[nicoledean]

Hello!,

So me and my significant other have decided to get into this whole dye sublimation. He usually does his research pretty thoroughly but it seems this time he didn't. We got a business loan to start this up only to be smacked by the limitations of the sawgrass virtuoso 400. The first hiccup came when he realized that we could not print onto dark t-shirts so easily. Then also that the sawgrass could only print onto polyester or mostly polyester blends. We spent the money on the printer and have made product but we haven't made enough to get more ink because he keeps giving things away. We also did a lot of product for a client where we used a crap ton of black ink. I have a list of questions that if anyone has the time or inclination to answer, I would be super appreciative.

1. Is sawgrass truly worth the nearly $400 ink set? We have only ever seen items made from this printer so we don't have any way to gauge.
2. We have an epson inktank and he said we could get this ink off of Amazon for $30 a pop that we could use in the printer to do the sublimation for cheaper. I'm worried about if we can actually do this and if the quality will still be there.
3.I feel so overwhelmed we have a regular flat press and a 3d heat press as well. I really like the 3d press. Im just not sure what is the best way to attack doing this as a business. I feel we have missed a lot of opportunities because the product that we have the most of is cups. I guess my question is what would be your biggest recommendations for beginners int the dye sub business?

Thanks in advance for all of your kind support.

 

[splathead]

1. Not sure what other choices you have if you've already invested in their printer.

2. Yes, the ecotank can be used with sublimation ink. Quality will depend on the quality of the ink you buy. Seems to me Amazon may be hit or miss. Try Cobraink.com. They have a color profile for at least one of the ecotanks and most of us here use their inks.

3. I recommend you diversify from just offering sublimation. It's a niche business because of its limitations to light polyester garments. Look into screen printing. It works on all garments, regardless of color.

 

[Dekzion]

Does it really cost $400 for a set of ink in the USA? because at todays exchange rate it's $227 (£170) for a full set of ink from xpres in the UK.
I know where you are coming from with the worries of starting a new venture, just about everyone has had the initial struggling phase of trying to make the money work for you.
Mugs are a good little money spinner with a very fast turnover but a limited market, that's why you need to print them very fast almost like a happy thought your customer has had that can be fulfilled before the happiness dwindles. sell point $10.
Slates are a good seller, A5 size go best ($33) and A4's ($40) are for special occasions, never sold a heart shaped one.
Glass tiles with newborn hand a foot prints go well for our neighbour,which we print for $6.6 each for them and they knock out at around $40 each (she gives me the artwork all done)
They also get us to print double sided keyrings with hands feet and sayings on them, yet again we charge $6.6 each because she knocks them out at $38.7 all day long (usually around 10 a week)
We do our own key rings but haven't got to the same sale volume as her yet, but our mirror glass and coasters have taken off lately along with framed tiles. (we/I are known for photo manipulation and get images that need new backgrounds or removal of unloved persons.)
You have run low on ink because the Ricoh's lose 25% initially filling the lines and you will find that the initial carts were very low capacity 'starter' carts.
This won't happen with the next carts as the lines are already full.
Switching back to GBP, if the cost of our stock mug is .99p and the cost to print is £1 max, it takes ten minutes start to finish (I actually timed myself and it took 11 minutes from initial "here's the image" to in your hand) and they sell at £7.50 that takes just Thirty mugs to buy a full set of ink from pure profit. Considering the full set of ink is going to print waay over 300 mugs, is it expensive?
You can go Epsom, and it'll be your choice to try and save money and go through the whole process of setting up icc's and re-do your timings for the pressing.
Mike'll help you with setting up an Epsom if you prefer that route.

Until then Merry Christmas. and a prosperous new year.

 

[Signature Series]

First suggestion is to focus on what dye sublimation offers not what it does not offer. Second your cost although important is also not your real issue and instead like so many before you and surely many to follow, you seem unsure of what to sell to whom. The hardest part of any start up is sales - period. Anyone can go out and learn to dye sub, screen, vinyl, etc. To be successful you need to have the ability to market and sell your company and products. Do not sell products. How many times have people posted asking what people sell a mug or a shirt for? If you are selling pro0ducts you are dooming yourself to the bottom end of the market. Sell designs, emotions, etc and you will be able to sell a product for much more profit. Last bit of advice - the last thing you want to do is add decoration methods as suggested - you will just end up with another boat anchor. Learn your market, find your niche and hit it with a specific targeted plan.

 

[mgparrish]

Does it really cost $400 for a set of ink in the USA? because at todays exchange rate it's $227 (£170) for a full set of ink from xpres in the UK.
I know where you are coming from with the worries of starting a new venture, just about everyone has had the initial struggling phase of trying to make the money work for you.
Mugs are a good little money spinner with a very fast turnover but a limited market, that's why you need to print them very fast almost like a happy thought your customer has had that can be fulfilled before the happiness dwindles. sell point $10.
Slates are a good seller, A5 size go best ($33) and A4's ($40) are for special occasions, never sold a heart shaped one.
Glass tiles with newborn hand a foot prints go well for our neighbour,which we print for $6.6 each for them and they knock out at around $40 each (she gives me the artwork all done)
They also get us to print double sided keyrings with hands feet and sayings on them, yet again we charge $6.6 each because she knocks them out at $38.7 all day long (usually around 10 a week)
We do our own key rings but haven't got to the same sale volume as her yet, but our mirror glass and coasters have taken off lately along with framed tiles. (we/I are known for photo manipulation and get images that need new backgrounds or removal of unloved persons.)
You have run low on ink because the Ricoh's lose 25% initially filling the lines and you will find that the initial carts were very low capacity 'starter' carts.
This won't happen with the next carts as the lines are already full.
Switching back to GBP, if the cost of our stock mug is .99p and the cost to print is £1 max, it takes ten minutes start to finish (I actually timed myself and it took 11 minutes from initial "here's the image" to in your hand) and they sell at £7.50 that takes just Thirty mugs to buy a full set of ink from pure profit. Considering the full set of ink is going to print waay over 300 mugs, is it expensive?
You can go Epsom, and it'll be your choice to try and save money and go through the whole process of setting up icc's and re-do your timings for the pressing.
Mike'll help you with setting up an Epsom if you prefer that route.

Until then Merry Christmas. and a prosperous new year.

You already know this but I think the OP might not understand this clearly, although the Ricoh does need to fill up the ink lines on the initial setup, those inks are not really lost, they eventually get used up when the 2nd set of carts is used. So it's just "money in the bank".

 

[Dekzion]

Agreed, the original ink carts fill the lines, or tubes, that go to the heads. and I don't know the technicality of it but inside the cartridge there is a bag containing the ink, (I looked) and i presume that when this bag has been sucked dry it collapses and declares it's out of ink. but the lines are still full of ink that can't be removed due to the bag collapsing, but when you put the new cartridge on, the lines are already full from the previous cartridge, and it can get going without having to fill them again.