Custom Mechanic Shirt Ideas for Shops and Crews

In this article

A mechanic's shirt has to survive a working week in a service bay and still look like it belongs to a business a customer would trust with their car. That is a narrower brief than most trade shirts.

Here is what works for shops, crews, specialties and gifts.

Shop shirts

Shop name across the back, tech name on the front. The standard, and it works. Customers in the waiting room read the back; the service writer uses the front — see custom mechanic shirts.

Shop name with the phone number. Cars sit in driveways. Shirts get seen.

Certifications on the sleeve. ASE Certified, manufacturer training, state inspection licence. These close jobs with customers who shop around.

"Est. 1978" under the shop name. In auto repair, longevity is the whole pitch.

Specialty shirts. Diesel, transmission, European, performance, fleet. Specialists want to be identified as specialists.

Oval name patch style. The classic workwear look, printed rather than embroidered. Still what most shops actually want.

Colour choices that survive a bay

• Black and charcoal hide oil. There is a reason the trade settled on them.
• Avoid light colours entirely unless the shirt is for the front counter.
• A separate colour for service advisors helps customers find the right person without asking.

Specialty and crew designs

Diesel shop shirts. "Diesel Techs Do It Under Pressure." Diesel guys consider themselves a separate trade and the shirts should reflect it.

Transmission specialist shirts.

Performance and tuning shop shirts. These sell to customers as well as staff — a performance shop shirt is merchandise, so order extra.

Fleet maintenance crew shirts with the fleet name.

Apprentice and lube tech shirts. Entry-level staff wear these with more pride than anyone expects.

Full crew roster on the back for shop anniversaries.

Jokes that land in a service bay

"I Can Fix What You Watched A Video About."

"Labour Rate: $90/hr. $120 If You Watch. $150 If You Help." The oldest one in the trade and still ordered constantly.

"It Was Doing It Yesterday." Every customer, every time.

"No, I Cannot Just Take A Quick Look."

"Yes, That Noise Is Expensive."

"Percussive Maintenance Specialist."

"If It Has Wheels Or Opinions, It Will Cost You."

"Diagnostic Fee Is Not Optional." Off the clock only.

Car-enthusiast and customer shirts

Plenty of shops sell shirts to customers, especially performance and restoration shops.

Shop shirt with a car silhouette.

Build shirts. A customer's own car printed on a shirt as a thank-you at handover. For restoration shops this is an extremely effective gesture — upload the photo to a custom photo shirt.

Car show shirts with the shop name and the event year.

Jeep and off-road builds — see custom Jeep shirts.

Family and gift shirts

"My Dad Fixes Cars" in a child's size.

Retirement shirts. Name, years, shop — see custom retirement shirts.

Second-generation shop shirts. Two names, two sets of years.

Ordering notes

Order generously. Shop shirts get ruined faster than any other trade. Twenty beats fifteen on price per shirt and saves a reorder.

Check every tech's name at proof stage.

Send your logo however you have it. A photo of the sign is fine; we redraw it clean at no charge.

Ask for sizes explicitly, S through 5XL.

Ordering

No minimum. Fifteen or more gets 25% off. Different names on every shirt cost nothing extra. No setup or artwork fees. Free design proof. S–5XL at $25, $28 and $30.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can each shirt have a different tech's name?
Yes, at no extra cost, and the order still counts toward the 15-shirt discount.

What colour hides oil best?
Black and charcoal. There is a reason the trade settled on them. Keep light colours for the front counter.

Can you use my shop logo?
Yes. Send a photo of the sign or the van if that is all you have, and we will redraw it cleanly at no charge.

Can I print a customer's car on a shirt?
Yes. Restoration and performance shops do this at handover and it lands very well. Upload the photo and we will lay it up.

What is the minimum order?
None. Fifteen or more gets 25% off.

What sizes do you offer?
S through 5XL. S–XL $25, 2XL–3XL $28, 4XL–5XL $30.