Terms of Service

Last updated: April 9, 2026

The Sole Provider ("we," "us," "I," "Sean") is a sole-proprietor business based in Massachusetts. By placing an order, you agree to these terms.

1. Custom Work Is Final

Custom and decorated apparel and promo products are made to order. Once production starts, the order cannot be cancelled, returned, or refunded unless the issue is the result of an error on our end. This is industry standard for custom merch.

If something is wrong on our end, we'll do everything in our power to make it right — reprint, replace, refund, whatever fits the situation. Just tell us within 5 business days of delivery so we can act on it.

2. What "Our End" Means

We're responsible for fixing things when we caused them: print quality on a properly-supplied file, wrong product shipped, our typo on a finalized proof, that kind of thing.

We're not responsible for:

Sizes you ordered that didn't fit your team
Art files you supplied that were low-resolution, wrong dimensions, or had errors we couldn't reasonably catch
Designs you insisted on after we flagged a concern (e.g., a logo too small to embroider cleanly)
Anything you approved on a proof

3. Proofs Are Binding

We send proofs before production for a reason. Once you approve a proof, that's the order. We're not able to absorb the cost of a redo because of something visible on the proof you signed off on.

If we made the mistake on the proof itself, that's on us — but the proof is the moment of truth. Take your time with it.

4. Damaged or Missing Items

Custom apparel runs sometimes have small imperfections. We accept up to 1% of the order or 1 piece (whichever is greater) as standard production margin and we'll typically pull those before they ship.

Anything beyond that 1% / 1-piece tolerance gets replaced or refunded. Report damage or shortages within 5 business days of delivery.

5. Artwork — We've Got You

Most people don't have print-ready files, and that's totally fine. It's actually expected. Designing for apparel and promo products is a specialized thing — most folks have a logo their cousin made in PowerPoint, a screenshot pulled from somewhere, or a JPEG that looks fine on a phone but won't hold up at printing resolution. None of that is a problem. It's literally what we're here for.

The Sole Provider is a one stop shop. We handle the parts you don't have to learn — including the art prep. If your file needs cleanup, redrawing, vectorizing, or full graphic design from scratch, we'll quote you the work upfront so you know exactly what it costs before any time is spent. No surprises, no hidden charges, no "we did some work, here's a bill."

Two ground rules so this stays fair to both of us:

Quoted upfront, always. You'll see the art cost on your invoice before we touch your file. If you want to think about it, ask questions, or skip a step — we can talk through your options. We'd rather you feel good about the final number than feel like we sprung something on you.
If we mispriced something, that's on us. If we quoted the art at one number and it turned out to be more work, we eat the difference. We don't go back and re-bill after the fact for our own estimating mistakes.

If you're curious what makes art "print-ready" vs. not — just ask. We're happy to walk you through it. Most clients learn it once and then bring better files for future orders, which saves them money. We'll never make you feel bad for not knowing — it's not your job to know. It's ours.

6. Intellectual Property

Until an invoice is paid in full, The Sole Provider owns the artwork, files, and designs we create or modify. You don't have a license to use them, post them, or hand them to another vendor until your invoice is settled.

Once your invoice is paid in full, the artwork is yours. On request, we'll send you the high-resolution files so you own them outright. If you'd like to bring those files to a future order — with us or anyone else — go for it. Bringing your own print-ready art saves money on every reorder, and we're happy to help you do that. We're here to make sure you get great products at a fair price, however that works best for you.

Using our artwork before the invoice is paid is intellectual property theft, and we will pursue legal action and recover costs to the full extent of the law. We don't expect that to come up — but it has to be on the page.

7. Cancellations

Before proof approval, by mutual agreement: Sean may approve a cancellation on a case-by-case basis. If approved, a 25% cancellation fee applies to everything except shipping and tax (which are refunded in full).
After proof approval: No cancellations. No refunds. Production has begun and material/labor commitments have been made.
Graphic design once work has started: Non-refundable. We will revise the design as many times as needed to get it right (within reason); we don't refund design time.

8. Payment Terms

Payment terms are set per client based on history with us:

New clients: Due on Receipt by default. For shipped orders (not hand-delivered), payment is required before shipment.
Large orders or new accounts: A 50% deposit may be required, with the balance due on receipt.
Established clients with positive history: May qualify for Net 15 or Net 30 terms by request.
Institutional clients: Net 30 is available for accounts that meet our requirements.

Accepted payment methods vary by client and order — we'll confirm at quote time.

9. Late Payments

Invoices are considered late 15 days past the due date. Late invoices accrue interest at 1.5% per month on the outstanding balance, with a minimum late charge of $25 per invoice.

Clients with 2 or more late invoices in any 12-month period will be required to pay in advance for their next order until their payment history improves.

If an invoice goes unresolved, we reserve the right to refer the matter for collections and to file suit in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, where you agree to be subject to jurisdiction. The prevailing party is entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and costs.

10. Shipping

Carriers: UPS Ground for apparel; FedEx, USPS, and LaserShip for other product categories.
Where: United States only. No international shipping.
Production lead time: 12 business days from pre-production proof approval for custom apparel, unless rush production is purchased.
Rush production is available, priced per order based on quantity, product type, and turnaround. Rush must be confirmed in writing before it can be billed.
Rush shipping is available at the carrier's published rate with no markup.
Ship dates are committed; in-hands dates are estimates. We will keep you in the loop on any delays.
Lost or damaged in transit is the carrier's responsibility, not ours. File a carrier claim and we'll help you track and reconcile where we can. If a delay impacts a time-sensitive event, we will refund the shipping charge in good faith.

11. Disputes & Quality Concerns

If something feels wrong — at any stage of the order, for any reason — talk to Sean first. Email, call, send a message in the portal, whatever's easiest. We will do everything in our power to make it right and make sure you have a great experience working with us. We've built this business on relationships, not on rules, and most issues get sorted with a quick conversation.

The terms above are written firmly because they protect both of us — they exist because of real situations we've had to learn from. They're not us being unfriendly, they're us being clear so there are no surprises.

If a dispute can't be resolved between us — which has been rare — the courts of Middlesex County, Massachusetts have exclusive jurisdiction.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability for any claim arising out of an order is limited to the amount you paid for that order. We are not liable for indirect, consequential, incidental, or special damages, including lost profits or lost opportunities.

13. Contact

For any questions about an order, a return request, or a billing dispute:

Email: solepdistributions@gmail.com Phone: (978) 844-6206

We do not publish our mailing address publicly. For legal service or returns, contact us by email and we will provide instructions.