Production Delay & Force Majeure
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Production Delay Policy
What happens when an order cannot be produced on schedule, how we notify you, and what you are entitled to.
Last updated: August 2026 · K&Y, Inc. DBA DTF4Prints
We meet our production times on the large majority of orders. When we cannot, you should hear it from us before you have to ask. This page sets out what counts as a delay, how we handle it, and where the limits of our responsibility sit.
What counts as a delay
A delay means your order has not entered or completed production within the timeframe published in our Shipping & Pickup Policy. Production time is the time we take to make your order. It does not include carrier transit time — a package moving slowly after it leaves us is a shipping issue, not a production delay, and is covered by our Cancellation & Claim Policy.
Common causes
| Cause | Typical impact | Who it sits with |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork requires clarification or a corrected file | Production starts when the usable file arrives | Resolved with you |
| Equipment fault or scheduled maintenance | Usually under 1 business day | Us |
| Film, ink, or powder supply interruption | Varies — we will give you a date | Us |
| Unusually high volume, typically seasonal peaks | 1 business day or less | Us |
| Utility outage, severe weather, or other force majeure | Varies | Outside anyone's control |
| Payment could not be verified | Production starts on clearance | Resolved with you |
The most common cause is a file we cannot print
If your artwork is low resolution, lacks transparency, or is sized wrong, we stop and contact you rather than print something you will reject. The production clock restarts when the corrected file arrives — so if you submit at 12:55 PM and we need a new file, that order will not make the 1:00 PM PST same-day cutoff.
How we notify you
We contact you by email
As soon as we know an order will miss its production window, we email the address on the order with the reason and a revised estimate.
We call for time-critical orders
If you flagged a deadline in your order notes, or the order is large, we call as well as email.
We give you a real date, not a vague one
If we cannot yet give a firm date, we tell you when we will be able to, and we come back to you on that day whether or not there is news.
Your options when an order is delayed
| Situation | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Delayed, production not started | Cancel for a full refund, or wait for the revised date |
| Delayed, production already started | The order cannot be cancelled, but we will expedite shipping at our cost where the delay was ours |
| Delay causes you to miss a stated deadline | Contact us. Where the delay was ours and you told us the deadline in advance, we refund shipping and will discuss the order itself |
| Delay caused by a file we had to query | The revised timeline applies; this is not treated as our delay |
Tell us your deadline before you order, not after
Put your in-hands date in the order notes at checkout. We can route around a deadline we know about — by expediting, resequencing, or telling you upfront that it is not achievable. We cannot do anything about a deadline we learn of after the fact.
What we do not cover
Our responsibility for a delay is limited to the order itself — a refund, a reprint, or expedited shipping. As set out in our Terms, we are not liable for indirect or consequential losses arising from a delay, including lost sales, event costs, blank garments purchased for the job, or penalties under your own contracts.
We are also not responsible for delays after your order leaves us. Carrier transit times are estimates provided by the carrier, and weather, backlogs, and holiday volume affect them.
Events outside our control
We are not liable for delays caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including carrier service suspensions, utility or equipment failure, supply shortages, labor disputes, severe weather, fire, flood, earthquake, civil unrest, epidemic, or government action. Where such an event occurs, we will tell you promptly, keep you updated, and refund any order that has not yet entered production.
How to check on an order
Email info@dtf4prints.com with your order number, or call (714) 523-0344 during business hours. We would rather answer a status question than have you wonder.
