How far ahead to order merch for a trade show

Why it takes 2–6 months

Simple items with a printed logo can move quickly. Products made from scratch, like custom molds, figures and special packaging, need tooling, samples and longer production runs. Add quality checks and freight, and the realistic window for custom merch is 2–6 months.

What happens in each stage

1. Brief and mockups: you share the event and audience; we send mockups with your logo and a quote.
2. Samples and approval: for many products, a physical sample is the best way to check color and quality.
3. Production: the main run is made and decorated.
4. Quality check and packing: everything is checked before it ships.
5. Freight and delivery: shipped to your office or straight to the booth.

A simple work-back plan

Start with your show date and count backward:

• Show week: merch delivered to the booth or advance warehouse.
• 3–6 weeks before: production finished, quality checked and shipped.
• 1–3 months before: production running.
• 2–6 months before: brief sent, mockups approved, sample checked.

For complex custom pieces, start at the earliest end of that range.

Products in this guide

Gift boxes

Notebooks

Tote bags

What speeds things up

Clear briefs, quick approvals and vector logo files save the most time. The fastest projects are the ones where decisions don't sit in an inbox. Our brief guide covers what to send.

If your show is soon

If you're inside the window, tell us the date and we'll say honestly what's realistic. Simpler products and decoration methods can often still make it.