Gainesville runs on UF. Student organizations, intramural teams, bars and restaurants order shirts constantly, and we turn them around and ship them up.
Gainesville is in Alachua County, one of the 67 Florida counties we serve.
Who orders from Gainesville
- Student organizations
- Intramural teams
- Bars & restaurants
- Local startups
What we make
- Custom Screen Printing. Bold, durable ink on tees, hoodies, tanks and more. The go-to for team, crew and event orders.
- DTF & Heat Transfers. Full-color designs, small runs, and names and numbers on jerseys.
- Custom Embroidery. Stitched logos on polos, jackets, work shirts and bags for a sharp, professional look.
- Custom Hats. Embroidered and printed caps, trucker hats, beanies and visors with your logo.
- Promotional Products. Logo’d koozies, bags, drinkware, towels and giveaways. Everything imprinting.
Ordering from Gainesville
You don’t have to be local. Send us your art and details, we send back a price and a mockup, and once you sign off we print and ship it to you. Questions along the way go to a real person at (786) 525-6496.
Common questions
Do you ship to Gainesville?
Yes. We print in Fort Myers and ship finished orders to Gainesville and anywhere else in Florida.
Do I need to come to the shop?
No. Everything can be handled by phone and email, including proofs. You approve the mockup, we print and ship.
What do you need for a quote?
Your logo, what you want it on, quantities and sizes, and the date you need it. Call (786) 525-6496 or email sales@dadbodscreenprinting.com.
Also shipping to
Jacksonville, St. Augustine and the rest of Florida. Our home base is Southwest Florida.
Custom apparel in Gainesville: the full guide
Dad Bod Screen Printing is a Southwest Florida print shop, based in Fort Myers since 2020, that ships custom shirts, embroidered polos, hats and promotional products to Gainesville and the rest of the state. You do not need to come to the shop. Quotes, digital proofs and questions are handled by phone and email, and finished orders ship to you. Below is everything we usually walk customers through before an order: which decoration method to choose, what shirts hold up in Florida, how to get your art ready, and what drives the price.
Industries we print for in Gainesville
Schools, colleges and student groups
Spirit wear, club shirts, field day tees, staff shirts and booster gear are steady orders for schools and campus groups. Bright colors, bold one or two color designs and a range of youth and adult sizes are typical. Order early around the start of the year and big events.
Leagues, teams and clubs
Soccer leagues, baseball, softball, lacrosse and rec teams order jerseys, practice shirts, coach and parent gear every season. Names and numbers can be added per player, and sponsor logos on the back or sleeve help cover costs. Collect sizes early and order a few extras for late sign-ups.
Restaurants, bars and hospitality
Staff shirts need to look sharp, survive a kitchen and still be comfortable at the end of a double. Embroidered polos and button-downs work for front-of-house and managers, while printed tees and hats keep the rest of the team matching. Merch for regulars, like a soft tee or a trucker hat, is a small extra revenue stream that also advertises the spot.
Startups and new businesses
New businesses need swag fast: tees and hats for the team, something for the launch party, and a few premium pieces for clients and investors. Start with a small run, keep the design simple and on-brand, and re-order what people actually wear. We keep your files so the next batch matches.
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 Gainesville customers on a budget, we will show you where to save without making the final product look cheap.
Event, fundraiser and race shirts
Charity 5Ks, golf tournaments, church events, festivals and reunions in Gainesville 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 Gainesville 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.
Re-orders and keeping your brand consistent
Once your artwork, ink colors or embroidery file are set up with us, re-ordering is easy. We keep your files, so the next batch of shirts, hats or polos matches the last one. That consistency matters for businesses in Gainesville that hire throughout the year, teams that add players mid-season and brands that restock merch. Just tell us what you ordered last time and how many you need.
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 Gainesville customers clean up and rebuild artwork all the time, and you will see a digital proof before anything goes on a shirt.
Team, league and club uniforms
Youth soccer leagues, rec leagues, travel teams and adult leagues around Gainesville 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.
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.
Caring for printed and embroidered apparel
Most fading and cracking comes from how shirts are washed, not how they were printed. Wash inside out in cold water, tumble dry low or hang dry, and do not iron directly on a print. Skip fabric softener on performance shirts because it can affect how they wick. Embroidered pieces can be washed warm, but air drying keeps them looking their best. Hats should be spot cleaned and air dried on something round.
Screen printing or embroidery for Gainesville?
This is the first question almost everyone in Gainesville 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 Gainesville businesses do both, printed tees for the crew and embroidered polos for the office or front counter.
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 Gainesville 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.
Company uniforms that hold up
Work shirts take a beating. For trades and service companies in Gainesville, 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.
More questions from Gainesville customers
Do you have a minimum order for Gainesville?
Screen printing starts at 24 pieces and embroidery starts at 6 pieces. Heat transfers and DTF work for smaller runs, and bulk discounts kick in on larger orders. Call or email with what you need and we will tell you the best option.
Can you put names and numbers on jerseys?
Yes. Team designs can include individual player names and numbers, which is common for soccer leagues, baseball and rec teams.
What is the difference between screen printing and DTF?
Screen printing pushes ink through a stencil, one color at a time, and is the best value for group orders. DTF (direct-to-film) prints a full-color design onto a film that is heat pressed onto the garment, which is handy for small runs and full-color art.
Can I re-order the same design later?
Yes. We keep your files on hand, so re-orders match the original and are simpler to set up.
Can you match my brand colors?
Yes. Send Pantone numbers if you have them, or your brand guide. We match ink and thread as closely as possible and show you a proof first.
Can I provide my own garments?
Sometimes. It depends on the item and the decoration method. Call us first so we can tell you what will work and what to expect.
What sizes are available?
Most styles run from adult small to 2XL or 3XL, with many in youth sizes and some in larger adult sizes. Women’s and youth cuts are available in many styles.
Need shirts in Gainesville?
Send it over and we’ll get you a price and a proof.