I've made the mistake of buying equipment to produce a new product line when I really should have subcontracted it for a while. The problem is that I'm real anal about maintaining control over the entire process from ordering raw materials to final shipping. Nothing worse than getting reamed by a customer for something that was out of your control.
I'm setting up for sublimation now, but I'm going in knowing I have no local market. Sales will be strictly internet and on-site via my mobile operation.
For me that's particularly meant buying secondhand equipment that didn't really meet my needs. In some cases because it was cheap and there and I was impatient, in some cases because I intended to sell some of it off at a profit... and inevitably couldn't be bothered.
I think this could apply to all sorts of things though: the blanks you're buying, that deal you got at the printer, the online business card printer, and yes, in particular, any major equipment purchases you are making both new and secondhand.
The fact is when you're new you won't know as much about what's worth buying and what isn't, and what things are worth (no matter how much you think you do) as you will when you have more experience. I plan on making some more equipment purchases soon, and 1) I'll be putting a lot more thought into it, 2) I'm sure that in a year or two I'll realise I made a dumb decision anyway.
So the advice in all this is, make sure you really really think about any major purchases, the deal is not as good as you think it is, and you don't need it as immediately as you think you do.
The problem is that I'm real anal about maintaining control over the entire process from ordering raw materials to final shipping.
You have to let go of some things. If you do everything yourself, you'll burn out quick. By subcontracting, I save loads of time and I'm definitely not as stressed as if I were doing it all myself. When you really get started get someone else to take care of your books as well. It's relatively inexpensive and will help you out a lot in the long run.
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Hard labor kills, make t-shirts instead.
Before you buy any blanks, if you are having them shipped to you. Find out who they are shipping through first. Then find out if they will send it by air or ground.
Once you have that established call the company they said they were going to use and find out how long it will take to get your package to your doorstep.
I just ordered from Techno sport out of Quebec and they told me that if I had my order in before a certain time they would ship the same day and I would get my package in one to two days.
I called the shipping company they use (purolator) and found out that it will take 4 working days to get my package. Monday being a holiday I probably won't get it till next week Wednesday. I was hoping to get it by today or even Friday at the latest because this weekend will be HUGE for me.
Now I have to make another order with my local guy and dole out a whole bunch more money and probably won't get my money back from Techno sport.
Oh also they put the wrong postal code on the package so I might not even get the package at all! Man I'm F%$*!@G PISSED!
Sorry I had to vent. But seriously do all of the aforementioned things to make sure you don't get shipping headaches like me.
I feel like I am in the same situation. I started trying to get my t-shirt business up and running about one year ago. There has been lots of learning and challenges.On of the most challenging is realising how many people are not honest in their dealings. I have been burned a couple of times.
But perserverance pays off.
Great forum !
thanks from Canada
Last edited by Solmu; June 11th, 2008 at 11:06 PM.
Reason: removed off-topic content
Plan on the unexpected! Places like this forum help a lot (wish I'd found it sooner) and there is no substitute for good research as well but even with the best planning 'things happen'. Think I exaggerate? We had an order for about 600 blanks delivered to the wrong address where the owners' dogs had a blast destroying our shirts!
Decide what your market will be and what you'll sell, test your products/process before you offer them and find you can't deliver.
Locate and test alternate suppliers, occasionally your main guy will be out of stock and that's usually not the time to look for another supplier. Everything will be more expensive than you planned.
Always allow extra time in case Murphy rears his inevitable head.
Plan on mistakes and some decisions that don't work out, our store room if full of cheap or undersized equipment we bought in the beginning that cost us time & money, products that won't sell or blanks that didn't make the cut.
Ask people using the equipment you're interested in, retailers are not a good source of unbiased recommendations.
Be patient and persistent, you'll experience frustration & setbacks, all good things take time.
Kind regards,
Sean
Here's something I wish I'd known from the start. How much money it takes to start a clothing line. I'm almost ready to give up. It's sooo bloody expensive. I've now put in about $8000 and I have made some money but I still need more. I'm starting to think about maybe approaching private investors with my business plan.
Here's something I wish I'd known from the start. How much money it takes to start a clothing line. I'm almost ready to give up. It's sooo bloody expensive. I've now put in about $8000 and I have made some money but I still need more. I'm starting to think about maybe approaching private investors with my business plan.
I don't know what you have and haven't done in order to market and promote your line, but I know from others experiences that trade shows and festivals, fairs, and other events have helped tremendously with promoting their lines.
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Hard labor kills, make t-shirts instead.
I wish i had known that 99% of the people who claim to want to earn extra money are too too lazy to do a darn thing about it!
I've lost count of the number of people i've supplied samples and sample kits to, only to have them sat on and not shown to even a single perspective customer!
Even when i offer to pay $15 per hour to perform general labor, i've found it difficult to find people that i know who are willing to work and will consistently show up.
It is encouraging to see all the people who come to this forum with ambition to do something! I only wish i could meet some similar people in my area.
Right now I'm working on getting a kiosk in one of the malls near me for the beginning of December. I think if I can make that happen things will pick up for sure. Especially if I can have my heat press there with a bunch of samples and then people can just pick what they want and I'll press it for them right there. I'm also thinking of maybe boosting my prices up a little. Right now $25 a T, and $50 a hoody. It's not that I don't make money off that but I need more in order to cover other costs.
Wish I had known back in 1982 where Microsoft was going to end up. $10,000 worth of stock bought back then and I wouldn't be worrying about making T-shirts right now.
But seriously, it would be nice to have a crystal ball. A business plan can help you stay focused, but you never really know if a business will be profitable until you invest the time and money and give it a try.
careful planning if you plan on having business partners choose ones wisely that have money and not just in for the money make sure their productive and knowledged as well. i learned that the hard way can't always do business with friends and be careful copyright those designs try to find cheap ways to advertise to save money for good quality clothing.
Rodneys right, I started searching, stopped asking questions and started learning things I didnt think I needed to know about. This site and its members are very helpful whether novice or pro. Thanks to everybody.
Re: Things I wish I'd known from the start. 
