Custom Fabric Printing: Lead Times, Minimums, and the Strike-Off Process

How custom fabric printing actually works

Custom fabric printing converts a designer's artwork into printed yardage on a specified base cloth. The modern workflow is almost entirely digital inkjet for runs under 500 yards; screen printing and rotary printing come in only at higher volumes.

Digital inkjet has changed the economics. Strike-offs are cheaper, MOQs are lower, and color range is wider. A trade buyer can run a 20-yard custom project today that would have been impossible in 2010.

The Michael Jon Designs Print Studio runs digital on a select list of performance and decorative base cloths. The process below is how a custom project moves from concept to shipped yardage.

The 7-step process

1. Art prep: vector or high-resolution raster file, built at the correct repeat and dpi. Typical spec is 150 dpi at final print size, CMYK with Pantone callouts.
2. Base cloth selection: pick the fabric for printing. Each base has different ink uptake, hand, and finishing options.
3. Color match: Pantone references are provided; lab matches each color on the base cloth. Print response varies by substrate.
4. Strike-off: the print shop runs a single yard (or half-yard) sample on the selected base. Strike-off is reviewed, adjusted, and re-struck if needed.
5. Approval: designer signs off on the final strike-off. This is the last chance to adjust color or scale.
6. Production: the full run is printed and finished (steaming, washing, post-treatment depending on base cloth).
7. QC and ship: yardage is inspected for print defects, selvedge quality, and color consistency, then cut and shipped.

Typical lead times

Minimums (MOQ)

Digital printing MOQ depends on the base cloth. A 100 percent performance polyester may run at 15 to 25 yard minimums. A specialty linen or an outdoor olefin may require 50 yards or more. A rotary-printed or screen-printed run typically starts at 300 to 500 yards.

MJD's Print Studio publishes per-base MOQs on the order page. For trade projects under the standard MOQ, ask about combining orders across colorways.

• Performance polyester twill: 15 to 25 yard MOQ
• Linen blend digital: 25 to 50 yard MOQ
• Cotton duck: 25 to 50 yard MOQ
• Outdoor solution-dyed olefin (digital): 50 yard MOQ
• Velvet or specialty pile: 50 to 100 yard MOQ
• Screen or rotary print: 300 to 500 yard MOQ

Base cloth options

Pricing model

Custom print pricing is typically a two-part structure: a one-time strike-off fee and a per-yard rate on production.

Strike-off fee: covers the lab setup, color-match iteration, and the printed sample. Typical range is $150 to $400 per design, regardless of colorway count.

Per-yard rate: depends on the base cloth, the ink coverage, and the run length. Digital print on performance polyester runs in the $22 to $45 per yard range wholesale; specialty bases run higher.

Volume tiers apply. A 50-yard run on a digital base is typically priced higher per yard than a 200-yard run on the same base. Ask for the quantity break pricing when requesting a quote.

Color matching and Pantone

Digital print reproduces a wide color range, but not all Pantones print cleanly on every base. Neons, deep oranges, and true blacks can be challenging depending on ink set and substrate.

Provide Pantone references for each color. The strike-off is the point where the lab matches the print to the Pantone under standardized light (typically D65 daylight). Minor shifts are normal; major shifts are adjusted before production.

Approve the strike-off under the lighting the fabric will live under. A print that looks right under studio daylight may read differently under warm-white hospitality lighting.

Common issues and how to avoid them

• Art supplied at screen dpi (72 dpi) instead of print dpi (150 dpi at final size) produces soft, pixelated output. Send print-ready art.
• Artwork built in RGB without a CMYK conversion proof can shift color. Convert and proof before strike-off.
• Pattern repeat not set correctly produces a visible seam across widths. Confirm the repeat in the file, not just in the design intent.
• Skipping the strike-off to save time. The strike-off is the only sign-off point before a 200-yard production run. Skipping it risks the full run.
• Underestimating production lead time. Plan 8 to 12 weeks from art approval to shipped yardage. Hospitality construction schedules need to account for this.

Ownership and exclusivity

Custom prints through MJD are run to the buyer's design and for the buyer's project. The buyer retains rights to the artwork; the mill prints to order.

For trade buyers developing proprietary patterns, ask about exclusivity terms before the first run. Exclusivity may apply by region, by channel, or by time window.

When to use the Print Studio vs Capsule Collection

Custom print makes sense when the design intent cannot be met from stock. For a one-off hospitality project with a brand pattern, a residential client with a bespoke design, or a contract project requiring unique art, the Print Studio is the path.

For quick-turn or budget-sensitive projects, the Capsule Collection has in-stock patterns with immediate yardage and lower total cost. The Last Chance section carries retiring yardage at closeout for short-run projects.