Frequently Asked Questions

Although many think I sit around eating bonbons with my feet up while watching my stories and waiting for orders, my day is typically quite full. I drop my daughter to school then start my work day with a cup of coffee. I promise you... you want me to have that coffee. After that I answer questions, respond to emails, and process new orders.

I then work on custom orders, develop new designs, photograph and list new products, develop a presence on social media, balance the books, order supplies, revamp old listings and product designs, and sometimes play with new materials or techniques.

I don't accept returns on invitations or custom printed work because we go through an extensive proofing process together, and I never print anything until I have your express print approval. I don't accept returns on other boutique items because they are all created to order and accepting returns is not financially viable at this time.

I have a thorough quality assurance process, but I and the trusted vendors I contract with are merely human and can make mistakes.

If at any time you receive something from me that you think is not worthy of the Lisa Kay Designs name, please reach out to me so we can discuss. I'm not just in the business of making money, I'm also in the business of making my customers happy.

HTV (heat transfer vinyl) a super thin sheet of vinyl with a heat-activated adhesive that sticks to the fabric

DTG (direct to garment) a printing process much like an inkjet printer but with fabric inks that prints the design directly onto the fabric

Heat Transfers - ink that is printed onto a transfer sheet applied with a commercial heat press; I use both screen print transfers and direct to foil transfers

Sublimation - a pigment dye that is printed onto special paper that turns into a gas when heated and is permanently absorbed into and becomes a part of certain types of fabrics and surfaces

When unpacking a DTG item, you might notice a vinegar-like smell or an off-white residue. Don't worry, that's not unusual - it's from a fixation agent applied during the printing process and it's not permanent.

Fixation agent (sometimes known as pre-treatment) is used for all DTG prints across the industry. 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. Sometimes the shipping department from my manufacturer will include a card explaining the reason.

Because my work list is so varied, I only make products a few times a week. Sometimes your order came in right before I fire up the heat press (or convection oven or however I make your item), sometimes it comes in right after and your order is first in the queue on next making day. Also, there are times when I am waiting for supplies to arrive.

I conservatively estimate my processing time with the hopes to always exceed expectations. Have a deadline? Ask! I'll do my best to make things work if I can.