Gift-season timeline: when to order quarter zips for December
Quarter zips are a holiday gift, which means every decorator is busy in November. Battle Born Clothing's standard turnaround is 28 days from proof approval, so here is the calendar that gets your order delivered before the office party.
The timeline, working backward
| Step | Who | Time | Latest date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Request quote | You | Same business day | Oct 26 |
| Approve quote, send sizes and art | You | 1 to 3 days | Oct 29 |
| Digitizing and proof | Us | 2 to 4 days | Nov 3 |
| Approve proof | You | 1 day | Nov 4 |
| Production (standard) | Us | 28 days | Dec 2 |
| Freight | Carrier | 1 to 5 days | Dec 9 |
| Buffer | 1 week | Dec 16 |
The short version: approve the proof by early November for a safe mid-December delivery. Every week later eats the buffer.
Why 28 days
The 28-day window covers blank ordering from SanMar (Reno warehouse first, 1 to 2 days) or S&S, backorders on odd sizes, machine time across our two embroidery heads, and quality checks. Most orders finish before 28 days; we quote 28 so we never miss.
Rush orders
Rush is quoted per job. In November it depends on whether the blank is in stock in Reno and how booked the machines are. Ask early; a rush in late October is easy, a rush on December 10 may not be possible.
Stock risk in Q4
Popular fleece colors and 2XL+ sizes sell out at suppliers in November. If a color is short, we tell you on the quote and offer the next closest. Order in October if you have a must-have color.
What slows an order down
- Artwork that arrives as a low-resolution JPEG and has to be redrawn.
- Proof approval that sits in an inbox. The clock does not start until you approve.
- Size lists that change after blanks are ordered.
- Adding a second location or a second style mid-order.
What speeds it up
- Vector art and a Pantone for thread color on the first email.
- A final size list with 3 to 5 percent extras.
- A purchase order or deposit with the quote approval.
- One ship-to address.
After the holidays
January is the quietest month, so if the gift is a new-year kickoff rather than a December party, order in December for a mid-January delivery and skip the rush entirely.
Lock in a holiday quarter zip order
Questions
Can you guarantee a December delivery?
If the proof is approved by early November and the blank is in stock, yes under the standard 28-day window. After that we quote a rush per job and tell you honestly if it cannot be done.
Do you charge more in November?
No. Pricing is the same year-round. Only rush requests carry a per-job charge.