Before ordering a custom pet portrait cap, most people have a version of the same question: what happens if I pay and then I do not like the result?
The short answer is that you see the artwork before the cap is made. The preview stage exists specifically to give you that opportunity. This article explains what the digital preview is, what you can review and change before approving, how revisions work, and what you are confirming when you approve.
For a full walkthrough of the ordering timeline from photo submission through to delivery, read why custom embroidered caps take time.
Why the Preview Step Exists
When you order a custom pet portrait cap from 999Tee Canada, the cap does not go straight into production after you check out. Your photo is first converted into embroidery-ready artwork, and that artwork is sent to you as a digital preview before any stitching takes place.
The preview gives you an opportunity to review the artwork before the cap moves into production.
This is a meaningful difference from buying a ready-made product. With a standard item, you are buying what already exists. With a custom embroidered cap, the cap does not exist yet when you place the order. The preview is the point in the process where you can see what will be made and confirm it before it is made.
Production does not begin until you approve the preview.
What the Digital Preview Shows You
The preview shows the embroidery-ready artwork that will guide production of your cap. Reviewing it carefully is the most effective way to make sure the finished cap meets your expectations.
When you receive your preview, check the following:
Portrait likeness. Does the portrait read as your specific pet? Look at the face shape, the placement and colour of the eyes, the markings, the ears. The goal is that someone who knows your pet would recognise them from the portrait. It should not look like a generic animal of the same breed or coat colour.
Placement and sizing. Is the portrait centred on the cap front and proportionate to the panel? A portrait that sits too high, too low, or off to one side will be visible on the finished cap.
Text, if included. If you added your pet's name or any other text, check the spelling, the font and the positioning. A text error that is not caught at the preview stage will appear on the finished cap.
Colour representation. Embroidery uses thread colours selected from an available palette. The colours in the preview will be close to your pet's coat, but they will not be an exact pixel-for-pixel match to the photo. Thread also reads differently in person than on a screen. What to look for is whether the main colours are represented correctly and whether distinct markings are visible, not whether every shade is identical to the photograph.
Overall balance. Does the design work as a unit on the cap front? Is the portrait the clear focal point, or does something feel off about the composition?
What Can Be Adjusted Before Production
Up to 3 minor revisions are included during the preview stage. Major changes may require an additional charge, which will be confirmed before proceeding.
Minor revisions are adjustments to the existing artwork. Examples include repositioning the portrait on the cap front, resizing the design slightly, correcting a text error, or adjusting a thread colour selection. These are changes that work within the artwork as it has been prepared.
A major change is a different category of request. A completely new design direction, a significant change to the style of the portrait, or a request to start the artwork from scratch would fall into this category.
One important point: a revision can improve the artwork based on the submitted photo, but it cannot recreate details that are not visible in the original image. If the source photo is blurry, the face is in shadow, or a feature is obscured, the artwork will reflect those limitations. A revision cannot add detail that was not there to begin with. This is why the photo matters as much as it does. For guidance on what makes a photo work well for embroidery, read how to choose the best photo for a custom pet portrait cap.
How to Give Useful Feedback on a Preview
When requesting a revision, specific feedback produces better results than general feedback.
Compare the preview against the photo you submitted, not against an idea of what you hoped the portrait might look like. The artwork is built from the photo. If something in the preview looks different from the photo, describe what it is and where.
Useful feedback is specific and factual. "The left ear looks lower than in the photo" gives the artist something concrete to work with. "It does not look right" does not.
Some useful prompts:
- Is there a specific feature that looks different from the photo? Name it and describe how.
- Is the positioning or sizing not what you expected? Describe where you would like it adjusted.
- Is there a text error? Specify the correct version.
The clearer your feedback, the more accurately a revision can address it.
What Happens If You Do Not Approve
The preview stage gives you the opportunity to review the artwork before production begins.
If the preview does not meet your expectations, the revision process is the path forward. Respond to the preview email, describe what you would like changed, and wait for the updated artwork. Production does not begin during this process.
If you have questions about what is covered once a cap has been produced, or about the return and refund policy, those details are on the FAQ page and the return and refund policy page. The preview step is designed to minimise the situations where those policies become relevant, because reviewing the artwork stage allows concerns to be addressed before production begins.
Preview vs Finished Cap: What to Expect
The digital preview is a visual representation of the embroidery artwork. The finished cap is a physical object with stitching in thread. There are a few differences between them that are worth understanding before you approve.
Texture. The preview is a flat digital image. The finished embroidery has a raised, tactile surface. Thread has weight and dimension. This is not a discrepancy but a quality of the medium.
Colour as it appears on screen vs in person. Thread colours are selected to represent your pet's coat accurately, but the way a colour reads on a lit screen is not the same as how it reads as a physical thread on a cap in natural light. Slight variation is normal and expected. What the preview does show reliably is whether the right colour choices have been made.
What the preview does show accurately. The portrait likeness, the placement on the cap, any text, and the overall composition all translate directly from preview to finished cap. If the portrait likeness is correct in the preview, the finished cap should reflect that same design once embroidered.
For more on what embroidery captures well and where it naturally simplifies, read how accurate pet portrait embroidery is.
Approving the Preview: What You Are Confirming
When you approve the digital preview, you are confirming that the portrait likeness, placement, text and overall composition are accepted.
After your approval, the cap moves into production. At that point, changes are no longer part of the included revision allowance.
Read the preview carefully before approving. Check the points covered in the section above. The more thoroughly you review it before approving, the less chance of a gap between what you expected and what arrives.
Your approval response time is not included in the production timeline. Production begins after you approve, not after you place the order. If you take several days to respond, that time is added to the overall timeline.
Browse the custom pet portrait caps collection to see the available styles when you are ready to order.
999Tee Canada makes custom embroidered pet portrait caps from your photo. Ships across Canada. Every order includes a digital preview before production begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the digital preview and when do I receive it?
The digital preview is the embroidery-ready artwork for your order, shown as it will appear on the cap. After payment and receipt of a usable pet photo, the preview is prepared and sent within 3 business days. Production does not begin until you approve it.
What if I am not happy with the portrait likeness in the preview?
Request a revision. Describe specifically what looks different from the photo you submitted and where. Up to 3 minor revisions are included. Production does not begin until you approve the preview.
How many revisions are included?
Up to 3 minor revisions are included during the preview stage. Major changes may require an additional charge, which will be confirmed before proceeding.
What counts as a minor revision vs a major change?
A minor revision is an adjustment to the existing artwork: repositioning, resizing, a text correction, or a thread colour adjustment. A major change involves a significant departure from the existing artwork or a new design direction. If a requested change falls outside the minor revision scope, this will be confirmed with you before any additional work begins.
Can I request a different cap colour at the preview stage?
The preview is for reviewing the embroidery artwork. Cap colour or style changes are separate from the artwork revision process. Contact 999Tee Canada directly if you have a question about your order details.
What if I approve the preview and the finished cap looks different?
The preview reliably shows the portrait likeness, placement, text and composition. Minor differences in how thread colours read in person compared to a screen are normal. If your cap arrives in a condition that does not match your approved design, contact 999Tee Canada. Details on what is covered are on the FAQ page.
Can I request changes after production begins?
Once you have approved the preview and production has begun, changes are no longer part of the included revision allowance. This is why reviewing the preview carefully before approving is important. If you have a concern after production has started, contact 999Tee Canada directly to discuss the situation.
What happens if I do not respond to the preview?
Your approval is required before production can begin. If you do not respond, the order remains at the preview stage until you do. Your response time is not included in the production timeline, so a delayed response will extend the overall time before your cap ships.