akota Kirby faced one of her toughest challenges at US Colorworks when her team had just five hours—9 am to 2 pm—to complete an entire rush order. Kirby’s staff sprung into coordinated action: some took an alternate route to collect the goods and deliver them directly to the production team, while the art department pros focused on proofs and approvals.

“Our team coordinated effectively to ensure each step proceeded as swiftly as possible,” says Kirby, director of customer relations. “As a result, we produced and prepared the garments for pickup within the customer’s timeframe. While such rapid turnarounds aren’t always feasible, we strive to achieve the highest standards for our partners whenever possible.”

Set up Your Screen-Printing Shop to Handle Rush Orders

Experiences like this one show how important it is for print shops to stay agile—keeping everyone on the same page and refining processes can make all the difference when it comes to meeting tight deadlines and making a profit.

“At the grocery store, you’ve got regular checkouts and express lanes. Is your shop set up with an express process to handle rush orders? If not, it’s time to do it.”
- Marshall Atkinson, business consultant at Atkinson Consulting and publisher of Midjourney Experience

If you’re stressed by last-minute orders, grab these nine expert tips to calm the chaos, deliver great results, and boost your bottom line.

1. Define What a Rush Order Means for Your Shop

If you're going to fulfill rush orders, you first need to clearly define what that means in your shop. For example, is there a t-shirt minimum? What’s your markup? Do you have a workflow set up to handle these orders? Is there a manager who oversees the process?

This could mean setting up a “fast pass” system that prioritizes these orders. “A rush order should go to the front of the line in every department,” Atkinson says. “Train your team to review these orders three to four times a day so they’re always on top of what needs to get done.”

Make a clear plan for each step, from production to delivery, so nothing falls through the cracks. Once you’ve standardized a process for rush orders, create a checklist so everyone knows what to do and when.

“Your team should be able to look at the in-hand date and know what should happen. That’s how you get rush orders out on time. If they don’t follow a checklist, that’s when they forget stuff.” - Marshall Atkinson, business consultant at Atkinson Consulting and publisher of Midjourney Experience

2. Make Sure Your Team Is Ready

Atkinson recommends appointing a team leader who really understands production to oversee your rush order process. “There are no hard and fast rules for if you can make an order work,” he says. “Your sales team should check with this manager to be sure you can do it before saying ‘yes’ to the client if it’s something outside regular rush order parameters.”

An effective team lead will take a close look at your rush order production processes and find ways to make them more efficient. This might mean organizing your workspace better, adding extra shifts, or investing in faster equipment.

Rush orders require your team to be on the ball. That means everyone knows their role and there's accountability if something goes wrong. “It's not enough to hope things will work out – you have to train them for it,” Atkinson says. “Without that training and accountability, things can easily fall apart.”

3. Set Clear Expectations with Customers

Handling rush orders means setting clear expectations from the start. Let your customers know exactly what you need from them and when, and be honest about what’s feasible. For example, if they want 1,000 shirts by Friday but plan to send artwork on Thursday, make it clear that it’s a tight timeline.

“Explain the reality of the situation. When customers see the constraints, they often realize they need to move faster or adjust their expectations. Sometimes, they even move mountains to make it happen.”
- Marshall Atkinson, business consultant at Atkinson Consulting and publisher of Midjourney Experience

Keep the lines of communication open by confirming details, clarifying any special requests, and updating your clients regularly. This helps manage expectations and ensures everything runs smoothly. “Always tell your customers how it works,” Atkinson says. “It’s 100% payment upfront, and if you want your shirts by tomorrow, you need to approve the artwork by noon today. No surprises.”

4. Keep What You Need on Hand

Having the right supplies on hand can make or break a rush order. Keep an inventory of basic garments like black, white, gray, and team-colored shirts to avoid delays in waiting for deliveries. Additionally, build strong relationships with your suppliers. A reliable network that can expedite materials will make a huge difference when you’re up against tight deadlines.

“A rush order is all about getting the art approved and having the garments on hand,” Atkinson says. “If your supplier is far away, you’ve got to be prepared with what you’ve got in stock.’”

Sometimes, it just takes teamwork to make it happen. A new client approached Colette Wilhelm, owner of Contract Impressions, with a tight deadline for a rush order. The garments arrived the next day at 10:37 am, and Wilhelm’s team managed to ship 600 garments back out by 7 pm after printing a one-color design and applying heat transfers on the backs for the next-day event.

However, there was a hitch – one case was the wrong size and item number. The client arranged for a courier to pick up the correct garments from a location four hours away. These arrived at 4:30 pm while the team was finishing up the rest of the order. Then, they quickly applied the transfers and readied the order for overnight delivery. “We faced a real crunch, but we had to make sure everything was right,” Wilhelm says. “We all came out like heroes and our thrilled client continues to order from us.”

5. Be Realistic About What’s Possible on All Fronts

Liz Hennings, owner of Fast Track Products Inc., received an order for 2,000 polo shirts with a left-chest placement to be delivered within a two-week turnaround for a major golf tournament. With one six-head and two single-head embroidery machines, Hennings planned to extend her team’s working hours to complete the job. As it turns out, right after she received the shirts, the customer threw a curveball: they needed two sponsor logos added to each shirt, one on each sleeve.

“We ended up working seven days a week and nearly 24 hours a day for two weeks to pull it off. Family members came in to help with trimming, folding, and boxing polos. To this day I have no idea how we pulled it off, but it was the most stressful order we’ve ever had.”
- Liz Hennings, owner of Fast Track Products Inc.

To hit tight deadlines, your shop needs to be organized and have enough hands on deck. Make sure you can handle everything from design digitizing to managing poly bags and hang tags without overwhelming your team. If staying up late becomes a norm, you’re likely pushing your staff too hard. Good planning and organization help ensure everything runs smoothly so your team doesn’t end up burned out.

“We can’t bend the laws of time and physics,” Atkinson says. “If your client needs it done by ‘yesterday,’ we need everything in place ahead of time. Otherwise, it’s just not going to happen.”

6. Leverage Your Shop’s Software

Good shop software can make handling rush orders a lot smoother. Features like the searchable PO field let you quickly find and track these orders so you don't miss a beat. Here’s a quick insider tip: “If you put a dollar sign in the PO field, you can quickly pull up all the rush orders without needing a meeting,” Atkinson says. “It’s all about making things run smoothly.”

Take advantage of any production management tools you can to keep everything on track. They can automate scheduling, manage inventory, and streamline design approvals and client communications, saving you time and hassle.

7. Prep Ahead of Time

For a rush order to go smoothly, you need to be ready before the day starts. That means having shirts ready, screens burned, and everything else in place so you can jump right in when it’s time to print and ship. “Always make sure everything is ready to go the day before. That way, when the rush order hits, you’re not scrambling,” Atkinson says. “You’re just getting it done.”

8. Charge Appropriately

Charging extra for rush orders isn’t just about boosting your bottom line—it’s about recognizing the extra effort and resources required. When a client needs something done quickly, it often means rearranging your workflow, working overtime, or putting their order ahead of others. This can stretch your team, push your equipment to its limits, and disrupt your regular schedule.

A rush fee helps cover the extra work, equipment wear, and the cost of rearranging your production schedule. It also makes it clear to clients that fast turnarounds comes with a price. This way, everyone understands the value of speedy service and you’re not left managing extra pressure without proper compensation. Atkinson recommends always getting 100% upfront payment. “When you jump through all the hoops to get the order done and then your client delays payment for weeks, it’s frustrating. Paying now guarantees they’ll pick up your order on time.”

For rush orders, consider implementing a higher fee structure to cover the expedited service. “If they need it tomorrow, the price is double,” Atkinson says.

“Many shops apply a 25% upcharge per day for rush orders and a 100% upcharge for next-day service. If you’re not charging this way, you’re leaving margin on the table.”
- Marshall Atkinson, business consultant at Atkinson Consulting and publisher of Midjourney Experience

9. Be Ready to Troubleshoot

Do you have a strategy for managing unexpected challenges, like equipment failures or supply shortages, when working on rush jobs? You need to plan ahead for potential setbacks by having contingency measures in place. This could involve maintaining backup equipment, keeping extra supplies on hand, or communicating clearly with clients if delays occur.

Many times though, it’s about thinking on your feet and adjusting your future processes. The day after losing power from Hurricane Beryl, one of APDAT Print Co.’s customers booked the team for a last-minute, out-of-state live screen printing event requiring extensive logistics and freight. “We finally hunted down a small generator where we had to plug one thing in at a time,” says owner Gabby Nguyen.

What usually takes her team a couple of hours for screen prep and packing, took six hours in the Texas heat. “Our power didn’t come back on for another five days, but our team and equipment made it to the event and it was an overall success,” Nguyen says. “Needless to say, our shop stocked up on solar batteries and hurricane gear as soon as we got back.”

Are You Ready to Rush?

Before jumping into rush orders, take a moment to consider if you're truly ready to handle the extra pressure without sacrificing quality or your team's well-being.

1. Do we have the capacity and resources to meet tight deadlines without compromising the quality of our regular orders?
‍Consider whether your team can handle the added workload without sacrificing the attention to detail and quality that your clients expect. Evaluate your current production schedule and determine if there’s enough flexibility to accommodate rush jobs.

2. Are our team and equipment prepared to handle the increased stress and potential overtime that rush orders may require?
Assess whether your employees are willing and able to work extra hours if necessary and if your equipment can sustain the additional wear and tear that comes with a higher volume of work in a short period.

3. How will accepting rush orders impact our long-term client relationships? Could it lead to dissatisfaction if we fail to deliver on time?
Think about the potential risks to your reputation if you can’t meet the promised deadlines. Weigh the benefits of quick revenue against the possibility of damaging your reliability with existing clients.

Reap the Rewards of Rush Orders

Taking on rush orders might seem daunting, but the potential rewards are worth the effort. When your shop is well-organized and equipped to handle tight deadlines, you can significantly increase your profit margins. "You can bring in way more margin for the same amount of work, and really make bank,” Atkinson says. “When you help your customers solve problems under pressure, they’ll keep coming back, because they know you’ve got their back in a crunch. It’s not impossible to manage crazy demands. For a well-run shop, it’s a piece of cake."

A lot of shops fulfill orders within seven to ten business days, but the real game-changers are those who can turn things around in three to five days, or even under three days. “They’ve built their business on speed,” Atkinson says. “In a world where print-on-demand and Amazon are setting the pace, speed is your competitive advantage."