Company merch for startups and IT teams: what employees actually wear

Company merch works for an IT team only if it's something people would actually pick up in a shop too: a 180–220 g/m² cotton T-shirt, a 280–320 g/m² hoodie, a neutral colour and a small logo on the chest or sleeve — not an A3-sized print covering the whole back. In practice, an order of 30 T-shirts with a single-colour DTF transfer in Riga costs roughly 12–18 EUR per piece (excl. VAT), with production taking 5–10 business days. Below is how to choose products, printing technology and quantities so the merch doesn't end up sitting in an office cupboard.

Why merch often doesn't work out in IT teams

Three of the most typical mistakes we see in practice: fabric that's too thin (a 140–150 g/m² T-shirt loses its shape after five washes), a logo that's too large, and a colour palette that's "too corporate". The fourth is a one-size-fits-all approach. If the order doesn't include a women's fit and XS/XXL sizes, part of the team simply won't wear the T-shirts.

The other side of the equation is the purpose of the merch. An onboarding kit for a new employee, a conference stand, and a hackathon gift are three different products with different budgets. A startup with 15 people doesn't need to order 200 T-shirts "for the future" — we're happy to work with a single piece, and a sample can be made before the bulk order.

Products that actually get worn in an IT environment

Clothing

• 180–200 g/m² cotton T-shirts — the base product. Black, grey melange, navy. A women's fit is a must.
• 280–320 g/m² hoodies and sweatshirts — the most worn merch in offices and remote work. Embroidery on the chest looks closer to retail quality than a large print.
• Caps and beanies — low cost, high usability, work well at conferences.
• Polo shirts — for sales meetings and partner events, if the team needs something between a T-shirt and a collared shirt.

You can browse the clothing range and printing options in the T-shirts and sweatshirts and jackets categories.

Desk and travel items

From our catalogue, the item IT teams order most often is the Oregon 750 ml RCS recycled plastic water bottle with a carabiner — available in 8 colours, clips onto a bag via the carabiner, and can be printed with 360° digital printing (a full-colour design wrapping around the whole body), screen printing for round surfaces, or pad printing if you only need a single-colour logo. The recycled plastic material is a strong argument if your company has ESG requirements for procurement.

Mugs, notebooks, tote bags and pens also perform well — see the full range in the promotional products with logo category.

Printing technologies: what to choose

In short: up to 25 pieces, DTF transfer is more cost-effective; above 50, screen printing wins. For hoodies and caps we almost always recommend embroidery, since it won't peel and looks cleaner on thicker fabric.

Indicative prices and quantities

Prices are indicative, excl. VAT, with printing in one location, one design. The exact price depends on quantity, size breakdown and the number of print areas.

A typical onboarding kit (T-shirt + bottle + notebook + pen) for 50 sets comes to roughly 25–32 EUR per set. See the full range in the water bottles category.

Files and artwork requirements

Please send vector graphics — .ai, .eps or .pdf, with colours in CMYK or specified as Pantone. We only use raster files (.png, .jpg) if the resolution is at least 300 dpi at the actual print size.

A few practical tips: for a logo on the chest of a T-shirt, the real-world width is usually 8–10 cm; on the back, 25–30 cm. For embroidery, text smaller than 4 mm in height won't work, and lines thinner than 0.5 mm tend to disappear. If your logo is only available as a .png, we can redraw it in vector format — typically 20–40 EUR depending on complexity.

Lead times and planning

The standard production time is 5–10 business days after artwork approval: DTF transfer and small runs 5–7 business days, larger-volume screen printing and embroidery 7–10 business days, printed promotional products 7–10 business days. Rush jobs — by arrangement.

If you need merch for a conference or a product launch event, we recommend submitting your request at least 3 weeks in advance: a week to collect sizes from the team, a week for artwork and approval, and a week for production. A team size survey is the simplest way to avoid a situation where half the order doesn't fit anyone.

Frequently asked questions

What's the smallest order you can produce?

We work with orders as small as 1 piece — DTF transfer and embroidery allow this without a setup fee. Screen printing involves screen preparation costs, so it becomes cost-effective from 30–50 pieces.

Can I order a sample before placing a bulk order?

Yes. We usually produce a single T-shirt or hoodie with the actual print within 5–7 business days. The sample cost is deducted from the final invoice if the order is confirmed.

How long does DTF printing last?

Washed at 30–40°C inside-out, DTF transfer withstands 40–50 washes without significant changes. Screen printing on cotton is more durable, and embroidery barely wears at all.

Can one order include different sizes and colours?

Yes, the size breakdown doesn't affect the price. Different garment colours are possible; with screen printing, additional colours may slightly change the setup cost, since dark and light fabrics use different colour layers.

Can you add each employee's name?

Yes. We personalise items using DTF transfer or embroidery; names usually add around 2–4 EUR per unit and 1–2 business days to the lead time.

What happens when new people join the team?

We keep the artwork and technical setup on file, so repeat orders of 3–5 pieces can be produced quickly, without an additional setup fee.

Send us your logo and an approximate quantity at info@attaprint.lv or message us on WhatsApp at +371 25776699 — project manager Madara will prepare a quote within one business day. Address: Kandavas iela 29A, Riga.