[AirThreadz]

I airbrush on bamboo fiber/organic cotton t shirts. I have to pay alot for the blank shirts, then I hand airbrush each shirt with stencils. The least I could accept per shirt is $15 if I don't have to sit at a show and sell them. Anyone think this is a possibility, will high end, natural fiber clothings stores be able to pay me this much? I have sold them for $25, and I'm sure a high end store could get $30+

 

[Jasonda]

I definitely think $30 - $35 is an acceptable price to pay for something that is made by hand, and on an organic-fiber t-shirt to boot.

If you really want to make money on this, I think you will have to go for that higher-priced market. Your cost per shirt is already high, and you also have to factor in the time it takes to airbrush it by hand.

One important thing you have to figure out is: Who is your target market? First of all, someone who doesn't mind spending $35 on a shirt. Secondly, someone who is attracted by the enviro-friendly and handmade aspect. Thirdly, someone who is attracted to the design itself. Don't make the mistake of thinking that the design is the biggest selling point - I see a lot of designs out there that I love, but if they are out of my price range I just won't buy them.

After you figure out who your target market is, build your brand image and everything else around that. It is something that will take a little research (see who your competition is) and a lot of work (you might have to re-design your website) but it will be worth it in the end.

 

[AirThreadz]

Thank you Jasonda...many things to think aboot.
Lot's to build on, I'll keep painting

 

[webby]

AirThreadz-

There is a guy here in Cincinnati that does something similar and has his shirts on all of the famous rappers, let me find the article and I will post a link. I beleive he charges somewhere in the $100-$300 a shirt range.. I'll do some research and make another post.

ps I like the fact that you are using organic and bamboo manufactured tees.. we need to spread that throughout this industry...

 

[webby]

Well that didn't take long.. here is the article.

It is a good read for all of us, check it out:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060813/COL08/608130359/-1/all

 

[Jasonda]

That's a great article. Now $35 is starting to sound too cheap.

 

[Ross B]

I think $35 is WAY too cheap for a hand-painted bamboo fibre Tshirt. I paid $25AUD years ago for a fantastic hand-painted top quality cotton tshirt in Bali (where, at the time, standard printed Ts were something like $3), just because it was unique, I loved the design, and the quality o the cotton was clearly way superior to the other Ts on offer in thousands of stalls in Kuta etc.

I've still got it, and it still looks great.

Hand-painted once-offs on premium and unusual material are surely worth far more than the average printed tshirt. The people you should be marketing to will recognise this, Airthreadz. It's just a matter of getting to them. I really think you must be careful not to undersell yourself here.

 

[withwords]

i couldn't agree more. it's a different buyer than the guy who wants a cool tee. these are wearable art canvas you're talking about. plenty of high end shirts are sold in high end botiques and such all over the place. don't under-price your art.

 

[Rodney]

I airbrush on bamboo fiber/organic cotton t shirts. I have to pay alot for the blank shirts, then I hand airbrush each shirt with stencils. The least I could accept per shirt is $15 if I don't have to sit at a show and sell them.

That's WAY too low I just tried the bamboo t-shirts you recommended and they retail BLANK at $17 each.

Anyone think this is a possibility, will high end, natural fiber clothings stores be able to pay me this much? I have sold them for $25, and I'm sure a high end store could get $30+

$15 might be a good wholesale price for you to quote to high end stores. Retail price should be in the $30+ range. The real key is the garment quality and benefits. Once someone feels it AND then sees the cool design on it, they will be sold.

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/showthread.php?t=6234

I guess I should have said that AFTER I ordered a t-shirt from your site

It's true that some people won't buy a $30+ t-shirt, but those people aren't your target market. There are enough people that will, so that it just becomes a matter of finding and reaching out to that demographic.

 

[AirThreadz]

Thanks so much everyone, really keeps the fires going.
I'm gonna invest in some good equipment, more shirts, and keep hitting the pavement.
Also...my shirts are handpainted; however i do use stencils. Each one is unique, but the same designs are used. Still, each one is handmade separately.
Yeah...I wuz thinking 15 would be my wholesale minimum. We'll see.
Thanks Again
Star @ AirThreadz

 

[zagadka]

your shirts sound JAW-some!!!

especially because they're made of a sustainable fiber (a huge plus for me)

and they're hand done!

Soon, when i graduate and have $$$, i'm going to have you make a Zagadka shirt for me.