FAQ
Here are our the questions we get asked most frequently. If you don’t see an answer here, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
How does your company work?
SoFonda Tees is a custom order company. Except for our “Pride Gear” imported merchandise, every order of our exclusives is design-specific; your requested product does not exist until you place the order. That is why we cannot take returns or exchanges on merchandise unless it is defective. We can’t just return it to the shelf and hope another customer will buy it. There are more than 4000 possible choice combinations on our site and that’s growing all the time.
If for any reason you don’t find the shirt you like on our web site, don’t choose the next best thing and hope it can be fixed after the fact. There is no way to fix what ain’t broke. Better to hold off on placing your order until you’re sure you can find the right item. We will help you if you ask us.
There is always an element of risk involved in online commerce, and we do our best to keep that risk low. But you can’t get 4,000 options at big-box stores. It’s a trade-off.
We can guarantee quality, but we can’t guarantee against Buyer’s Remorse.
What if my shirt doesn’t fit?
We have copied our size chart exactly from the manufacturer, and the overwhelming feedback from our customers is that it is accurate, because it depends on measurements, not on customary ideas of sizes. (We all know that, especially with women’s sizes, a size 8 from one manufacturer could be the same size as a 12 from another.)
To coin a phrase, “It works if you work it.” If you have any doubt about your size, use a tape measure the way they do in department stores, and then choose carefully from the chart based on the numbers.
Why does the color of my product look different from what I saw on your website?
Thankfully this question is becoming rare as consumers have become more familiar with technology. The tonal values in computer monitors and on other device screens like tablets and phones are individual settings and vary from one device to another. The color we select when we choose a product to offer will likely differ to some degree on the screen where you view it. So even though the colors are approximations depending on screen settings, our customers are very happy with the colors they receive.
How long will it take for me to get my order?
The fulfillment of your order can take from 2-7 business days. That doesn’t include shipping. Single shirt orders generally fulfill more quickly than multiple shirt orders. Keep in mind that business demand at any given time will affect fulfillment rates.
Then, depending on the courier and level of service you select, after the 2-7 days of fulfillment, shipping can take an additional 1-8 business days in the US.
Our production people tell us there is a 50/50 chance of orders reaching our shipping dock in 3 days or less and a better than 97% chance of your order being shipped in 5 days, but it’s not possible for us to make guarantees.
Please also keep in mind the above estimates are in optimum conditions. Situations beyond our control like illness and pandemic restrictions can affect both fulfillment and shipment. We have yet to have heard any serious problems, but allow for a maximum time for fulfillment and shipping and possible delays.
If you haven’t received your order in 2 weeks from the order date, then please contact us right away, and please check with the postal service and allow them to go through their tracking process. Don’t forget to check with family or neighbors who may have picked up your package and forgotten to mention it. For us to send a claim through, we will need you to verify that the shipping address you submitted with the order had no errors in it. If our tracking information confirms that your order was delivered, that will not constitute a lost order, and you will need to submit a new order with all purchase and shipping charges incurred. If your order has actually been lost in transit, we will re-submit it at no cost to you.
Did you get my order?
If you have any doubt, please check to see if your payment cleared. We don’t get immediate alerts for orders that fail because of credit card declines. There are times when PayPal will hold an order for any number of inexplicable reasons, but we can often push those through if you let us know there was a problem.
What if I want to change my mind about an order?
If you have second thoughts about a color, size, style, or shipping method, please contact us immediately. If the fulfillment process hasn’t yet started, we can still make some changes to your order. But once product is pulled and begun to be prepped for your custom order, changes are not possible.
What if my shirt brand of choice is out of stock?
Occasionally the brand shirt we offer for a product may be temporarily out of stock. At this time, it’s our policy not to substitute an alternate without your approval. We’ll notify you of the delay and confirm if you want to wait for restocking, make a substitution, or cancel the order.
Will all the items I’ve ordered always ship together?
If all the products you’ve ordered are available from the same supplier, most often they will all ship together, although there may be exceptions. If elements of your products come from different suppliers, they will likely be mailed in more than one shipment. This will happen most often with “Pride Gear” imported merchandise.
How should I wash my printed garments?
In order for you to prolong the life of your custom print, we suggest following these care instructions. Keep in mind that the original manufacturer’s care instructions don’t take print into consideration.
Machine wash cold, inside-out, gentle cycle with mild detergent and similar colors. Use non-chlorine bleach, only when necessary. No fabric softeners. Tumble dry low, or hang-dry for longest life. Cool iron inside-out if necessary. Do not iron decoration. Do not dry clean.
Be wary of washing and drying on a high setting, especially when the garment is 100% cotton. High-temperature washes can fade and crack the print, and a high-temperature dryer settings can shrink the garment and damage the print.
Why does my new shirt have a vinegar smell?
When unpacking a new shirt or hoodie with a direct-to-garment (DTG) print, you might notice a vinegar-like smell or an off-white residue. The smell is normal—it’s from a fixation agent applied during the printing process—and is not permanent.
Fixation agent (sometimes known as pre-treatment) is used for all DTG prints by all manufacturers. It helps the ink bond with the fabric, and without it, the ink would flake off the garment.
The solution is simply to wash the garment. Neither the residue nor the smell is permanent, and both should go away after one wash. If the discoloration is noticeable, our quality control team will notify you with a card explaining that it’s from the fixation agent. But again, it should wash right out.