About Dad Bod Screen Printing

Who we are

Dad Bod Screen Printing LLC is a locally owned custom apparel shop in Fort Myers, Florida. The shop was started in 2020 by Adam O’Toole, an FGCU alum with more than 10 years of experience in the decorated apparel industry. We do screen printing, DTF and heat transfers, embroidery including 3D puff, custom hats and promotional products for businesses, teams, schools, churches, events and brands.

We believe custom apparel should make a statement. That means quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and doing what we said we would do, on the date we said we would do it. We hold our work to a high standard because every shirt that leaves the shop has your name on it, and ours.

Why the name?

A dad bod is comfortable, dependable and a little unpretentious. That is how we want working with us to feel. No runaround, no upsell for the sake of it, just good shirts, straight answers and someone who picks up the phone.

What we do

• Screen printing on t-shirts, polos, hoodies, jackets and more
• DTF and heat transfers for full-color designs, small runs and names and numbers
• Embroidery, including 3D puff, on hats, polos, jackets and accessories
• Custom hats of every style
• Promotional products like pens, tote bags, drinkware and tech accessories

How we work

Every order starts with a conversation. You tell us what you need, we recommend the right garment and decoration method, and we send a free estimate. Once you approve a digital proof, we produce the order in our Fort Myers shop and either deliver it, have it ready for pickup, or ship it to you.

• Minimums: 24 pieces for screen printing, 6 pieces for embroidery. Heat transfers and DTF work well for smaller runs.
• Turnaround: about 7 business days after proof approval. Rush options are available.
• Estimates: free. Bulk discounts are available on larger orders.
• Artwork: AI, EPS, PDF, PNG or JPG. Custom design is available for an additional fee.
• Payment: invoices are sent through QuickBooks. We accept cash, card, Venmo and check. New clients pay a 50% deposit up front. Financing is not offered.
• Delivery: free local delivery in the Fort Myers area, local pickup at the shop, and shipping anywhere in Florida and the U.S.
• Hours: Monday through Saturday, 8am to 8pm.

Where we work

Our shop is at 11909 Sacra Place, Fort Myers, FL 33913, near Southwest Florida International Airport. We serve Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs, Marco Island, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Sarasota and the rest of the Gulf Coast, with free local delivery in the Fort Myers area. We also ship to every county in Florida and anywhere in the U.S.

What customers say

“I placed an order with Adam and I was super impressed with the quality of the print.”
Eric Perez, 5 stars

Screen printing or embroidery for Southwest Florida?

This is the first question almost everyone in Southwest Florida asks, and the answer usually comes down to the garment and how many you need. Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh stencil onto the fabric, one color at a time. It is the best value for tees, tanks and hoodies, especially once you are ordering a few dozen or more, and it handles big designs on the front or back. Embroidery sews your logo into the garment with thread. It looks more polished, lasts as long as the shirt does and is the standard for polos, button-downs, jackets and hats.

A simple rule: if it is a tee and you want a big graphic, print it. If it is a polo or a hat and you want it to look professional for years, stitch it. Plenty of Southwest Florida businesses do both, printed tees for the crew and embroidered polos for the office or front counter.

Picking shirts that work in Florida heat

A shirt that feels fine in an air-conditioned store can be miserable on a job site or a boat in July. For crews and outdoor teams in Southwest Florida, we usually recommend lighter-weight fabrics, cotton/poly blends that breathe and dry faster than heavy cotton, and light colors that do not soak up the sun. Performance polyester wicks sweat and is the go-to for fishing guides, landscapers and anyone working outside all day. Long-sleeve sun shirts with a UPF rating protect arms without overheating.

For retail merch and events, softer tri-blends and ringspun cotton feel better and get worn more on weekends. Tell us how and where the shirts will be worn and we will suggest a few blanks at different price points.

Team, league and club uniforms

Youth soccer leagues, rec leagues, travel teams and adult leagues around Southwest Florida order jerseys, practice shirts, coach polos, parent shirts and hats every season. A typical setup is a screen printed team design with individual names and numbers added per player. Getting the size breakdown right is the hardest part, so we recommend collecting sizes from every family before ordering, and grabbing a few extras for late sign-ups.

Sponsors can go on the back or sleeve, which helps leagues cover the cost. Booster clubs and PTOs often add spirit wear and hats for parents and fans.

Company uniforms that hold up

Work shirts take a beating. For trades and service companies in Southwest Florida, the goal is a shirt that still looks good after months of sun, sweat and washing. Embroidered polos and work shirts look professional with customers. Printed tees are cost-effective for crews who go through shirts fast. Adding your logo on the left chest and a large logo or phone number on the back turns every employee into a moving billboard.

Once your logo is set up, re-ordering is simple, which matters when you hire new people or need to replace worn uniforms.

Event, fundraiser and race shirts

Charity 5Ks, golf tournaments, church events, festivals and reunions in Southwest Florida usually need a lot of shirts by a fixed date. Screen printing is the most economical choice. A one or two color design on the front, with sponsor logos on the back, is the classic setup. Order a size spread that matches your crowd and plan a few extras for day-of registrations.

Fundraisers often sell shirts before the event to raise money. Give yourself time to collect orders and sizes before the print date.

Merch for brands, bands and startups

If you are selling shirts, the bar is higher. Retail-quality merch needs a softer blank, a well-sized print and colors that look good in photos. Tri-blends, ringspun cotton and garment-dyed shirts are popular. Water-based or soft-hand inks give a lighter feel. Startups in Southwest Florida often order a mix: tees and hats for the team, plus a small batch of hoodies or premium pieces for launches and investors.

Start with a smaller run to see what sells, then re-order the winners. Since screens and files are already set up, re-orders are faster and easier.

Getting your logo print-ready

The best file is a vector: AI, EPS, PDF or SVG. Vectors are made of shapes instead of pixels, so they stay sharp at any size. If you only have a PNG or JPG, send the biggest, highest-quality version you can find. Text should be outlined or the fonts included. Brand colors are easiest to match with Pantone numbers.

If your logo lives on an old business card, a sign or a napkin sketch, that is okay. We help Southwest Florida customers clean up and rebuild artwork all the time, and you will see a digital proof before anything goes on a shirt.

Planning your order timeline

The most common problem we see is not the print, it is the calendar. Work backward from the day you need the shirts in hand. Leave time for picking garments, approving the proof, and printing or stitching. Blank availability can change, especially for specific colors and sizes, so ordering early gives you more options.

If you are in Southwest Florida and planning around a tournament, a grand opening, a fundraiser or a holiday, reach out as soon as you know the date. If the timing is tight, say so up front. We will tell you straight whether we can make it and what would help, like picking an in-stock garment or simplifying the design.

What affects the price of custom apparel

Four things move the price more than anything else: quantity, the garment, the number of colors (for screen printing) or stitches (for embroidery), and the number of places you want decorated. Setup costs are spread across the whole order, which is why 48 shirts cost less per shirt than 12. A one-color front print is the most economical; adding a back print, a sleeve or extra colors adds cost.

The garment can be the biggest variable of all. A basic cotton tee and a premium performance shirt are very different prices before anything is printed. For Southwest Florida customers on a budget, we will show you where to save without making the final product look cheap.

Custom hats: styles and decoration

Hats are one of the best-value branded items there is because people actually wear them. Trucker hats with mesh backs are a Florida favorite. Structured snapbacks show off a bold logo, unstructured dad hats are relaxed and comfortable, and performance caps handle boats, golf and running. Decoration options include flat embroidery, 3D puff embroidery for raised letters, and leather, woven or embroidered patches.

Hat logos are usually a little simpler than shirt logos because the front panel is curved and limited in size. We set up a hat-specific version of your logo and show you a proof.

Getting the size breakdown right

Sizing is where group orders go wrong most often. Collect actual sizes from everyone before you order instead of guessing. Remember that some styles run small, and women’s and youth cuts are sized differently from adult unisex shirts. For giveaways where you do not know who will show up, a common spread leans heavy on medium, large and XL with smaller amounts of small and 2XL.

Larger sizes like 2XL and up usually cost a little more per shirt because the blank costs more. If you are not sure how a style fits, ask us and we will tell you what customers in Southwest Florida have said about it.