[Rebelesque]

So I'm doing research, and this may be a newbie question, but I wanted to know how others do things.
Once you buy your shirts and get them shipped to you, do then find a screen printer localy? Or do you then ship your shirts to a printer and they ship them back once they're complete?

If locally, does the printer work with you to determine size and location? I would imagine giving a printer an image file would be quite risky.

Does anyone have advice on where to find a printer? I'm in Dallas, Texas. I've looked on online yellow pages, but everything I find seems to be consumer like w/ consumer prices (like a soccer team that needs shirts), Know what I mean? Hope so. Thanks in advance for your ya'lls thoughts.

 

[Rodney]

Once you buy your shirts and get them shipped to you, do then find a screen printer localy? Or do you then ship your shirts to a printer and they ship them back once they're complete?

Personally, I have the screen printer do all that They source the t-shirts, order them wholesale, etc. I just tell them what the job is (show them the design) and they give me a quote. I don't have time to source t-shirts and worry about shipping back and forth.

If locally, does the printer work with you to determine size and location? I would imagine giving a printer an image file would be quite risky.

I'm not sure what would be risky about it? I usually tell the printer what size and what location I want it on. They send me an email proof to confirm ink colors, location, size, garment color, etc. I approve it, they run it.

Does anyone have advice on where to find a printer? I'm in Dallas, Texas. I've looked on online yellow pages, but everything I find seems to be consumer like w/ consumer prices (like a soccer team that needs shirts), Know what I mean?

There really aren't separate printers for soccer teams or t-shirt design companies. It's the same screen printing equipment that prints both. Locally, soccer teams and local organizations will probably be the screen printers bread and butter, but that doesn't mean they don't know how to handle any other type job. Just check with them and ask.

Alternatively, you could search google or try screenprinters.net

 

[Solmu]

There really aren't separate printers for soccer teams or t-shirt design companies.

I think the point being made was that they're marketing towards a different segment, and their prices reflect that.

 

[MikeyFingaz]

I have been thru something similar... I went thru nearly every shop in my area (literally), looking for a company that could match my needs... I plan to sell my own designs (about 15 variations, and would only be filling orders as they were placed... And could possibly have runs of only a couple of each design, or all the way up to a large amount of each... What I found was that nearly every shop in my area was pretty close to each other in price... The only way to get pricing down to a reasonable price per shirt was to order alot of each design i was having printed, thus allowing the shop to turn a profit from the high numbers ordered... it would be too expensive to have a shop do orders for you if they only did the orders in small numbers...

I had come to this sad realization when I began my research into the biz... I was thinking I would make some art, give it to em & they would print in what ever number I wanted... I soon found out that this would be the most expensive way to do it for someone like me who might only get a few orders for each design... If you have tha ability to order large numbers, you might be better off this way... But for the little guy, its probably best to do em yourself... Atleast thats what the people in my area told me, I could be wrong...

But, if you do them yourself you will have the satisfaction of being able to say that you made them yourself...

 

[Rebelesque]

I think the point being made was that they're marketing towards a different segment, and their prices reflect that.

Exactly what I meant. What's considered a good price for screen printing. I did find a place that says they charge $4 for 1 color w/ a min. of 50 shirts to be done. To me it doesnt seem like a good deal. What do you all think?

 

[Solmu]

I did find a place that says they charge $4 for 1 color w/ a min. of 50 shirts to be done.

Including or not including the shirts? It's a decent/good price including, and not a particularly good price not including.

 

[Rodney]

I think the point being made was that they're marketing towards a different segment, and their prices reflect that.

I don't think the pricing would be different based on "who" they are printing for. Price quotes for screen printing are usually based on the job size/number of colors/garment color, etc. Not the customer type.

But I'm probably missing something here

 

[Solmu]

I don't think the pricing would be different based on "who" they are printing for.

No, it wouldn't - but their pricing would be different (to another printer) based on who they are (primarily) printing for.

i.e. Printer A specialises in printing for schools/soccer teams/etc. (end customers) - as we've learnt recently these customers don't know how to do research, and will be mercilessly overcharged on a job.

Printer B specialises in printing for businesses (i.e. wholesale) who will onsell, and charges much less.

If you go to Printer A with your wholesale order, you will still pay "retail" price. If you go to Printer B with your retailish order, you will still pay "wholesale" price.

There's no real difference to the printers except marketing (and perhaps minimum order requirements). But because of that marketing they are geared to run differently - their prices aren't changing based on the individual client, but they are different based on who they are printing for.

Since Printer A types rely on being seen before the customer becomes aware of Printer B types, Printer A's advertise more heavily and are generally easier to find - they wouldn't be able to exist if people were also aware they could go to Printer B. Printer B relies more heavily on volume, and knows that if people are serious they will find him.

 

[Rebelesque]

Well put Solmu. I want to find printer B! All I am able to find is the "hard marketing" printer A type w/ outrageous prices. And to answer your earlier question, the $4 each does NOT include the shirts. What do you think i should do to find the appropriate printer?

 

[Solmu]

What do you think i should do to find the appropriate printer?

It's going to depend on where you are, but I'd hit the phone book.

In my case, if I go to yellowpages.com.au, put in my city (Melbourne) and look for "screen printer" I get 269 results. It shouldn't be too hard to find some good printers in that lot.

It's always better to get a word of mouth recommendation from someone you know in person whenever possible, but for a screen printer (as opposed to a plumber, etc.) the odds are you don't know anyone who has used one. You might be able to get a name out of a local business who sells product you like, but odds are they won't want to give that kind of information out.

It's easy to find a printer, but I think it is actually quite hard to find the printer so to speak. There's a thread floating around somewhere on these forums about what to look for in a screen printer; the thread has some good advice in it for helping with a decision once you do find somewhere you're thinking about using.

 

[Solmu]

And to answer your earlier question, the $4 each does NOT include the shirts.

Oh, and about prices: it wouldn't hurt to google to get an idea of prices. As Rodney says that won't tell you what prices you can necessarily get (just prices that are out there), but it's still useful information to give you a frame of reference.

The shop I use as a frame of reference price guide charges $1.75 a shirt for printing 51 1 colour shirts ($2 for 1-50), with a $15 setup fee, plus the cost of the shirts. A place that charges more than that isn't expensive, but one that charges double may not be what you're after (on the other hand if they offer fantastic customer service and other benefits, they may be - you certainly need to evaluate the whole picture).

 

[Ayres Clothing]

I have placed orders locally and non-locally. I always let the printer supply the shirts. For an order placed non-locally...make sure the printer knows the exact dimensions you want and the printer should also send you a print matrix which basically is the layout of where the design will go. The print matrix will show a blank shirt that has your design overlayed ontop of it should look exactly how the shirts are going to come out. So if you have a small design on the shoulder, it will show that design in the exact manner as it will look when you get the shirt.

I would recommend you go into your yellowpages and look under screen printing. Most screen printers also do the heat transfer which is what is used when applying numbers and names on jerseys. Also, most printers are flexible on the printing. I have talked local printers down on pricing by telling them I will be bringing repeat business. Hope that helps.