Custom Products: Terms, Tips, & Tools
Quick Links
- 📜 Terms and Agreement
- 🖋️ Design Submission
- 🤖 About AI-Generated Artwork
- 🚚 Production & Delivery
- 💳 Payment
- 🔄 Returns & Refunds
- 📘 Intellectual Property
- ⚠️ Liability
- 📚 Governing Law
- 💡 Top 12 Tips
- 📸 Photo & Artwork Policy
- 🎨 Print Colors Disclaimer
- 🛑 Right to Refuse Service
- ❓ FAQ Highlights
- 🛠️ All the Tools
- 🛠️📸 How To Upload And Image Or Text
📋 Summary of Key Terms
By submitting a custom order through any of our Custom Item Apps, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to all of the following terms and policies. These terms apply to any and all custom fan orders submitted via daftboy.com or affiliated ordering platforms. While we reference custom fans throughout this page, these policies and concepts apply broadly to all of our custom products and custom product apps. If you have a specific question about how these terms apply to your order, we’re always happy to clarify — transparency is our goal. Just reach out and we’ll walk you through it.
- Design Submission: You are responsible for submitting designs in the correct format and resolution. What you submit is what we print. Elements close to the bleed area may be cut. Light backgrounds may appear sheer on fabric, and colors may shift due to RGB-to-CMYK conversion.
- Production & Delivery: Timelines vary by quantity and complexity. Shipping details are shown at checkout. Small color shifts may occur between digital mockups and real fabric.
- Payment: Full payment is required at the time of order.
- Returns & Refunds: Custom orders are non-returnable unless defective. Notify us within 7 days of delivery for any issues.
- Intellectual Property: You must own the rights to submitted designs. Don’t upload anything you don’t have permission to use.
- Liability: We’re not liable for errors in submitted designs. We check for quality, but you’re responsible for accuracy.
Still have questions? Email us anytime at daft@daftboy.com.
🖋️ Design Submission
File Format & Resolution: You are responsible for submitting designs in the correct format and resolution.
Bleed Area Tips:
- Keep important elements inside the safe zone: Logos or text should be well within the bleed area.
- What is the bleed area? It’s the outer edge of your design that’s trimmed during production for full edge-to-edge printing.
- Extend background artwork: Let it bleed beyond the trim lines to avoid white edges.
- Hide the bleed layer: Make sure it's turned off in your final file before uploading.
- Watch the right-hand edge: A fan rib will cover part of this area, so avoid placing critical details there.
- Need a template? We’re happy to send over our Adobe Illustrator (.AI) file on request.
Accuracy Disclaimer: We print exactly what is submitted. We cannot be held responsible for design errors or layout misunderstandings.
Print Shift Warning: Designs may shift slightly during production. Elements near the edges or in the bleed area may be trimmed. Keep important details away from these zones.
Important Note About Light Colors, White Backgrounds, and White Text:
If your design includes light colors, large white areas, or white text, the fabric may appear more transparent — especially when held up to bright light or sunlight. This can affect how your final fan looks in a few key ways:
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Single-Sided Fans: Your design is printed on one side of a single layer of fabric. Lighter areas may appear see-through, and the front design can be faintly visible from the back.
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Double-Sided Fans: Since both sides are printed on the same thin fabric, the design from one side may show through to the other — especially in lighter or white areas.
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The ribs and attachment points may also show through more clearly when light shines through the fan from behind.
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These transparency effects will not appear in your digital preview, so the final printed fan may look different in person — particularly under bright lighting.
To get a bolder, more opaque look, we recommend using darker or more saturated colors and minimizing large white areas or white text when possible.
RGB vs CMYK: Digital color (RGB) and printed color (CMYK) are not the same. Your screen displays colors using RGB, which is often brighter and more saturated. We print using CMYK on fabric, which can cause dark colors to print darker and light colors to appear more muted or washed out. Subtle gradations and close color pairings (like orange on pink or purple on black) may blend or lose contrast in print. Please choose your color combinations with this in mind.
🖋️ 🤖 About AI-Generated Artwork
Important Note About AI-Generated Artwork & Custom Fan Printing
Please note: AI-generated mockups created outside of our Custom Fan App — using tools like Midjourney, DALL·E, or similar programs — are intended for visualization purposes only and are not considered print-ready artwork. These images often lack the necessary bleed areas, proper formatting, and alignment required for production, especially with our unique folding fan templates.
While we do our best to clean up artwork when possible, we’re typically unable to make adjustments to AI-generated files. These files are usually flattened (not layered) and often contain complex, uneditable patterns that we cannot accurately reproduce or modify.
If you create artwork with an AI prompt-based tool and try to upload that mockup directly into our app, it likely won’t produce a clean or accurate final fan. Uploading AI-generated files without properly reformatting them can result in cropping issues, poor alignment, or reduced print quality.
That said, if you choose to use AI art, here are some tips to help you get better final results:
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Avoid asking your AI to “make a fan design.” These prompts often create ornamental fan shapes or include stylized ribs and folds in the design that don’t match our real fan structure. These decorative ribs may show up printed on your fabric and can look confusing or out of place.
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Instead, prompt your AI to generate a rectangular or half-circle image with a clean, extended background.
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Include a proper bleed area—extra space around all edges of your key elements—to allow for trimming and safe placement.
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Keep all key content (like text, logos, or faces) away from the center bottom of your image. This area is physically cut out during production to fit the fan frame, so anything placed there will be lost in the final print.
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Once your image is ready, upload it to our Custom Fan App and adjust it to fit our actual print template.
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For best results, download our official template and finalize your design in a program like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.
Please note: We are only able to print the exact artwork you upload. If your image includes Ai illustrations of fan ribs, folds, or mock fan shapes visable in your design, those may appear in the final printed fabric. However, they will not align with the real ribs used to assemble your fan and may result in a mismatched or misleading final look.
If you have any questions or need help preparing your artwork, reach out — we’re happy to assist.
🚚 Production & Delivery
Production timelines vary by complexity and quantity. Shipping costs and estimated delivery will appear at checkout. While we match designs as closely as possible, colors and layout may differ slightly between digital screens and printed fabric.
💳 Payment
Full payment is due at time of order. We accept major credit cards and bank transfers.
🔄 Returns & Refunds
Custom orders are non-refundable and non-returnable unless defective. If there's an issue with your fan, please contact us within 7 days of receiving your order.
📘 Intellectual Property
You confirm you have rights to any images or content submitted and are not infringing on copyrights or trademarks.
⚠️ Liability
We’re not liable for issues related to design submissions. We check for basic quality, but final responsibility lies with you.
📚 Governing Law
All custom orders, transactions, and agreements are governed by the laws of the State of California, USA. This means that if any legal dispute arises, it will be handled according to California state law. We encourage all customers to review our full terms below before placing a custom order.
Questions? Reach out to us at daft@daftboy.com
💡 Top 12 Tips for Custom Fan Success
- Save Your Work! Designs clear after 8 hours and are only stored in your browser.
- Keep Important Elements Centered. Avoid placing crucial text or logos near the edges.
- Avoid Pixelation. Zoom in 150%. If you see pixels, don’t use it.
- Use a Computer or Laptop. Desktop gives better control than mobile.
- Strong Internet Helps. Weak signals can lose your work.
- Work Fast & Finalize Quickly. Save session expires after 8 hours.
- Stick to One Device. Saved designs don’t transfer between devices.
- Prep Your Images. Download files beforehand and check file type.
- Instagram Uploads. Download Instagram images before use if they don’t load.
- Check Copyrights. Only use content you own or can prove you have rights to.
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Choose Ribs Color Wisely. We only offer bamboo ribs by default, as they’re the most durable and strongest option we carry. However, for lighter designs, black or red bamboo ribs may show through the fabric. We typically recommend natural bamboo ribs for white or light-colored backgrounds.
Need something custom? We can source specialty ribs for orders of 100 units or more—just ask! - Breathe! This should be fun. Don't stress it too much.
📸 Photo & Artwork Policy
We print exactly what you send us, and you are responsible for ensuring your content is legally usable and respectful.
Nudity? Totally fine — within reason. If a nude image is exploitative, offensive, or otherwise unsuitable for production, we may need to cancel your order. We reserve the right to reject or cancel any order for any reason.
AI-generated content? We love the creativity coming from AI tools, but if your artwork appears to copy a known artist’s style or content, or appears to be trained on copyrighted material, we may reach out for clarification. We work with many artists and always side with original creatives and their rights.
If your submission raises copyright or content concerns, we’ll contact you. You’ll have 5 business days to provide documentation. Accepted documentation includes:
- A release from the original artist or photographer
- A commercial-use license or receipt for stock images
- A model release form for recognizable people
- Proof of authorship if it’s your own work (e.g. original files or drafts)
We’re not here to gatekeep — we just want to respect creators, protect the work of artists, and make sure everyone’s playing fair.
If no documentation is provided, your order will be canceled and refunded.
🎨 Print Colors Disclaimer
We provide digital mockups only. Final prints may differ due to RGB (screen) vs CMYK (print) color models. Dark tones may appear darker, and light colors can seem washed out. This is a normal part of the printing process. No refunds will be issued for color shifts.
🛑 Right to Refuse Service
We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any order at any time, for any reason. If content is inappropriate, exploitative, unlawful, or disrespectful to our team, we will decline the order. Thanks for understanding and helping us keep it cool for everyone.
❓ FAQ Highlights
💾 Can I save my design — and why can’t you access it?
Yes! You can save your design, but it only stays saved for about 8 hours and only on the device and browser where you created it. The "Save" feature is local — meaning your work is stored in your browser’s cache, not on our servers. Until you officially submit your design, we don’t see it and can’t retrieve it.
⚠️ That means:
- Clearing your cache, switching devices, or using incognito mode will wipe your saved work.
- If too much time passes, your session may expire and your design will be lost.
Think of it like saving a file on your own computer — it’s yours until you hit “submit.” We totally get how frustrating that can be! If you're having trouble or need help rebuilding a design, we're happy to help. Just reach out — we’ve got you.
📤 What is the Submit Artwork ONLY option?
This is not an order for a physical fan. This option allows you to submit artwork for review only — no product will be produced or shipped unless a separate custom fan order is placed. Customers use this for all kinds of reasons, and we’re happy to support you! Let us know if any of these sound like you:
- Artwork Review: Want to confirm your file meets print requirements? We’ll check resolution, color format, and layout.
- Future Orders: Submitting now but not ready to buy yet? We’ll keep your file ready when you are.
- Approval Process: Need client or team feedback first? We can help make any adjustments needed.
- Comparing Designs: Trying out multiple ideas? We’ll offer guidance on which works best.
- Digital Mockup: Want to see what your design looks like on a fan? Reply to your confirmation email and we’ll send you a mockup before you order! 💡
💰 How does your custom fan pricing work — and where can I find bulk rates?
We believe in being as transparent as possible when it comes to pricing.
You can find our current bulk-tiered pricing here:
- Single-Sided Custom Fans: https://daftboy.com/products/bulkcustomfan
- Double-Sided Custom Fans: https://daftboy.com/products/bulk-double-sided-custom-fans-app
Note: Double-sided fans cost more than single-sided fans due to additional materials and more intensive assembly. Pricing is subject to change due to global supply chain factors — including our imported, high-quality bamboo ribs, which currently have no stable U.S. supply source.
⏱️ What if I need my order faster than your Express option?
If your timeline is tighter than our listed Express production options, we may still be able to help — but please contact us directly with the following information:
- The exact in-hand date you need
- Your shipping address
- A brief description or file of your artwork or design concept
Rush requests beyond our standard production tiers will incur additional production charges, and availability is based on our current capacity — but we always aim to be upfront and transparent about what’s possible and what it will cost.
We’ll see what’s possible and provide a quote. Rush orders beyond our listed production options will incur extra fees, but we’ll always be transparent about timing and cost.
🖥️ Will the printed fan match what I see on my screen?
Not exactly. Digital screens use RGB light; we print in CMYK ink. Expect small shifts, especially in blues, reds, and darks. For best results, avoid close color overlaps (e.g., pink on orange or purple on black).
🖼️ What photo sizes and resolution should I use?
Images should be:
- Minimum: 500px x 500px
- Maximum: 3500px x 3500px
We recommend 300dpi resolution for sharp prints. Low-res files will appear pixelated when enlarged.
🛠️ All the Tools
Our Custom Fan App includes:
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📷 Add Image: Upload images directly from your device. (Instagram upload is not currently supported. Drag-and-drop is also not available.)
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🅰 Add Text: Add, resize, and move text. Choose fonts, colors, and spacing. Default text is white — change it if your background is light.
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🧱 Layers: Reorder elements using the Layers button. Bring text or images forward or backward.
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💾 Save & Load: Use Save Product to preserve your design. Return later using the Load button.
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📐 Layout Tools: Preview full-screen, enable snap guides, and align your design with the fan shape.
🎨 How to Upload an Image (or Text) to Your Custom Fan Design
Here’s how to use the app to upload and place an image from your device:
1. Click “Add Image”
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Click the “Add Image” button in the top toolbar (camera icon 📷).
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A file picker will open.
2. Choose Your Image File
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Select a JPG, PNG, or GIF file from your computer or phone.
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The image will appear on your fan preview.
3. Position the Image
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Click and drag to move the image.
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Use the corner handles to resize it.
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Use rotation tools if needed.
4. Check the Bleed Area
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Make sure your image extends into the “BLEED AREA” to avoid unwanted white edges.
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Keep logos, faces, or text away from the very edges or folds of the fan.
5. Optional: Add Text or Layers
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Click “Add Text” to personalize further.
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Use “Layers” to bring items forward or backward.
6. Save & Add to Cart
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Enter your quantity and any notes.
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Check the agreement box.
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Click “Add to Cart” to submit your design for production.
🔄 For Double-Sided Fans
Designing a double-sided fan? Make sure to:
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Select both the “Front” and “Back” options in the product dropdown (if available).
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Upload your front and back designs separately in the app.
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You can use different images for each side — or repeat the same design if you want them to match.
🖌️ Using Our Templates for Perfect Results
If you're using our Daftboy fan design template in Photoshop, Illustrator, or another design program, follow these steps for the best upload experience:
1. Download and Design in the Template
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Use the official Daftboy fan template to build your design.
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Stay within the safe zone and extend backgrounds fully into the bleed area to ensure full coverage.
2. Remove the Template Layer Before Saving
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Delete or hide the BLEED and GUIDE layers before exporting.
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These should not appear in your final print file.
3. Export Your Final Artwork
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Save your design as a high-resolution JPG or PNG.
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If the file is too large, reduce the resolution to 150–300 DPI or compress the image slightly.
4. Upload and Align in the App
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Return to the product page and click “Add Image” to upload your file.
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Carefully align the image with the fan template in the live preview.
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Your design should fit edge-to-edge if sized and exported correctly.
✅ Final Steps and Important Notes
✔️ Add to Cart
Once your design is aligned:
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Enter your quantity and any notes.
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Make sure to check the box agreeing to the terms.
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Then click “Add to Cart” to lock in your custom design and complete your order.
