Custom Birthday Shirts for Family, Friends & Milestones

Birthday shirts work hardest when they're made for a group: the family at a first birthday, the squad at a 30th, or the whole crew on a 50th-birthday trip. For bachelorettes, holiday parties and charity walks, see our custom event shirts.

Matching Family Birthday Shirts

Matching family birthday shirts share one design and change one line per person. The birthday kid's shirt carries the big age and "Birthday Girl" or "Birthday Boy", and everyone else wears the same art with their own role.

The birthday kid plus 'Mom of', 'Dad of', 'Sister of'

The classic set runs down the guest list: "Mom of the Birthday Girl", "Dad of the Birthday Girl", "Sister of the Birthday Girl", "Grandma of the Birthday Girl". Each line is printed shirt by shirt with DTF, which has no setup fee, so a whole family of personalized lines adds nothing to setup. For a first birthday, the baby wears an infant bodysuit and the parents wear matching tees in the same colors.

For a winter birthday, matching family hoodies carry the same design, and our custom family shirts have everyday matching sets for Father's Day and the holidays.

Birthday Squad and Milestone Shirts for Adults

Adult birthdays call for a squad: one shirt for the guest of honor and matching "Birthday Squad" or "Birthday Crew" shirts for everyone else, with nicknames on the backs. Give the guest of honor the opposite colorway, such as a white shirt with black print while the squad wears black with white, so she stands out in every photo. Celebrating a coworker? Office birthday tees can add a small branded company logo on the sleeve next to the birthday line.

21st, 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th ideas

• 21st: a giant "21" on the front and each friend's nickname on the back.
• 30th: "Est. 1996" styled like a vintage label, with "Aged to Perfection" underneath.
• 40th: a baby photo labeled "Then" next to a recent one labeled "Now".
• 50th: "Vintage 1976" in retro lettering, with the squad in a matching color.
• 60th: every grandchild's name arranged around the big number.

For a dressier milestone dinner, an embroidered monogram and the year on a polo or quarter-zip looks polished. The $35 digitizing fee is paid once for that design, however many pieces carry it.

Kids' Birthday Shirts With Names and Ages

Kids' birthday shirts work best with a big age, the child's name and a theme they love: dinosaurs, rockets, rainbows, trucks, mermaids or soccer balls. Our youth and toddler tees are cut for smaller frames, and the design is scaled for each size with no extra setup. At a trampoline park or a theme park, one bright shirt color for every guest makes a group of 10 kids easy to count. Soft, lightweight cotton keeps little ones comfortable through cake and a bounce house.

Photo and Face Birthday Shirts

A throwback picture, a baby photo for a 40th, or the birthday person's face on every guest's shirt turns the party into a fan club. Full-color photos print with DTF, which handles faces and soft shading well. See more layouts in our custom shirts with pictures.

• Use the original file, not a screenshot or a social media download.
• Aim for 300 dpi at the printed size. Our 3D Custom Designer blocks print art below 150 PPI, so a low-resolution photo is flagged before you order.
• Keep collages to a few photos; a dozen small pictures turn into a blur from across the room.

Caps can be embroidered or DTF printed, though photos read best on the shirts and hoodies.

Birthday Trip Shirts

A milestone birthday on the road deserves its own shirt: the trip name, the destination, the dates and "Birthday Trip" with the age, plus a personalized name or title on each back. Give the guest of honor a different shirt color so the group photos frame themselves. For beach weeks, cruises and cool fabrics for hot destinations, our group vacation shirts have more ideas.

What to Write on a Birthday Shirt

A shirt is read from a few feet away, so short wins. A simple formula is name, age and one personal line:

• Name and age: "Maya Turns 7" or "Big 4-0".
• The year they were born: "Est. 1986" for a 40th.
• A role for each guest: "Birthday Squad", "Cake Inspector" or "Party Planner".
• An inside joke or a favorite saying of the birthday person's.
• A hobby plus the age: a golf ball with "Par-tee at 60" or a fishing lure with the big number.

Use bold, simple lettering for the main line and save script fonts for names. Looking for a gift to go with the shirt? Our list of embroidered gift ideas has more.

Ordering for the Party

Collect each name, line and size in one shared list, set a cutoff date, and have one person place the order. Tell us your in-hand date, set ahead of the party rather than the morning of it, and we'll confirm it before you approve; rush orders are available for a fee quoted with your order. Plain DTF print orders are approved in the 3D Custom Designer at checkout, so they don't need a separate proof. Embroidery orders and orders with art clean-up get a proof to approve before production; nothing is stitched until you approve it. Upload SVG or PDF (best) or a high-resolution PNG or JPG; AI and EPS files can be sent with a bulk quote.

Finish the look with personalized birthday hats. Caps can be embroidered or DTF printed, and each embroidered name on a cap is $10 per item. Setup fees are one-time per design: reorders, and the same design on other products, never pay them again; only a design change needs new setup, and next year's new age counts as a change, though DTF prints have no setup fee either way. Orlando-area customers can pick up finished orders at our warehouse, or we'll ship anywhere in the US. Planning a family milestone with 100 or more guests? Request a bulk quote for a dedicated account manager, a free mockup with unlimited revisions and our best volume pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I put on a birthday shirt?

Start with the birthday person's name and age, then add one personal line: the year they were born, a nickname, an inside joke or a hobby. For the guests, use a shared design with a role on each shirt, such as "Birthday Squad" or "Sister of the Birthday Girl". Keep the main line short enough to read across the room.

Can you put a photo or face on a birthday shirt?

Yes. Photos and faces print in full color with DTF, which has no setup fee. Send the original file, ideally 300 dpi at the printed size; our 3D Custom Designer flags print art below 150 PPI before you order. A well-lit, front-facing shot works best. Caps can be embroidered or DTF printed, though photos read best on shirts and hoodies.

Can you print cartoon characters or superheroes on kids' birthday shirts?

No. Characters, superheroes and sports-team logos belong to someone else, so we can't print them. We'll help you build an original theme in the same spirit instead: dinosaurs, outer space, a sparkly crown, or a soccer design with your child's name and age. Your own photos and drawings are always welcome.

Can every family member's shirt say something different?

Yes. The shared design stays the same, and each person's line, such as "Mom of the Birthday Boy" or "Grandpa", is printed shirt by shirt with DTF, which has no setup fee. Send one list with each line and size. Embroidered names are $10 per item, so printed lines are the budget-friendly choice for a big family.

How far ahead should I order?

As soon as the party date and guest list are set. Collect sizes by a cutoff date, then tell us your in-hand date and we'll confirm it before you approve. Set that date a little ahead of the party so the shirts are there before the guests are. Rush orders are available for a fee quoted with your order.

Is there a minimum order for custom birthday shirts?

No. One shirt is fine, whether it's a gift for the birthday person or a single shirt for the guest of honor. A family of five or a squad of 20 orders the same way, and every design is previewed live in our 3D Custom Designer before anything is produced.