RKM

FAQ's

Q1. What is the FOB seaport ?

Mumbai (Bombay), we also use dry port called Ludhiana and for textile shipment we sometimes use Tuticurin or Tirupur ports.

Q2. What is the FOB airport ?

New Delhi .

Q3. Are the sports ball sent without air (deflated) ?

Yes we mostly send them without air (deflated) unless specified. We can ship inflated balls however the cost of shipping and handling is very high .

Q4. What are the payment terms ?

Normally for promotional orders we work on 30 to 40% deposit and rest via L/c at sight or balance payment on shipment via wire transfer (TT). We can also accept L/c 30 to 90 days after doing a credit check on the client through Dun & Bradstreet (D & B) or our bankers .

Q5. Quality assurance ?

We work with so many different brand, store and multi nationals, but in case you need any pre-shipment inspection via SGS, ITS or STR etc, we can arrange the same for you as well. We might put surcharge for this from 1 to 1.5% due to extra handling.

Q6. What is the normal delivery time ?

It is normally 4 to 6 weeks ex-India for small order and big orders it is 6 to 10 weeks ex-India, however for special cases we can do in lesser time also. It all depends on order and stock position in the factory. For processing your orders faster we might ask for surcharge on case to case basis .

Q7. Transit and shipment time ?

From Indian seaport to European seaport it normally takes 4-5 weeks time and for other major seaport 5-6 weeks, for air shipment it takes 1 week approximately. It is always better to keep 1-2 weeks as buffer in case of any delay in vessel, strikes etc .

Q8. Factory visit ?

In case buyer wishes to visit the factory they are more than welcome, with a prior appointment.

Q9. Reach and safety standards?

We do all these products and have most of our product checked and certified, but in case you need certification for some particular project we can arrange the same.

Q10. Factory Audit ?

We have an audit report which can be sent to you. We have been audited before, in case your team wishes to audit the same can be arranged as well, with an prior appointment .

Q11. What is a latex bladder ?

In this case when we inflate the bladder (i.e. sports ball inner tube) this loses some air due to its nature after few days time (say 3-4 days) so has to be filled again with air. We suggest the sports ball with latex bladder to be inflated each time before playing.

Q12. What is the inner tube (bladder) leaking percentage or AQL level you follow ?

It is normally less than 1% the leaking percentage. We follow AOL level of 2.5% major, 4 % minor and 0% critical as per International standards .

Q13. What is a butyl bladder ?

In this case when we inflate the bladder (i.e. sports ball inner tube) this does not lose any air for good 20-30 days time, then after this time the sports ball might need to be re-inflated .

Q14. Do you ship the balls inflated ?

Whenever we quote any prices they are always for deflated ball with bulk packing, in case you ball to be shipped inflated that is possible of course but the freight becomes too high, we can only use butyl bladder (special latex) for this ball. For doing small packing, the surcharge will apply .

Q15. How do you pack the goods ?

Normally we do bulk packing but any special packing requirement can be done as per your specific project.

Q16. What do you mean by the layers?

This is fabric linings which is pasted onto the ball outer material from inside and are NOT visible from the outside.

Q17. How and why will the price vary for the balls ?

The price of the ball varies as per the outer finish. Carbon finish is more expensive, then high shine, then low shine and at last natural kid grain finish. Also 2 layer is cheapest, then 3 layer little expensive than this and 4 layer most expensive .

Q18. Child labour ?

We do not use any child labour inside our factory and are members of The Sports Goods Foundation of India (SGFI) an organization who works towards rehabilitation and prevention of child labour in the sports goods industry.

Q19. What is the sample lead time ?

The sample lead time normally with any imprint is 3-7 days and if you need the client logo and imprint etc, it can vary from 3 to 14 days depending upon the raw materials.

Q20. What is the sample cost / procedure ?

If you need just few samples, for the new client we send them FREE using their courier account number and in case they do not have a courier account we ask for the freight money via bank or Western Union and then arrange to send the samples. In case more samples, they we charge for the same.

Q21. Can we get samples with our logo and imprint ?

Yes you can, but we normally charge for the same on actual basis, this amount is refundable in the first order .

Q22. Minimum Order Quantity ?

We normally have minimum shipment valve with assorted product and sizes etc as USD 2500 but we can do smaller shipment and put 10-15% surcharge for the same.

Q23. Can you print poly bag or boxes with our name & logo ?

Yes that’s possible, we have done that for many of our other clients already .

Q24. Can you a special finish or shape for us in the sports ball ?

Yes that possible of course, if you send us your drawing, visuals, counter sample or picture we can always try to match them.

Q25 Do you produce on OEM basis?

Yes we produce on OEM basis.

FAQ's - Textiles

Q1. For mass distribution what sizes of t-shirts should we order?

It is always preferable to know the sizes of the users. There are various brands, each following their own size specifications. Therefore, to avoid disappoint to the receiver their shirt size should be taken as irrespective of the brand , shirt sizes are standard and then the same should be converted into t-shirts sizes as per the table below.

Shirt/T-SHIRT CROSS MEASUREMENT CHART

SHIRT SIZE (SHOULDER)	36	38	40	42	44	46
T-SHIRT SIZES (CHEST)	38	40	42	44	46	48
LABELED	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL

SIZE CHART
	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL
CHEST	19	20	21	22	23	24
LENGTH	26	27	28	29	30	31
SHOULDER	17	18	19	20	21	22

Q2. Why Do Garments fade?

Sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) radiation and it is this that causes colours to fade. In summer there is obviously a lot more UV radiation than in winter. Further, since the days are longer in summer, you are likely to have clothes fade more in summer than in winter. It is not just clothes hanging on the line to dry that fade. While you are out in the sun, the clothes you are wearing are being exposed to UV radiation and consequently are quietly fading.

Reducing Fading

While you cannot really do much to stop clothes fading while you wear them other than perhaps buying a very large hat or sombrero, you can take some steps to reduce fading when you hang your clothes out to dry after washing them. As a first step, turn your clothes inside out when you hang them out to dry. Any fading which occurs on the inside of the garment is not likely to be noticeable. If you have a rotary clothes line, hang your darker coloured clothes on the inner lines and the lighter coloured clothes on the outer lines. The clothes on the outer lines act as a shade for the inner lines and reduce the amount of sunlight they are exposed to. If you have a fixed clothesline you will know the direction from which the sunlight comes for the time of day when you are drying your clothes. Simply hang the white or lighter coloured clothes in a position so that, as much as possible, they come between the darker clothes and the sun.

Finally, do not leave the darker clothes on the line for longer than it takes to dry them. In summer especially, clothes are often dry in under an hour and so don't need to be left out for the whole day.

Q3. Minimum quantity I can order ?

Although at RKM we manufacture 8000 pieces a day. the minimum quantity is a single piece from our ready stock of colours and style with branding. Nevertheless, for economies of large scale production we suggest a minimum quantity of 250 pieces.

Q4. Colour options available in t-shirts ?

We offer a wide array of colour options to choose from our ready stocks nevertheless, if a specific colour is required the same too is possible minimum quantity in cotton is 300 pieces and for Polyester Cotton 600 pieces.

Q5. Can I give a pantone number to match my required color of T Shirtrs?

Yes pantone number works well with us. Please note that fabric pantone numbers are different from that of paper pantone numbers as the medium of printing is different. We will need the fabric pantone number. If giving a fabric pantone number is not possible a print out of the colour required too can suffice for matching it manually.

Q6. Can I customize my T Shirt order ?

Yes you can style your own T Shirt. Visit “Design Studio” on the home page. “Design Studio” is very interactive and simple to use. A minimum quantity of 300 – 500 T Shirts is required for the same depending on the pattern selected.

Q7. What type of branding is possible ?

Printing or embroidery are the most popular ways of branding. Depending upon the design we suggest the most suited technique. However one needs to remember that Halftone / Photographic images cannot be embroidered. Types of printing possible–

1. Pigment Printing - This is a water base method of printing which is possible only on white or light colour garments. Printing can be ironed upon.

2. Plastic Printing - This too is a water base method of printing on white or light colour garments. A thin film can be felt on the surface. Printing can be ironed upon.

3. White Opaque Water Base Printing (locally also termed as Khadi Printing.) – This was the age old method used to print on dark garments. It has a poor opacity. Printing can be ironed upon.

4. Plastisol Printing - Ideal to print on light/dark garments, has good opacity. There are special plastisol printing machines for this ink, fine letterings and alignments are easy to attain. This is the most popular technique of printing the world over. Printing cannot be ironed upon.

5. Lazor / Digital opaque printing on White or Light Garment – Brilliant reproduction of the design, the turnaround time too is very fast. Ideal technique of printing within a few hours. Nevertheless, the printing is Guaranteed to Fade with every wash. This technique is ideal for a single day event.

6. Lazor / Digital printing on Dark garments- Small quantities of dark garments or urgent requirements can be fulfilled by this method. Geometrical shaped designs are easily reproducible. Nevertheless, this method of printing works expensive and not suggested for large volumes.

7. Litho Transfer printing (sticker printing) – Ideal to print halftone designs and works very economical in large scale production. For small runs the development cost may constitute to a significant amount of the cost per piece of printing. Nevertheless the printing cannot be ironed upon. The edges may start fraying after a few washes. A thin film is formed on the garment.

8. Sublimation Printing – Printing is possible only on 100% Polyester garment. Excellent vibrancy of colours. Small runs of printing too is possible. Unlike transfer printing there are no development cost. The layer of ink cannot be felt.

9. Direct to garment printing- Also known as DTG printing, digital garment printing and inkjet to garment printing, is a process of printing on textiles and garments using specialized or modified inkjet technology. This technology is still at a very primarily stage and is evolving. Printing lacks vibrancy.

10. Rubberized Printing – Is a rubber based chemical, after printing on the garment the print area is heated from the reverse and the print swells out.

11. High Density printing : High density printing is done through a process of adding layers of ink on top of one another to create depth and 3D graphics.

12. Foil printing: Foil applications are a great way to add shine to your custom garments. Makes your t-shirt stand out with this special effect technique.Types of foil possible are gold, silver and brass.

13. Discharge printing : It is also called Extract Printing. This is a method of applying a design to dyed fabric by printing a colour – destroying agent such as chlorine or hydrosulphite, to bleach out a white or light pattern on the darker coloured ground. In colour discharge printing, a dye impervious to the bleaching agent is combined with it, producing a coloured design instead of white on the dyed ground.

14. Rotary printing: Images to be printed are curved around a cylinder. Large volumes of the same repeat printing such as the camouflage printing is attained through rotary printing.

15. Flock printing: It gives a velvet kind of a feel to print. After printing the gum onto the garment, flock powder (available in multi colours ) is sprinkled over the printed gum. Not a very popular way of printing on t-shirts

Metallic and Shimmer Inks : Special effect printing with metallic and shimmer inks come in Silver and Gold colour options. These inks include glitters and shimmers formulated to produce dramatic effects with excellent durability.

Q8. Minimum order quantity for customizing a T Shirts ?

300 – 500 T Shirt Quantity is required depending upon the pattern selected.

Q9. Will my T shirt shrink ?

Knitted cotton always shrinks on wash. However, the shrinkage is reduced by a process of compacting the fabric whereby the shrinkage is less than 5% (internationally accepted norm. )

Q10. Will the T Shirts bleed colour ?

Casablanca T Shirts are guaranteed for colour fastness. The T Shirts will not bleed or soil other clothes washed along with it. Colour Bleeding normally occurs when poor quality of dyes are used to save on cost of manufacture. (Do refer to Q2 : Will garments fade).

Q11. What is GSM?

GSM is the short form of “ Gram Square Meter”. This is normally confused with gms ( weight of the garment). It is not possible for a non industry person to determine the gsm. of a garment unless a lab test is done to determine the same. It is very unfortunate that a non industry person normally while comparing the price of a garment of various manufacturers use G.S.M.as a bench mark. Higher the gsm better the quality is an absolute myth.

Q12. What is the difference between combed / semi –combed / carded T shirt ?

There are various qualities of cotton yarn. Combed cotton is superior to semi or carded. Cotton balls start surfacing after a few washes if the yarn is a semi combed or carded.

Q13. Delivery Schedule?

In case of urgency our turnaround time could be a few working hours with branding from our stock colours and styles. Ideally we need 15 days to manufacture order specific styles. Nevertheless, the same too varies depending upon various factors such as style, quality and quantity.

Q14. Do higher gsm (thicker garments ) last longer ?

This is a myth, thickness of a garment does not guarantee its longevity.

Q15. What are Organic Cotton ?

Q16. What is pima cotton ?

Originating in the South Western United States, Pima cotton is most closely comparable to Egyptian cotton, with which it shares long-fibered tensile strength and an amazingly soft feel. Pima cotton was first produced in Peru, but has been named after the Pima tribe of Native Americans who began cultivation of the plant in the US. The desirability of Egyptian cotton led to attempts by the US to grow it in the Southwest, but the resulting crop varied slightly from its Egyptian cousin. The superb absorbency of the material does mean that stains are easily formed, and the fabric should be treated with stain guard whenever possible.

Q17. How do I get my goods ?

We ship the goods via air, rail, road & sea to the destination of your choice on a To-Pay basis. Delivery within Mumbai Octroi limits is free.

Q18. What kind of Artwork is required for branding ?

For printing we need a .CDR (corel draw with convert to curves or publish to service bureau) or .AI (Adobe illustrator) or EPS file with text converted to curves. For embroidery a good quality JPG file will suffice. In either case a physical printout is very imperative to match the colours. Please note that the colour on the monitor and output may differ therefore a signed printout is necessary.

Q19. How do I decide which quality of t-shirt should we opt for ?

For a non industry person the best way to determine the quality of a garment is by putting the garment through a wash. If the t-shirt holds good after a wash with regards to colour, shape and feel then it is safe to choose that quality. Technical jargons of specifications although may seem impressive do not hold good for a user as comprehending the technical is almost impossible to the user.

Q20. Why does the feel of the garment vary from the ordered sample ?

Cotton being a natural fibre is very sensitive to moisture. The feel of a garment varies depending upon the season it is manufactured in. Many a times the manufacturer needs to use dryers to dry the fabric, the feel of the garment will vary as compared to naturally dried fabric. In the corporate clothing industry delivery schedules are very crucial, and one cannot allow climatic conditions to affect the delivery schedules.

Q21. How much does it cost to have some t-shirts printed?

This depends on several factors. If I may ask you a few questions I will be able to give you a quote for your custom print job. As Screen Printers we should know all the factors that go into producing a custom t-shirt job and know that without getting all the details necessary you cannot give your customer an accurate quote.

Q22. Is the print going to stay on the t-shirt?

We guarantee that the print will stay on your shirts. If a screen printed image doesn't stay on the garment it is because the printer fails to properly monitor the final product as it rolled of out the dryer. A printed image must get to a temperature of 350 degrees all the through the image. If you have a thicker ink deposit on the tshirt the tshirt will require a longer time in the dryer. When a print cracks and peels on a tshirt it is because the screen print was not allowed to be fully cured. Each job has to be monitored separately to have the highest quality image possible.

Q23. Why can't you use this image that I supplied you with?

There are several answers to this question. Nowadays, most people think they can pull an image off the web and you can somehow magically make it appear on a shirt. The first concern you need to have is if the image is copy righted or not. After you've made that determination you can then begin to explain that images that are on the World Wide Web are only good for the web. The reason being is that images on the web are more times than not only 72dpi. The lower the number of dpi. the lower is the quality of the image . As a screen printer we know that it is very difficult to draw from an image with low resolution and the detail in the image will suffer tremendously. Secondly, many times a client brings in a jpeg image that has multiple colours in it and they think this is ready supplied art. Please ask your agency for a VECTOR image.

Q24. When can I get my t-shirts?

Here again the answer may vary depending upon your requirements and our stock availability. The standard time taken for production is 15 days from fabric manufacturing to delivery. Nevertheless, the same may vary depending upon the customization required by customers. No matter what, we do not make promises to our customers that we cannot keep.

Q25. Can I bring my own t-shirts in or do you supply them?

We do not entertain customers bringing their own garment and asking us to do the branding. Branding a garment risks rejections. Casablanca Apparels does not accept any product for branding other than our own.

Q26. Can I get a sample?

Yes you can get paid samples.

Q27. What if I need to order one more t-shirt?

We always suggest to our clients that they order an additional buffer quantity while placing the initial order itself. Being manufacturers it is almost impossible to reach the exact quantity ordered for unless we manufacture additional quantity and build it into our costing. This would always increase the cost of the t-shirt to a client therefore willingness to accept a tolerance level of 5% (+) / (-) in the quantity is recommended. Ordering an additional quantity later will cost a lot more.

Q28. Do you have t-shirts that I can try on?

We always suggest our clients try on the samples to determine the sizes required. Sample can be provided on confirmation of prices for size trials.

Q29. What if I need my logo for other types of printing?

If a client has been charged for the logo then we are obligated to give the same to you. Embroidery : Digitized designs can be mailed to you. Printing: We only charge our client for the mesh and positives. Therefore if they need the screens to be given to them then the cost of the metal frames will be charged additional.

Q30. Can you print this “Nike” logo on some t-shirts for me?

We have mentioned “Nike” only as an example but any copy righted logo is illegal to print unless you have been granted the rights to do so. You might not think it's a big deal or that you'll get caught. If you do get caught they can come in and take everything you own. Do you want to take that chance? Besides that it's a matter of morals. These people have invested a lot to be where they are. Put yourself in their shoes. We always think of it like this: "What comes around goes around!". Casablanca Apparels does not believe in stealing or using copy right designs and does not entertain such requests.

Q31. What is the Organic Cotton?

Organic cotton is grown without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers (there are natural ingredients that can be used for these purposes, such as pyrethrum, which comes from chrysanthemums). Emphasis is placed on the quality of the soil and things like crop rotation and supporting beneficial insects for pest control. Organically grown cotton fibers have the same characteristics as conventionally grown cotton. The yarn is just as strong and durable as any other cotton yarn you could buy Organic cotton yarns can be dyed, but another nice thing about many of the organic products on the market today is that they are left natural. Light brown, gray and green colors are most widely available, allowing you to make beautiful cotton garments that you can feel good about.

Q32. Are big brand names better in their qualities?

The quality you see in the retails outlets is not the quality you get to buy 99% of the time. Large brand names does not necessarily imply that the quality is good. Many large and popular brand in the retail segment have also entered the corporate promotional clothing industry. Nevertheless, they have created a separate low cost and quality line of products for the promotional industry which is not retailed. This line of products are being used only to en-cash their brand image. We suggest “buyer beware” and should keep the brand name aside and compare products on the basis of quality.