[saymold]

I think this is going to be a nice place to stay up to date on Tshirt information. I am almost a senior citizen and I lost my job two years ago. After going six months without even landing an interview, I decided to make my own job. While searching the internet for something I could do, I found out about an NBM show. I went and thought sublimation was the coolest thing I had ever seen. The versatility is tremendous. I find it to be challenging at times, but I am learning as I go along. When I first started I pretty much stayed with doing printing for professional photographers (chromaluxe stuff). After that one of them asked me to do jewelry so I tried it and I have been keeping her supplied. I print her nature pictures on the crystal and porcelain jewelry. There is more, but I better get to Tshirts, I guess. This passed summer I have been marketing my business to local schools to use my stuff for fund raising. The only problem I have run into is not everyone wants to spend the money on performance apparel, which is all you can do with sublimation. My main reason for joining is to find out if there are places that I can send logos, etc. to get transfers made that I can press on cotton shirts. Or, how are custom transfers made.

 

[freshlysqueezed]

Yep they are called custom plastoil transfers search that on the fourms and you can find threads on all the suppleiers

 

[Caldonius]

Deaqr Stephanie;

I

 

[Caldonius]

Dear Stephanie;

I am new to this site as well but your description of yourself parallels my own situation so much I had to write. I am an unemployed R&D software engineer for nearly two years now. To reinvent myself I chose DTG printing using the Anajet printer. Its a fairly expensive piece of equipment but it allows me to print on light and dark colored clothing as well as pure white. Its color range is in the millions just like sublimation printing. I can hold a resolution of roughly 1400 dpi but this is far more that t-shirts can hold. T-shirt transfers look "home made" I have a large laser jet printer and have printed many of them. On top of that you would meed to cut out the school mascot or logo and this requires even more gear. The final product from such effort I don't think will be acceptable or well received in many places, in a word its dated stuff. If you can get the orders Stephanie we could work out some printing arrangement until you can get your own Anajet. I reccomend the Anajet because it is made in America and the support staff is phenomenal and the product (the printer) is excellent.

 

[saymold]

It is nice to meet you Johathan. I have not heard of Anajet. Does it only print on garments? I was mainly drawn to sublimation because of the variety on items I could make, including T shirts. Mistakenly I thought the market must be flooded with Tshirt makers. But I see the light now, a lot of people make them because a lot of people buy them. I really appreciate what you have told me so far, so if you don't mind I would like to pick your brain some more in the future. Your offer to print for me is appealing. I like the feel of DTG, I should say the lack of feel, I am not a fan of stiff rubber. The teacher that I met with told me this story: "We did not want to pay for full color, so we just picked one." They showed me a royal blue shirt with a horrible yellowish greenish, rubbery transfer. My first question is: what is she talking about when she says they did not want to pay extra for full color? How are those things made? Are DTG and sublimation the only ones that dye the fabric? She agreed that she likes that best, but buying a lot of them makes getting something nice is cost prohibitive. Then she said another teacher actually purchased the shirts last year and she thinks they paid $7.75 each. Is there a way for both of us to make money and charge her somewhere around that price? I only ask because I have absolutely no idea what wholesale DTG costs, please don't be insulted if this is way out of line. I understand that what you make is a much better than what she showed me.

 

[Smckee21]

Stephanie, it may be less expensive to start with Ink Jet transfers, although they are not the softest out there they are certainly easy to get, print, and press.

Steve

 

[Emeraan]

Hello Stephanie
Well to T-Shirt Forum. I am a newbie to the industry as well. I find this website very informative and educational. I've learn more here in months than I have in years chat to local printers.

Stay in touch

Greetings
Emeraan
Cape Town
South Africa

 

[Caldonius]

Stephanie;
None of your questions is out of line! Your friend that picked one color is probably referring to slik screen printing where every color you add to your print drives up the price of the finished tshirt. That's where they get the expressons one color printing, two color printing etc with DTG it doesn't matter how many colors are in your design the price is the same since we don't have to create a separate screen for each bloody color. DTG will print on anything a sublimation printer can print on as well as on colored tees sweats polos etc. At 9 bucks a shirt we can offer her as many colors as she wants. I am assuming these tees are colored so our cost to print will be 3.50 per shirt and roughly 1.50 for ink and pressing. We could split the profit. A DTG machine costs roughly 16,000.00 to purchase outright but payment plans are available.
Cheers
Jon G

 

[saymold]

Ok, that sounds good, if I am understanding correctly. Does $9 include the shirt and the printing? Then it sounds like the only other cost to her would be shipping. Is that correct?

Thanks,
Stephanie

 

[Caldonius]

Milady;
Yes that is all correct. I think it is time we talk by phone so that we can increase the band width of this conversation. My number is 330-947-3015 I'm up till 2 most nights and awake and functional by 8 each morning


Cheers
Jon G