June 2026 · 6 min read
What our base sheet actually records
A base sheet is the single document that defines how a fulfillment partner treats a product. Here is what ours records and why each field matters at production time.
A base sheet is the single document that defines how a fulfillment partner treats a specific product. It is the file your operators reach for before answering a customer question about turnaround, decoration limits, or packaging dimensions. Most partners keep base sheets internal; ours are referenced directly in our public-facing product detail pages, which is one reason those pages list more technical detail than most. Below is what each base sheet records and why each field matters at production time.
Material composition. Recorded as a percentage breakdown (e.g., 80 percent combed cotton, 20 percent polyester) plus weight in grams per square metre. Matters because decoration receptivity varies with material; sublimation needs polyester, DTG holds best on cotton, embroidery handles either but with different needle settings.
Dimensional shrinkage profile. Recorded as percentage shrinkage per dimension across the first three wash cycles. Matters because oversized artwork on a high-shrinkage base will misalign after one wash. Files near the trim line need shrinkage compensation built into placement.
Colour palette and dye stability. Recorded as the list of currently stocked colours with the dye lot reference for the current production batch. Matters because dye batches shift slightly; a colour matched in May is not bit-identical to the same colour in November. Brand-critical colour matches need spec confirmation against current batch.
Decoration windows per method. Recorded as the safe-area dimensions per decoration method (e.g., DTG safe area 30x40cm front chest, screen safe area 25x35cm centre). Matters because exceeding safe area risks edge bleed, seam interference, or print head clearance issues.
Packaging template. Recorded as the carton or polybag size used per order quantity. Matters because dispatch weight, postage class, and stack height all depend on packaging dimensions. Misconfigured packaging is the second most common reason for shipping cost overruns after weight misclassification.
Production window. Recorded as eightieth-percentile completion time from order confirmation to label generation, calculated from the past ninety days of orders. Matters because this is the realistic figure that supports timeline promises to buyers.
Supplier and restock lead time. Recorded as the supplier name (internal) plus typical restock window when stock runs short. Matters because stock-out responses depend on whether the alternative is two days or two weeks. We do not publish supplier names externally for commercial reasons.
Eight fields per base, fifteen bases in the catalogue. The full base sheet collection is reviewed quarterly and updated when supplier specs change. Partners can request the full sheet for any product as part of onboarding.