Direct-To-Garment (DTG)
Screen Printing
Heat Transfer
Embroidery
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General Questions
How can I get a quote?
For smaller basic apparel orders, you are welcome to purchase through our website. Otherwise, please complete our Quote Request form. No order too big or too small!
Where are you located?
We are located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada!
8 - 3601 19 Street NE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
What are your hours of operation?
E-MAIL AND LIVE CHAT SUPPORT
MON - FRI: 9:30AM - 9:00PM MST
SAT: 1:00PM - 4:00PM MST
SUN & HOLIDAYS: CLOSED
OFFICE HOURS FOR PICK-UPS
MON - FRI: 2:00PM - 5:00PM MST
WEEKENDS & HOLIDAYS: CLOSED
Please ensure that you have received your READY FOR PICKUP email prior to your arrival.
OPERATING HOURS - BY APPOINTMENT
Ink Engine is a manufacturing shop, and we are not setup as a walk-in retail location. Clients are invited to call or email us in advance so that we can schedule dedicated time to meet with you to discuss your order requirements.
MON - FRI: 9:30am - 5:30pm
WEEKENDS & HOLIDAYS: CLOSED
PHONE: (403) 907 - 1001
1-1247 36 Ave NE
Calgary, AB
Canada
Can I combine items from Shop sellers and custom/personalized items in my order?
Yes! All Marketplace, custom and personalized products will be shipped in one package with one shipping fee.
Payments
What methods of payment do you accept?
Our payment processor is Stripe, and they accept:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Google Pay
- Apple Pay
We also accept PayPal payments.
When will my card be charged?
Custom Orders & Marketplace Shops:
When we receive your order, your card is pre-authorized. We do a review of your order (including artwork, and product inventory), if everything looks great we accept your order. At this point, your card is charged.
Any changes to your order should take place before we accept it, once it is accepted, we are unable to make most changes to your order.
Is my payment information secure?
Our payment processor is Stripe, and they take your security seriously.
Stripe has been audited by a PCI-certified auditor and is certified to PCI Service Provider Level 1. This is the most stringent level of certification available in the payments industry. To accomplish this, they make use of best-in-class security tools and practices to maintain a high level of security at Stripe.
We also offer Paypal, see how they guarantee your security here.
Decoration Options
What is Direct-to-Garment (DTG)?
Direct to garment printing (DTG) is a process of printing on textiles using specialized aqueous ink jet technology. DTG printers typically have a platen designed to hold the garment in a fixed position, and the printer inks are jetted or sprayed onto the textile by the print head. DTG typically requires that the garment be pre-treated with a PTM or Pre-treatment machine allowing for the following:
- Stronger bond between garment fibers and the pigmented inks
- Lays down loose fibers to provide for a smoother substrate
- Chemically reacts with the inks to promote drying and curing
Since this is a digital process the print is sharper and has a higher resolution, or DPI, than traditional printing methods such as screen printing. However, unlike screen printing, there is no long setup or clean-up process, and DTG has the ability to print just one single shirt for minimal cost.
Source: Wikipedia
What is Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV)?
Heat transfer vinyl, or HTV for short, is a specialty vinyl polymer that can be used on certain fabrics and materials to create designs and promotional products. It comes in a roll or sheet form with an adhesive backing so it can be cut, weeded, and placed on a substrate for heat application. Heat transfer vinyl is made in single colors and also has special options such as patterned, glitter, flocked, holographic, glow-in-the-dark, reflective and 3D brick effect.
Source: Wikipedia
What is Embroidery?
Machine embroidery is an embroidery process whereby an embroidery machine is used to create patterns on textiles. It is used commercially in product branding, corporate advertising, and uniform adornment. It is also used in the fashion industry to decorate garments and apparel.
Source: Wikipedia
What is Screen Printing?
Screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil.
A blade or squeegee is moved across the screen to fill the open mesh apertures with ink, and a reverse stroke then causes the screen to touch the substrate momentarily along a line of contact. This causes the ink to wet the substrate and be pulled out of the mesh apertures as the screen springs back after the blade has passed. One color is printed at a time, so several screens can be used to produce a multicoloured image or design.
Source: Wikipedia
Are DTG inks safe?
Innobella Textile Inks are water-based pigment inks and are ECO PASSPORT by OKEO-TEX® certified and CPSIA compliant. The innovative packaging uses less plastic thanks to the new replaceable pouches so there is less waste and less impact on the environment.
Safety must always be top of mind with any product, and with Innobella Textile Inks you can be confident that your products are safe for all ages.
How durable are your imprint methods?
DTG:
Designs printed with Innobella Textile Inks are meant to be worn, not worn out. The special formulation combats the chemicals found in typical laundry detergent and withstands the rubbing and scraping of zippers and buttons. The result is a great looking garment that looks brighter, longer. brighter, longer with proven washability as evidences by AATCC wash tests, where our inks score 4.0 or higher on every test.
Embroidery:
All of our designs are embroidered using polyester threads. It won't shrink, fade, or bleed and will last the test of time.
Sublimation:
Dye-sublimation works by penetrating the surface of the substrate with ink. Dye-sublimation printing yields beautiful and permanent colors that are embedded in the substrate or fabric, rather than printed on the surface. Images on fabric won't fade or crack even after multiple washings.
Vinyl (HTV):
A quality vinyl should last as long as the garment lasts if you wash and dry the garment properly. It’s better to turn the garments inside out before washing; it will protect the fabric from abrasion from all of the rubbing. Avoid putting vinyl decorated apparel in the dryer, as this can sometimes cause the glues to release due to the heat.
Screen Printing:
Screen printing uses plastisol ink and once applied to the apparel, it sits on top of the fabric. To ensure your print lasts a long time, wash and dry your apparel inside out.
Join Ink Engine
What is Ink Engine Marketplace?
Ink Engine Marketplace allows artists, creators, brands, and small businesses to sell their designs and receive royalty payments.
We host your designs, process all sales, print your designs, and ship on your behalf to your customers. You receive a royalty payment monthly for all sales your designs have received.
You never need to carry inventory, there are no setup fees, and there are no monthly fees!
You will maintain full ownership of your designs, you can remove them from our site at any time.
I'd like to launch my own clothing brand, can you help?
Of course! Currently we offer our Shops for small businesses, creators, and artists to sell their designs.
If you don't think the regular Shop option are the right option for you, we also offer Brand Stores to creators. You will have your own exclusive website, with the option to use your own domain. This premium service is offered at a couple different price points.
Request to Open a Store, and we will be in touch!
My Order
Where is my order?
All of our merchandise is made to order. The Marketplace orders typically ship out within 3 - 10 business days.
Custom or personalized orders typically ship out in 3 - 10 business days, depending on product selected and whether or not it is currently in stock.
If you need your items sooner, please contact us and we will do the best that we can!
We are shipping from Canada, any international orders may take longer. Some countries, due to their locations or customs regulations, there could be additional delays.
What stage is my order in?
You can follow along with your order production, within your My Account page.
If available, you'll also be able to follow your package through our shipping tracking.
Can I cancel my order?
Yes, you can cancel your order if it is still in "On Hold" status, as it hasn't been sent to the production queue yet.
Once your order has moved from the On Hold status, we are busy ordering your selected garments, getting your artwork perfect for print, and scheduling your job to meet deadlines.
Can I make changes to my order?
Depending on the change and when the change request is received, it may be possible. Please contact us to discuss.
Can I update my billing address?
You bet! The next time you are ready to place an order, you will have this option.
Don't worry though, if you have placed an order with an error in the billing address. Once your order is placed and billed, our systems validate the billing address matches the credit card used. If it cleared our billing verification, you will receive a confirmation email confirming that your order has moved into pre-production.
Our billing system is secure and automated, therefore we are unable to make any changed to your billing details on your behalf once the order has been submitted.
Can I change my shipping address?
Yes, in most cases you can update the shipping address up until we ship your items.
Please contact us so we can ensure it is shipped to the correct destination.
My order hasn't arrived yet, what can I do?
Due to delays in shipping due to COVID-19, some packages are taking longer than expected. We apologize for any delay, but please understand that once it leaves our shop we have no control over the shipping carriers.
If your delivery is late or missing, please let us know within 2 business days so that we can follow up with the carrier.
I have received my order, but it isn't complete, what do I do?
Oh no! Please contact us within 5 business days of receiving your package, and we will figure out where we went wrong... and make it right for you!
Oh oh, I ordered the wrong size! Can I change it?
You can make changes on your order when it is still in On Hold status.
After your order has started to progress through the production stages, depending on where your order is in the process, we can possibly change this for you. Please contact us and we will see what we can do!
Can I return or exchange my order?
Returns and exchanges are not guaranteed and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
We stand behind the quality of each product that leaves our shop. In the rare chance that your item arrived damaged or defective, please contact us. We may request photos of the items, please be ready to provide them when we reach out. Your return/exchange request MUST be submitted within 30 days of delivery.
For more information, see our Exchanges and Refunds policy page.
Can I exchange an item?
Exchanges
We are happy to exchange your order if you have received the correct order, but aren't happy with the sizing.
- 30 days within order ship date
- The product is in its original packaging
- The product isn't worn, washed, or damaged
- You obtained a Return Merchandise Number (RMN) from us
Products that do not meet these criteria will not be considered for exchange. Please do not mail items to us that have not been provided an RMN.
To obtain a Return Merchandise Number (RMN), contact us:
- By email: support@inkengine.com
Send the product with its original packing and the RMA number, along with a note indicating what you'd like to exchange the product for, to:
1 - 1247 36 Ave NE
Calgary, Alberta
T4E 6N6
Please ensure to save your tracking information for the return shipment in case we need it for reference.
Once we have received your order back into our warehouse, we will contact you with the exchange shipping invoice to send you the new item. Exchange shipping costs will be assessed upon receiving the item, or please request this information during the RMA process.
Once the exchange shipping invoice is paid, we will process the exchange. Please note - exchanges my take up to 10 business days to process after they arrive.
If you do not contact us within 30 days of receiving your order, we will not be able to honor any exchanges or refunds.
I received the wrong size or colour - help!
Please contact us with the details of the items you received, and we will make it right!
My item was damaged during washing - help!
Unfortunately, we are not responsible for damage incurred by washing or regular wear and tear.
We strongly recommend to follow our included care instructions found with each order;
- Wash your apparel inside out on a cold cycle
- Tumble dry on low, inside out
Following these instructions will give your garments the longest life possible!
Shipping & Delivery
Do you ship internationally?
In most cases, yes. There are some countries that we are unable to ship to due to international agreements and carrier restrictions.
Which shipping carriers do you use?
We use several different carriers to ensure the best service possible;
- Canada Post
- Chit Chats - USPS
- Canpar
- FedEx
- Purolator
- UPS
I need it quicker, do you offer expedited shipping?
We only offer standard shipping at this time.
Can I pick-up my order?
If your postal code at checkout is within Calgary and surrounding areas you'll be able to select Local Pick-up at checkout.
OFFICE HOURS FOR PICK-UPS
MON - FRI: 2:00PM - 5:00PM MST
WEEKENDS & HOLIDAYS: CLOSED
Please ensure that you have received your READY FOR PICKUP email prior to your arrival.
Can I change my shipping address?
Yes, in most cases you can update the shipping address up until we ship your items.
Please contact us so we can ensure it is shipped to the correct destination.