Frequently Asked Questions

Click here to view sizing chart for American Apparel shirts

Product Questions

General Questions

Orders, Shipping & Returns

Payments

Product Questions

The shield cutout comes pre-cut to the shape shown in photos - however - that portion of the wallet is made of leather so it can easily be cut to fit almost any size or shape badge.

Why when I click on a female shirt to order a male model comes up?

Many of our T-shirts are a Unisex style. Unless the shirt states "Ladies", which is cut for a Woman.

What is the difference between American Apparel and Next Level Apparel sizing?

BUNKER GEAR WALLET: Does the badge in the photo come with the wallet?

No.

How should I wash your shirts?

Just like any other screen printed shirt.

• Turn garment inside out.
• Set wash temperature to cold.
• Line dry or tumble dry low.
• Do not bleach or dry clean.

 Are the t-shirts pre-shrunk?

Yes, during the dying process all shirts are washed and dried. However, you may notice some additional shrinkage after a few washes.

What sizes are the models wearing?

How do your sizes run?

Classic Tees:

Our classic fit tees are a little tight in the sleeves and may shrink a little upon washing. If you don't like them tight, we recommend buying one size larger than you normally wear.

Ladies Tees:

Our ladies tees run very small - comparable to junior sizes. If you don't like to wear your shirts tight or if you're unsure of what size to order, consider buying one or two sizes larger than what you normally wear. They will also shrink slightly after several washes.

Dress Shirt:

Hats:

Our hats are made by FlexFit and are sized S-M and L-XL. Here are the specific measurements:

Boardshorts:

Ladies Boardshorts: (based on Junior sizes)

                                          S                             M                          L                           XL                           XXL                 3XL

Size                                 3,5                         7,9                       11,13                      15,17                    17,19                19

Waist                             22-24                    25-27                    28-29                     30-31                   32-33              34-35

Hip                                 29-31                    32-34                    35-36                     37-38                   39-40              41-42

Skullys (beanies):

When placing your order for a skully, the size option says Large, but they are one size fits all. 

Are your products made in the USA?

All of our products are designed, printed, and embroidered in the U.S.A.

Our Flexfit hats are made outside the US, commonly in the Dominican Republic or Veitnam, and Yupoong beanie caps are manufactured in Korea.

Our belt buckles are made in Canada.

TETS: Are they NFPA approved?

Yes and No. We carry both. The description of the item will tell you whether or not its NFPA certified.

Why does the item only show certain sizes?

BUNKER GEAR WALLETS: Can I request the striping on my wallet order?

 All wallets come with some striping or lettering but we cannot control which style you will receive.

General Questions

Our customer service team is available online - just send your request to info@blackhelmetapparel.com and someone will get back to you within 24 hours. Please note that we are closed on the weekends and if you contact us during those hours we will respond on Monday.

For Department orders please call: 1-888-737-2011

Can BHA custom design a shirt for my department or organization?

Unfortunately, we discontinued our custom order program, as we did not have the resources to maintain it. Once we restart the program we will make an announcement.

Can I submit my own artwork for consideration?

We have lots of requests to send in artwork. We would love to see it, but we've discouraged it for a couple of reasons:

1. We have not as of yet printed any submitted artwork - not because it wasn't good enough, just because we have so much of our own stuff that we're still waiting to go to print with
    
2. We have lots of artwork in varying stages of completion. If that artwork just happens to look similar to something you send, I wouldn't want you to be pissed and think we stole your design.

We're working on a concept that could work for user submitted artwork and we'll definitely make it public when we do. In the meantime, if you want to send some stuff over, we'd be happy to take a look!

 Can I request a digital copy of your artwork to give to a Tattoo Artist?

We are not able to provide any digital images of the artwork. You do have permission to go to a tattoo artist with the shirt or accessory item that you own and they can reproduce it.

Do you have a catalog?

At this time we do not offer a catalog of our products. You may view all of the available products on line at www.blackhelmetapparel.com.

Can I model for BHA?

Unfortunately, the male model is the co-founder/designer and also FF/EMT for Orlando fire. It's just easier for him to model the shirts since he gets a hold of them first and we do the photoshoots at his house.

Orders, Shipping & Returns

Orders are generally shipped in 3-6 business days and are usually received within 2 weeks. If a shirt is not in-stock at the time of your order, you will be notified and will be provided with an expected shipping date at time of purchase.

My order is still PROCESSING. What does that mean?

It can mean either we are awaiting for the funds to clear from the bank or the order is being packaged and has not shipped.

What is your Return Policy?

We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are not satisfied with your order, just return it to us for a full refund or exchange.

*Merchandise must be undamaged with original tag intact to receive a refund or merchandise exchange.

Contact us to return at info@blackhelmetapparel.com for help. 

How are Out of Stock or Backordered Items handled?

When you order an out of stock item, your order will be placed on backorder status. Shipping time is usually within 4 weeks.

Will I receive a tracking number for my order?

My item was damaged upon receipt?

 Do I have to pay shipping to return an item?

When will my refund or exchange be processed?

Upon receipt of the return, the exchange will be sent out that week, provided the item is in stock. Once it becomes available the item will be sent to you. Refunds are processed upon receipt of the return through PayPal. Please allow for 7-10 business to appear in your account.

How Can I Change or Cancel an Order?

To change your order, please contact info@blackhelmetapparel.com.

Why does the USPS states my tracking number is invalid when I click the tracking link?

Please note that all International orders are subject to customs which can delay delivery up to two weeks from shipment. First Class US mail cannot guarantee a delivery date and even though a tracking number is assigned to the order they reserve the right to not update the order. Hopefully you will receive the order soon.

Why does my order state BACK ORDER but the item was in stock at purchase?

What Payment Options are accepted?

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Paypal. All payments are processed securely through shopify or Paypal.

Do You Ship Internationally?

Absolutely! Just enter your address and your shipping costs will be calculated at checkout. Keep in mind that our Free Shipping promotion does not necessarily apply to International orders. International shipments are subject to import fees, duties, and taxes (which are levied once a shipment reaches the destination country) in addition to the brokerage fees/custom clearance charges that may be imposed by the carrier. These charges must be borne by the recipient. Black Helmet has no control over these charges and cannot predict what they might be.

Due to high international shipping costs, taxes, and duty fees, all orders include backordered items will be held until all items are in stock and available to ship. Please contact us if you wish to cancel or change these items.

Will my order ship in-stock items before the back order items come in?

In order to keep cost down we try to ship orders complete as much as possible. If the back order item does not arrive within four weeks, the in-stock items will ship separately.

I just placed an order and forgot something. Can I add an item to an existing order?

Unfortunately once the order is placed the financial information is destroyed for security reasons and we are unable to add to existing orders.

How can I exchange an item I received for a different size?

Please note during the holidays returns will be processed within 2 weeks or receipt. Just send the item and a note specifying the new size you would like to the following return address:

Return Address:

Black Helmet Returns
7868 US Hwy 70 Bus W, Clayton, NC 27520

How Do Preorders Work?

Our products sell out quickly so due to popular demand, we occassionally allow preorders when we know that we are receiving a product within 1-2 weeks. When you choose to preorder an item, please note that your credit card is charged upon placing the order, even though the order may not ship for 1-3 weeks.

Rarely, something will be delayed in production or shipping which may cause a preorder to take longer than expected. In those cases, we will attempt to contact you via email or phone (if you've provided that information) to ask if you would like a refund, exchange, or just continue waiting.

Do You Ship To PO boxes or Military APO/FPO Addresses ?

Shipments can be sent to both PO Boxes and Military APO/FPO addresses. Most items on blackhelmetapparel.com can be shipped to APO or FPO addresses. Please allow additional time for orders shipped to these addresses. Standard shipping is the only option available for these address types. Shipping to an APO or FPO address may be limited or restricted.

Entering APO or FPO Military Addresses
To make sure your package gets to its destination, follow these instructions for entering a military address.

Address field

• For Army, Navy and Marines: Enter Unit Number and Box Number.
• For Ships: Enter Ship Name and Hull Number.
• For Air Force: Enter PSC Number and Box Number.

Address Line 2 field

Enter optional military command or organization name

City field

Enter APO or FPO.  *Note: We cannot ship to city codes other than APO or FPO for military shipments.

State field

• AA – Armed Forces America
• AE – Armed Forces Europe, Middle East, Africa and Canada
• AP – Armed Forces Pacific

ZIP Code field

Enter the 5-digit ZIP code for the military unit. It must start with a 0 or 9.

Payments

Do I need a PayPal Account to place an order?

You do not need a PayPal account to make a purchase. There is a link that says to process order without PayPal Account, when you get to the PayPal screen. PayPal processes the payments, but you can pay with a credit card without actually using a PayPal account.