small deposit to start sampling, then the balance only after you see finished photos of your actual shirts. You never pay in full for something you haven’t seen, and payments run through PayPal for buyer protection.

The core principle: you never pay for what you haven’t seen

Custom apparel asks for trust up front, so the payment process is built to earn it. Money is split into two parts that line up with what you can actually see: a small deposit to begin work, and the balance only once you’ve seen photos of the finished goods. At no point are you handing over the full amount for shirts that don’t exist yet.

How the two payments work

1. Free design and mockup first. Before any money changes hands, you get a mockup within 24 hours. It’s free.
2. Small deposit starts sampling. Once you approve the mockup, a modest deposit kicks off the sample and production. This is not the full price.
3. You approve the sample. A real-garment checkpoint before bulk production.
4. Finished photos before the balance. When production is done, you see actual photos of your shirts.
5. Balance after you’re satisfied. Only then do you pay the rest. Then it ships duty-paid to your door.

Why pay through PayPal

Running payments through PayPal adds a layer of protection on top of our process. You get PayPal buyer protection, a clear paper trail, and a familiar, secure checkout. For a group organizer spending other people’s money — a school, a team, a company — that documentation matters.

What the deposit covers (and what it doesn’t)

Stage	What you pay	What you’ve seen
Mockup	Nothing — it’s free	Your design proof
Deposit	A small portion	Approved mockup
Sample	(covered by deposit)	Real-garment sample
Balance	The remainder	Finished photos of your shirts

The deposit is intentionally small so your exposure stays low until the shirts are real and photographed.

How Togethread keeps payment low-risk

We tie every payment to something you can see: free mockup, small deposit, balance only after finished photos. PayPal gives you buyer protection and a record. Your order ships duty-paid — no surprise customs bill — and is fully trackable. The result is a process where the shirts prove themselves before you pay in full. See it in action for school groups.

FAQ

How much is the deposit? A small portion of the total — just enough to start sampling and production. The bulk of payment comes after you see finished photos.

When do I pay the balance? Only after you’ve seen real photos of your finished shirts. You never pay the full amount sight-unseen.

Is my payment protected? Yes. Payments go through PayPal, so you get buyer protection and a clear transaction record.

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Related: What happens after you approve a mockup · The custom t-shirt production timeline, step by step · Custom school spirit shirts

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