Getting into shirts/hats garments for retail, need help!
Hey all, I have lurked on here and learned quite a few tips but I finally have to break down and ask a few questions and hopefully get some advice. Lets start with some background...
I am 20 years old and own a constantly growing sign and decal business as well as am half owner with my dad in our archery shop. I also am an integral part of my moms flowershop/gift shop. Her business is huge and both of mine are growing every day but its time to expand. I have a Vinyl Express QE60 cutter running on LXi Master Plus and a US Cutter MH871 (what I started with when I was 16) that runs with sign blazer and have become fairly adept at making signs and decals. I have been doing it since I was 16 in high school. I of course want to expand and grow and do this as well as the archery shop for some time to come. Constant work as well as having a store front and decent equipment drives me to make it happen. I also have a hat press and a clam shell heat press:
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I have built a few shirts here and there for customers but for the most part I build our business t-shirts and other garments and while they look good, their not up to my level of quality. I use Siser Easy Weed vinyl cutting it with my cutter which does work great but I still need some help. Now with that out there, let me bombard you with noooob questions.
First question, when pressing hats with the hat press I have, it tends to crease the front of the hat where the vinyl goes on. Is there an attachment I need or something Im missing here? This has help me up from bringing my hat business full circle.
Second question, what teflon pillows do I need? (to raise up areas to press around buttons and collars etc etc as well as doing smaller shirts)
Third Question, Is there a better method using what I have one hand or even within $500 dollars that would be superior to cutting that expensive Siser vinyl? It is tough to sell shirts at 10/ shirt with about 2.50 in vinyl and 2 dollars in a shirt plus all the extra time. I know this is a volume business but saving a dime here and there may lead to big money later!
Fourth Question, What are some general things I need to review/learn/read to get into making high quality shirts? I have a hard problem finding the optimal placement for the small logos on the front chest of a shirt. The shirts I have built look good but as I've said before, I want to provide a consistent, professional product instead of what I have been providing (though I have never had any complaints). I am in a small town but have customers all over and basically have a niche market.
Thanks for the help y'all and I hope I didnt put this in the wrong place!
I am 20 years old and own a constantly growing sign and decal business as well as am half owner with my dad in our archery shop. I also am an integral part of my moms flowershop/gift shop. Her business is huge and both of mine are growing every day but its time to expand. I have a Vinyl Express QE60 cutter running on LXi Master Plus and a US Cutter MH871 (what I started with when I was 16) that runs with sign blazer and have become fairly adept at making signs and decals. I have been doing it since I was 16 in high school. I of course want to expand and grow and do this as well as the archery shop for some time to come. Constant work as well as having a store front and decent equipment drives me to make it happen. I also have a hat press and a clam shell heat press:
I have built a few shirts here and there for customers but for the most part I build our business t-shirts and other garments and while they look good, their not up to my level of quality. I use Siser Easy Weed vinyl cutting it with my cutter which does work great but I still need some help. Now with that out there, let me bombard you with noooob questions.
First question, when pressing hats with the hat press I have, it tends to crease the front of the hat where the vinyl goes on. Is there an attachment I need or something Im missing here? This has help me up from bringing my hat business full circle.
Second question, what teflon pillows do I need? (to raise up areas to press around buttons and collars etc etc as well as doing smaller shirts)
Third Question, Is there a better method using what I have one hand or even within $500 dollars that would be superior to cutting that expensive Siser vinyl? It is tough to sell shirts at 10/ shirt with about 2.50 in vinyl and 2 dollars in a shirt plus all the extra time. I know this is a volume business but saving a dime here and there may lead to big money later!
Fourth Question, What are some general things I need to review/learn/read to get into making high quality shirts? I have a hard problem finding the optimal placement for the small logos on the front chest of a shirt. The shirts I have built look good but as I've said before, I want to provide a consistent, professional product instead of what I have been providing (though I have never had any complaints). I am in a small town but have customers all over and basically have a niche market.
Thanks for the help y'all and I hope I didnt put this in the wrong place!
