Frequently Answered Questions
Product & Fit
What size should I order?
All Carpe Viam tees are a "fashion fit". If you shop brands like Calvin Klein or Banana Republic, they should be what you're used to. If you are accustomed to Hanes Heavyweight or Beefy Tees, you will want to go up a size, or maybe two. You may also not like how soft and comfortable these shirts are.
What fabric do you use?
All shirts are noted as either COTTON, BLEND, or PREMIUM SUEDED.
If you are used to premium brands, you will LOVE these shirts. If you are used to Hanes Heavyweight, Beefy Tees, or any of the other shirts they give away at car shows and ball games, you may feel inclined to write and complain about how lightweight and soft these shirts are, and to tell me that if I'd just increase the quality of my shirts, you'd come back and buy more. Shirts are like sheets. The thicker and rougher ones are NOT the better ones. There's a reason that those other shirt blanks cost 1/3 as much. They are the choice for giveaways for a reason. So I'll stick with these buttery soft premium cottons and blends.
How are your shirts printed?
All Carpe Viam shirts are screenprinted by hand, in-house, at our studio in Phoenix, Arizona. We use the age-old method of creating films of color separations, exposing and washing out screens, registering them on a 6 color press, pushing every ink color by hand, and curing them on a UV conveyer dryer.
Never, not EVER, will we take the digital shortcut and inkjet print our t-shirts. Sadly, there are a lot of competitors doing this and they can sell (usually inferior designs) for less. Some even that purchase Carpe Viam designs, scan the art, and upload a jpg to these ink-jet-printing "on demand" sites.
How long have you been in business?
Carpe Viam started in 2013 with the creation of The Little Red Racing Car, and has been producing apparel (and more books) for enthusiasts since 2014.
Brand & Design
Who designs your shirts?
All Carpe Viam designs are the product of the automotive passion of Founder & Creative Director Dwight Knowlton. Every one is the result of an idea, a multitude of exploration sketches, and revision until it feels RIGHT. "Art shirts" are original illustrations based either on moments in automotive history or on actual archival photos.
Will designs come back once they sell out?
While some designs might go away for good, many will return by popular demand over time.
Can I suggest something?
Absolutely. Shoot an email to Support@CarpeGear.com and note a special car or a moment in motorsport history that you'd like to see on a shirt – or in a sketch. No promises, but it's more likely if you suggest it than if you dont'!
Orders, Shipping, and Returns
Can I change or cancel my order?
Yes. Please reach out immediately at support@carpegear.com to have an order modified, such as changing a shipping address, or swapping a Small to a Large.
How long will it take my order to arrive?
Most current designs ship in the first couple of days after ordering. Some take longer based on restocking as we print in house. New designs note expected production dates in the item description, such as "Printing the week April 21st". Occasionally a design will be out of stock only in one size and will take longer to be restocked as stocking the design is not at the top of the queue. But if it has been ordered, it will absolutely restock eventually.
Do you ship internationally?
We ship to most countries around the world. If there is a country not available to you, there is likely a reason (like it is a hotbed for fraud), but please reach out and we'll look into it for you.
What is your return or exchange policy?
You can return your unworn shirt with any tags still on it, free of cat hair and urine, scissor cuts, or grease stains (YES, all of these examples are from experience) to swap for another size or design, or for a refund. If your return/exchange appears to have given you your money's worth already, we'll politely suggest you buy another.