Almost everyday someone reaches out with “I need custom matches for an event soon.” Sometimes fast means three weeks. Sometimes it means Saturday. The good news is that we can usually help with rush matches and rush shipping if you tell us early.
First, pin down your real deadline
First tell us the date the matches need to be in your hands, not the date of the event. If your event is Saturday and you want matches on the tables Friday night, your in-hand date is Friday. Then count backward. Rush production is measured in business days, so a weekend or a holiday can quietly eat two of them. Knowing your true in-hand date tells us which of the options below is available for you. When in doubt, give us the earliest realistic date with a day or two of cushion, not the last possible minute.
Under 5 business days: the fastest matches we make
The fastest custom product in the catalog is the Get-it-Fast Top-side Euro Matchbox.These prints full color edge to edge, top and bottom, and ship in under 5 business days after proof approval. If your event is barely a week out and a matchbox works for your venue, this is the match for you.
Two to three weeks: full-color quick-ship
If you want a matchbook rather than a box, the 20-Strike and 30-Strike Full-Color Quick-Ship matchbooks ship in under 12 business days. There’s a Full-Color Quick-Ship Euro Matchbox in the same window. All three print full CMYK inside and out, start at a 200-piece minimum, and come with white match tips. For most “I need it in three weeks” situations, the quick-ship line is the right pick.
What you give up to go fast
Speed comes from simplifying. The rush products print in CMYK only, which means no PMS color matching, no metallic ink, no foils, no color match tips. And you’re choosing from a focused set of shapes and sizes, not the full imported catalog. For most events, none of that is a dealbreaker, and CMYK printing produces most logos beautifully.
Three things that slow a rush down
- A slow proof approval. The most common delay. Your clock doesn’t start until you say go, so a proof sitting in an inbox is days you don’t get back.
- Artwork that needs rework. Low-resolution files or missing fonts add a round trip before we can even send your proof.
- A weekend in the middle. Rush windows count business days, so a holiday weekend can quietly cost you two of them.
Help your own timeline
First, approve your proof quickly. We send a free proof with every order, and your production clock doesn’t start until you approve it. Second, send clean, print-ready artwork. If your file needs rework, that happens before we can proof it.
When rush isn’t possible
Sometimes the date just doesn’t work, and we’ll tell you that honestly rather than promise something we can’t deliver.
If your date is close, email us. Send your artwork for a free proof, or look over all the rush options in one place. Tell us your in-hand date up front, and we’ll point you to the fastest product that fits.
