You’re Not Too Late: How to Save Your Christmas Printing Season
You’re Not Too Late: How to Save Your Christmas Printing Season
If you haven’t started your Christmas prep yet, you’re running a little behind. But don’t panic. There’s still time to make this your busiest, most profitable season yet.
With a smart plan (and the right tools), you can get organised, stay productive and deliver every festive order on time. Here’s your catch-up schedule to get back on track, starting today.
Week one: Get organised (Now!)
This week is all about getting clear on what you’re selling, when you’re printing it, and what stock you need.
Set your order cut-off date
- Pick the latest day you’ll accept Christmas orders and work backwards. Make sure you factor in delivery times, reprints, and your busiest production days
Lock in your products
- Stick to proven sellers like hoodies, T-shirts, pyjamas, tote bags, aprons and caps. These are fast to press, easy to personalise, and always popular for gifts.
Order your blanks and transfers together
- Save time by ordering everything you need in one go. With Stahls’ new combined checkout, you can now order blank apparel, heat transfers, and accessories all with the fastest turnaround in the UK
Plan your production week
- Map out when you’ll press, pack, and post. A simple calendar (even on paper) will help you stay focused and see where your busiest weeks are
Week 2: Prep and Press
Your stock should be arriving, which means it’s time to start pressing. This is your make-it-happen week
Batch your orders by product
- Press all hoodies one day, all T-shirts the next, it saves you constantly switching platens and settings
Use reliable, ready-to-press transfers
-
UltraColour PRO: Perfect for bulk festive orders and intricate artwork
- InkTra: Ideal for simple, single-colour designs that still look premium
- Silicone 3D: Great for high-end gift items like caps, outerwear and accessories
Speed up your workflow
- If you’re using a Hotronix Auto Open or Fusion IQ, pre-set your favourite transfers so you can move between jobs faster and reduce downtime
Keep designs repeatable
- Now’s not the time for complex multi-layer prints. Stick to simple, effective designs that press perfectly every time
Week 3: Pack and Post
Orders should be moving out the door this week. The key here is efficiency and consistency.
Quality check every item
- A quick check before folding saves time (and customer stress) later
Package and label as you go
- Don’t let finished items pile up, get them boxed and ready to post daily
Add a personal touch
- Slip in a thank you note or care instructions, it helps your brand stand out and encourages repeat customers next year
Share the process
- Post behind-the-scenes shots of your Christmas orders being pressed and packed. It builds trust and reminds your followers that you’re still taking festive orders
Week 4: Last-Minute Magic
This week is all about finishing strong and handling any last-minute rush orders
Offer express options
- If you can, take on smaller urgent jobs with a premium price, plenty of customers will pay extra to have their items in time for Christmas
Restock your bestsellers
- Use UltraColour gang sheets to quickly reprint your most popular festive designs
Stay calm and press on
- You’ve done the hard work, now keep your workflow tight, trust your process, and get those final parcels out the door
Ready to Make Up for Lost Time?
Even if your Christmas prep started a little late, it’s not too late to have your best season yet.
With next-day delivery on blank apparel, fast and professional heat transfers, and Hotronix technology designed to keep up with your workflow, you have everything you need to finish strong and deliver every order on time.