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kitchy · January 13th, 2008

Okay - So I'm Brand New...Don't Kill me -

I've read the Forums for almost a week staight in every spare moment I have before posting my First Thread...

I, of course like everyone else, have GREAT IDEAS (LOL), but need to start from design concepts (which I have, and hope will work) - to getting T-Shirts Printed, Marketed and Sold...

Main Questions-

Can I purchase my Blank T-Shirts, then take to a local Screen Printer to let them do the Printing - or do I have to purchase everything through them?

If I can take the Shirts to the Screen Printer myself...where is the best price to find? I've looked through these threads and costs for Shirts - and what I'm seeing on the Forums is much less expensive than any of the wholesale prices I am getting - so I must just be a retard....

I am not a graphic artist and have no experience...nor do I have the time to learn how to vectorize my image (I've tried....to no avail) - so do you suggest I draw or cut-paste my images I'd like to use and then let an experienced Graphic Artist get my design Print-Ready? Do most local screen printers have a service like this available - or will I need to source this myself?

How many samples would you take with you when you approach a Retail buyer? Would you suggest several designs to start with - or producing more quantity of just one or two designs? I guess what I'm asking is, say I have 10 Designs in Mind - do I have the screen printer make samples (say 10) of each design to have on hand to Market with....or 50 of just one or two of the designs, then "pictures" to show of the others...

Wow - I really have no idea where to start...but I know that the market I am after is not e-commerce right now - it is to sell in Retail shops until I get a little "branded" -

Hopefully someone will help point me in the right direction so I can get started...

thanks so much to everyone - this forum is really great!

RoboLove · January 13th, 2008

Hey, I can help out with a few questions...

The blank t-shirts you can buy wholesale OR the printer can supply them for you. You need to look in to costs. In my case I get on well with my printer and know how much he adds on to each t-shirt for what he pays and I would rather pay the amount he adds than source the tees myself, its just a whole lot easier to tell him what I want and then he gets them, deals with any problems and sorts them all out. I probably would get them myself if I had more time and more space.
So that is something that can really go either way.

Costs of blank shirts can be anything depending on quality and the manufacturer. Also obviously you get lower prices based on the amount you order. I would look carefully in to what blanks you use as you dont want to realise half way through that you dont like the quality or think the garments are costing you too much and will bump your final rrp up too much.

Some printers offer a free graphic design service. Some charge. Some wont do it at all you really need to communicate with the printers in your area.

With regard to samples remember that is what they are. Samples. You dont need 50 of the same t-shirt to take to show a shop owner. However turn up with just two designs and you wont have much to show them. I would say go with the 10 designs you have and make up as few as you can to save on cost. And then print to order and designs that the shop owners want.

Hope that helps a bit.

sunnydayz · January 13th, 2008

One thing to take into consideration when having garments screen printed is the more you have printed at one time, the better price you will get as each design is going to have set up fees for burning the screens and such.

acanvas · January 13th, 2008

Let your printer order the shirts you want, we order them, we add on to the wholesale price to cover shipping, extras for the inevitable misprints and profit. When they arrive, if there's a screw up with what they ship, we deal with it.
As far as art, your printer should offer the service and should definatly charge for the service, I know of not 1 graphic designer that works for fun and poverty, neither should the printers graphics person.
Regarding having 1 at a time printed as samples, you will save by choosing the designs you feel strongest about, because printers have a minimum of 12 per design (@minimum)to print. The rare occasion we have a client stuck on printing only 1 sample we charge a minimum of $30.00 per color to cover our set up fee that is normally included in the per print price.
It's very exciting to develop your own line, have fun with the process, choose your strongest designs, let the printer simplify your life and find one you will have FUN with...lifes to short to have struggles in your creative life!