upnya

Okay guys, I've read thru some of the forums and done a bit of research and wanted to get your opinion on a few things before I pull the trigger on the t-shirt "business".

I'm a bigger sized guy (6'1 260lbs) and without fail my wife ends up shrinking 99% of the t-shirts I buy within just a few washes (even with hang-drying them after washing). They end up only being useful to wear to sleep in, or around very close friends who wouldn't mind seeing me in a tight shirt lol. I've almost calculated that I could actually save myself money by creating my own t-shirts as needed instead of paying $20 for a graphic tee and only being able to wear it 3 times

I've seen the catalog and pricing for the transfers from Bang-On and I like quite a few of the ready made designs, and think that I could be successful in selling them to friends etc. Also I'm sure there are other companies you could recommend that have a good selection of heat transfer that are decent?

I'm honestly looking to get into making shirts as just a hobby, and of course to always be able to make myself a shirt that fits lol. I'm friends with quite a few local business owners (mostly bar & restaurant) and I'm sure could get them to allow me to "design" some simple fun shirts for their establishments too and maybe make a few bucks that way. I'm not trying to start an empire here.

I have so much respect for all the people on here who are creative enough to be designing their own shirts, but I'm just not that creative. I know its lame to just make / sell cookie cutter designs, but for my purposes I think it would work just fine.

So I guess my questions are:

1. Would I be okay with a 15x15 heat press for most of the transfers that are being sold and what I'm looking to accomplish? Or should I go for a 16x20?

2. I want to do 100% heat transfers, don't want to buy a plotter etc. Is this realistic?

3. If I somehow was asked to design shirts for let's say a bar with just a simple graphic and some lettering, would it be easy to just outsource to a place to make the transfers for me then apply them myself? If so what's a good place that does this?

4. I want to use high quality shirts that wont disintegrate or shrink after a few washes. Do I need to buy different kinds of blanks and test them, or can you tell me what to look for when ordering blanks? Also recommend a good source.

5. I know this isn't a cheap "hobby", is there any other cost associated with what I'm trying to accomplish that I might not be thinking of? Suggestions welcome!

6. What are some other great sources for heat transfers (other than Bang-On) that you can recommend?

Thanks for taking the time to read this guys. With all the years of experience in here I hope to see some great responses and feedback!

 

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Solmu

Quote: Originally Posted by upnya I'm honestly looking to get into making shirts as just a hobby

Mm. A $1000 investment is more than most people would look to spend upfront on a hobby. But most hobbies easily cost more than that in the long run. Really it's your business; it's just unusual.

Quote: Originally Posted by upnya 1. Would I be okay with a 15x15 heat press for most of the transfers that are being sold and what I'm looking to accomplish? Or should I go for a 16x20?

Mostly, yes.

Quote: Originally Posted by upnya 2. I want to do 100% heat transfers, don't want to buy a plotter etc. Is this realistic?

Yes. Although hobbyists especially would get a lot out of having a plotter. Still, you don't need one and you can always change your mind later.

Quote: Originally Posted by upnya 3. If I somehow was asked to design shirts for let's say a bar with just a simple graphic and some lettering, would it be easy to just outsource to a place to make the transfers for me then apply them myself?

Yes.

Quote: Originally Posted by upnya If so what's a good place that does this?

The FAQ threads in the heat press section cover this well.

Quote: Originally Posted by upnya 4. I want to use high quality shirts that wont disintegrate or shrink after a few washes. Do I need to buy different kinds of blanks and test them,

Yes.

Quote: Originally Posted by upnya or can you tell me what to look for when ordering blanks?

We could (and if you read the FAQ you'd see we already have), but you still need to test them yourself for your own education and satisfaction.

Quote: Originally Posted by upnya 5. I know this isn't a cheap "hobby", is there any other cost associated with what I'm trying to accomplish that I might not be thinking of?

Obviously there are overheads and sundries (electricity, storage tubs, teflon sheet, etc.) but the main expenses are the heat press, and printer/printer consumables if you're printing your own transfers.

Quote: Originally Posted by upnya 6. What are some other great sources for heat transfers (other than Bang-On) that you can recommend?

Proworld sell stock transfers.

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mrdavid

You Can buy package deal with Proworld transfers and 15x15 heat press they are very nice to talk with..
And I aim big guy to 6.1 and 220 I use 50/50 and Bamboo for my self with no shrinking in hot water or dryer LOL...

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upnya

Quote: Originally Posted by mrdavid You Can buy package deal with Proworld transfers and 15x15 heat press they are very nice to talk with.. And I aim big guy to 6.1 and 220 I use 50/50 and Bamboo for my self with no shrinking in hot water or dryer LOL...

David, thanks for your response! I'm going to check out some of the package deals @ proworld!

 

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