[jumeda33]

Hello everyone. I am brand new to this so hopefully I am in the right place. We just started doing dye sub apparel printing. My question is this. How much should I charge if someone brings in their own shirts and just wants us to press their logo on them? In this case it is just the logo on the front chest but I would like advice on if it is just there or if they would also want something on the back as well. My second question is this. I would like to keep my printer running a lot. Is there a market for me to look at where I can do the sublimation printing for people that only do the pressing because they don't want to bother printing. We are a print shop to begin with so this was like an add on to our business.
Thanks for any input I can get.
David

 

[splathead]

What other printing methods do you do besides dye sub? How do you handle customers bringing in their own garment for those methods? Handle dye sub the same way.

 

[jumeda33]

Hi Joe,
Thanks for the response. We don't do any other type of printing that people would bring in their own stuff.
Thanks,
David

 

[into the T]

always have a caveat for the customer that you do not guarantee the end product,
as you have no idea what has been applied/done to the tee

your garment supplier supplies garments specifically for decorating garments,
everything else is suspect

we just had to do a customer-supplied garment and made sure they washed without fabric-softener,
and dried on medium heat
even then we told them there are zero guarentees

 

[jumeda33]

Hi Edward,
Thanks for that heads up. I wouldn't have known to tell them not to use fabric softener on the shirts. Is that on any dye sub shirt? Even ones that come from the supplier?
Thanks,
David

 

[into the T]

no
i meant any time a customer is bringing you any apparel

they should wash them to remove any stain-repellent/fire-retardant from the garment
i tell them to dry on medium for shrinkage
even then, i still them that there are are no guarantees on my decorating method's longevity

there are too many variables involved in customer bought apparel,
don't assume any of that risk yourself

 

[splathead]

We don't do any other type of printing that people would bring in their own stuff.

Then I wouldn't do it on dye sub either. I especially wouldn't do it on dye sub.

Dye sub is very finicky when it comes to polyester fabric. you're going to have customers bring you garments that are not going to be able to withstand the heat. You won't know that until after you've pressed. Then what? A) You're going to ruin their garment or B) customers are going to be walking around with terrible looking examples of YOUR work.

I mean come on, there is only 1 garment that gives you ideal dye sub results; a white, 100% polyester garment. Why screw around with hit or miss results when you can simply stock that single item in your inventory? I guarantee your cost of that white garment will be less than what your customer can buy it for elsewhere. So...what's the point?