Hi, Unregistered. | Today's Posts

T-Shirt Forums
User Name
Password

Need to Register?

Forgot Your Password?


Site Navigation







+   T-Shirt Forums > T-Shirt Selling > General T-Shirt Selling Discussion
This is the catchall topic for the t-shirt selling discussion. Not sure where to post your question about t-shirt selling? Start here.

Should I start off with others printing my shirts?



 
Share This Thread Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 10:43:22 AM -   #1 (permalink)
Forum Member
T-Shirt Member

expressyourshirt's Avatar
 
You can call me: Rob
Member Since: Mar 2008
Posts: 14
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

I'm going to start my own t-shirt business. I'm currently working on the website right now. Once that's complete I plan on putting up designs I've created, mostly slogans though..

Anyway, I was thinking at first I should have this printing company down the street from my house print up my shirts for me in the beginning. Once a person buys a shirt from my site, i'll go to this company and have them print it. Being I have NO experience with transfer paper, cutters, heat press and whatever else I would need. This will allow me to focus strictly on sales first.

Or, should I invest in the equipment needed and do everything myself. This will allow me to get the experienced needed etc.. Maybe that would save me money in the long run?
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 1:57:28 PM -   #2 (permalink)
T-Shirt Lover
T-Shirt Fan

BQfromNY's Avatar
 
Member Since: Mar 2008
Posts: 28
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

Thxs for the questions... up my alley - Iam subscribing; looking forward to the answer(s)

== BQ ==
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 2:24:57 PM -   #3 (permalink)
Moderator
Certified T-Shirt Junkie

sunnydayz's Avatar  - this member was voted Most Helpful Member during our Annual August Member Appreciation Month
 
You can call me: BobbieLee
Member Since: Jun 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,884
Thanks: 1,499
Thanked 1,569 Times in 1,027 Posts
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

I think you are just starting out and dont have the budget or experience yet to print your own it is always best to outsource first. This saves you from having to invest in equipment and you can use that money in other areas to market your company and build a bigger customer base.

It is always good to have the customer base to support the cost of business. Also I would check with the printer down the street and see what type of minumums you are looking at for getting orders printed. If it is a screen printer chances are they will not print one shirt at a time for you. If this is what you are looking to do maybe your best best would be to find a dtg printer that will work with small orders with you

Then while you are doing your business this way you can take the time and see what printing method would be best for your budget later and learn everything you can about it.

another way to be able to do the garments yourself for a fairly low price would be plasitol transfers as the only equipment purchase you would need to make is a heat press. You can then order plasitol transfers from a company such as F & M or one of the many other companies out there, and apply them as you get orders. That way you get a screen print quality but dont have to have a ton of garments printed at once that may not sell.

Well hope this helps some and gives you some direction on what to research
__________________
Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest. ~~~Mark Twain
BobbieLee
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 4:29:16 PM -   #4 (permalink)
T-Shirt Lover
T-Shirt Ninja

TripleT's Avatar
 
You can call me: Tom
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: South Florida
Posts: 926
Thanks: 19
Thanked 41 Times in 38 Posts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

Hi, Rob and Welcome - I agree with BobbieLee, the (screen) printer down the street can not make any money printing one shirt at a time - so check with them for their pricing schedule. No doubt, they have a minimum order requirement.

Plastisols are a good suggestion, but you will need to buy a professional grade heat press (it's not hard to learn how to use one.) Good Luck!
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 4:59:03 PM -   #5 (permalink)
T-Shirt Lover
T-Shirt Wizard


conde tech's Avatar
 
You can call me: Sonya
Member Since: Nov 2007
Posts: 674
Thanks: 0
Thanked 58 Times in 57 Posts
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

Here are a couple of suggestions:

1. First, you could start out with a small printer like the Epson C120 or Epson 1400. Both are good printers for some one testing the waters. The only draw back for the C120... is you can only print 8 1/2 x 11 paper the 1400... allows you to print up to 13 x 19 paper. The C120 is cheaper than the 1400.

2. You could have someone print the transfers and press forr you. Take samples to stores ...that you want as customer...if the will not buy the shirts up front..///ask if you can leave them there on consignment. It gets your work out there for people to see and allows you to earn the monies needed for equipment.

Just a thought.

Sonya Blackwell
Conde Systems

Last edited by sunnydayz; April 2nd, 2008 at 05:29 PM. Reason: removed url - please feel free to add it to your signature
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 5:03:17 PM -   #6 (permalink)
Forum Member
T-Shirt Member
Thread Starter

expressyourshirt's Avatar
 
You can call me: Rob
Member Since: Mar 2008
Posts: 14
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

Thanks for the replies! I guess I'll look into Plastisols and a DTG printer..
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 5:12:25 PM -   #7 (permalink)
Forum Member
T-Shirt Member
Thread Starter

expressyourshirt's Avatar
 
You can call me: Rob
Member Since: Mar 2008
Posts: 14
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

Quote:
Originally Posted by conde tech

2. You could have someone print the transfers and press forr you. Take samples to stores ...that you want as customer...if the will not buy the shirts up front..///ask if you can leave them there on consignment. It gets your work out there for people to see and allows you to earn the monies needed for equipment.
This is something I'm definitely going to look into also, thanks!
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 5:15:25 PM -   #8 (permalink)
T-Shirt Lover
T-Shirt Fan

b1aze5's Avatar
 
You can call me: Jo
Member Since: Mar 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 40
Thanks: 33
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

Bobbie thanks for the advice...
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 5:17:20 PM -   #9 (permalink)
T-Shirt Lover
T-Shirt Fan

b1aze5's Avatar
 
You can call me: Jo
Member Since: Mar 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 40
Thanks: 33
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

Bobbie, do you print the items in your website yourself?
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 5:31:57 PM -   #10 (permalink)
Moderator
Certified T-Shirt Junkie

sunnydayz's Avatar  - this member was voted Most Helpful Member during our Annual August Member Appreciation Month
 
You can call me: BobbieLee
Member Since: Jun 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,884
Thanks: 1,499
Thanked 1,569 Times in 1,027 Posts
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

yes I do print all of my own stuff but it took me over a year of doing transfers before I was able to move up in my equipement grade when I started out I started on a small budget to see how my business would do and worked my way up from there.
__________________
Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest. ~~~Mark Twain
BobbieLee
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!
Old April 2nd, 2008 Apr 2, 2008 11:19:54 PM -   #11 (permalink)
Forum Member
T-Shirt Member
Thread Starter

expressyourshirt's Avatar
 
You can call me: Rob
Member Since: Mar 2008
Posts: 14
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)


Default Re: Should I start off with others printing my shirts?

Bobbielee, did you start off with a DTG printer!? From what I'm seeing those are expensive! Is there a cheap one out there?
 
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.us Tweet about this Post!






This is a discussion about Should I start off with others printing my shirts? that was posted in the General T-Shirt Selling Discussion section of the forums.

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
a good screen printing start up kit.... MikeyFingaz Screen Printing 40 August 31st, 2011 07:14 AM
I want to start printing for myself ... HOW??? bigyellowsigns Screen Printing 10 July 24th, 2007 09:55 PM
How did you get your start screen printing ? spore Screen Printing 13 April 5th, 2007 05:04 AM
how do you think about going dtg from start rather then screen printing richie rich General T-Shirt Selling Discussion 6 March 23rd, 2007 06:37 PM
start up kit for one colour printing?? mattyk50 Screen Printing 1 February 23rd, 2007 08:42 AM


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 06:55 PM.


Copyright 2004-2012 T-ShirtForums.com. All rights reserved.