Hey, I need your advice.
I'm in highschool, planning to start a clothing business. My budget at startup is 1000 tops. I was planning on buying a heat press, but now screen printing seems the way to go (my designs are more intricate and large). So can anyone point me in the right direction to learn how to set up a screenprinting workshop? I'm one hundred percent new, and need to know everything about it. I'd like to do it myself to save money in the long run and avoid outsourcing. Thanks for any tips!
Try finding a local printer. If you designs are large and intricate, chances are that you are trying to tap into the market that is already overly full. Go to a flea market or a discount store near you. The overprint designs that are so popular are now on the discount rack. If you have a truly unique design, a local printer may be willing to print a small run. If your design is very intricate and photographic ( gradient colors), you will likely spend a lot of your 1000 just to get the shirt to press. Every design is unique and there are many variables. At least once a week someone comes to me with a new design line. The economy is tough. The best thing to do is find a niche. If you are trying to come up with a new Urban Shirt line, Beware. If you are trying to start a shirt line for people who a club that likes Dill Pickle Slushes, spend your 1000.
Above is absolutely correct. Where are you located because if you are near me I am always willing to help out with stuff like that. I can help you set up. I know where you are coming from. I started my company my sophotmore year and it ost me a lot. but that was in mistakes. I'm willing to help you with price, and sugestions that will make that thousand work.
Hey, I need your advice.
I'm in highschool, planning to start a clothing business. My budget at startup is 1000 tops. I was planning on buying a heat press, but now screen printing seems the way to go (my designs are more intricate and large). So can anyone point me in the right direction to learn how to set up a screenprinting workshop? I'm one hundred percent new, and need to know everything about it. I'd like to do it myself to save money in the long run and avoid outsourcing. Thanks for any tips!
Are you in the business of printnig or selling your clothing brand? You are very limited with a heat press. Screen printing has a huge learning curve. I would find a printer to print your shirts for you, that way you can concentrate on selling the brand.
Alright, so screen printing would definitely be better? I just don't know if I should do this anymore, too much involvement and not enough chance of high sales.
you really have to love what your doing to make it in the t-shirt business...or have ALOT of money. it takes commitment. depending on how well you market your product, the first run could take awhile to get rid of. the first 2 or 3 times you flip a run, you need to reinvest in the business, not pocket the profit. if your just trying to make a quick buck, i wouldnt suggest the t-shirt business. if you want to express your creativity and make a long term commitment to building a brand, then go for it. these kind of things take time though.
Good Luck!
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Freelance artist for hire. I do all sorts of things. website up soon.
Starting out is definitely the hardest part...but every journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. A good launching place is to sell your designs on a POD (Print On Demand) website like Cafepress or Zazzle. For a beginner it's ideal because they handle all of the printing, payments and shipping (even some marketing). Of course you're limited with the quality of the prints (although they are pretty decent, the options for print coverage are very limited), and the price after you've added your markup tends to be a little high - which could turn off potential buyers.
If you're hell-bent on printing your own (which I encourage, but it IS difficult), you can get some basic printing kits for around $300 or even less. I purchased my first kit from Silk Screening Supplies .com, screen printing equipment, silk screen printing kits. Most of their kits come with a DVD that shows how to screen print, so that might be helpful to you.
Just keep in mind that it's a lot of hard work and takes a massive dose of dedication.
Good luck to you!
If I were you, I would volunteer at a screen printing shop near you for a period of time, so you can see for youself what it takes to print a shirt. Screen printing is a trade. There is so much to learn before you can make money at it. Being in high school you could be of great help to a screen printer, and they can be great help to you. Good Luck
Alright alright, I got some good advice here. Thanks guys. I'm going to do this. But one last thing, if I decide to outsource it at first, any tips on finding a printer? The nearest one to me that will do business orders is over an hour's drive away. So really I'm fine with getting them printed and shipped from somewhere else. The only disadvantage to this is I'd have to order my shirts in a lot larger of loads than I'd want at first to make sure I can get them shipped to customers faster. Any tips on this? By that I mean who I should use to print them, how to go about shipping in and out, etc.
If that's selling your product, do that. If that's designing great shirts, do that.
Find other people to complete you. You can't be the best at everything. Paying for quality printing, designs, will pay off in the end.
As always Jon you speak the truth
All the advice you've received in this post i would say has been pretty spot on. Having your own brand means you have to wear alot of hats ie the shirts themselves, selling the shirts, SEO / marketing/ accounts/ inventory so to actually print the shirts yourself and do it well and run your brand is a big under taking. I'm sure there a people who do it but they gotta love it .
But if you really want it anyhting is possible- that is true
Hey guys, I need a quick tip. 
