[Ash-11]

Hi everyone, I have been screen printing in the spare room for over two year's just as a hobby. I initially splashed out on some half decent kit including a 4 x 4 Hopkins press, Panther tunnel dryer and BBC Industries flash. I'm going to be moving house shortly to somewhere with a large (ish) outbuilding about the size of a double garage that would be ideal for setting up all my printing kit and desk / PC etc.
What I was wondering is would it be possible to make a living from screen printing alone in 2022 in the UK?
I don't have huge overheads so not looking to earn a fortune or branch out into other avenues or to one day run my own shop on the high street. Just a small home run business that earns a modest income would be ideal. The t-shirts I currently print tick over nicely on ebay but would like to get some extra use out of my kit by maybe doing some printing for local schools and businesses.
Any thoughts or recommendations would be much appreciated.
Many thanks

 

[sbremner]

Well, I don't know about the UK, but in general, it will be what you make of it. Don't expect things to always go smooth, but you learn and move forward. You don't fail, until you quit... best of luck.

Steve

 

[into the T]

for institutions always stress 'local', most are willing to pay a little extra for this
(i don't mean to not be competitive in your pricing, or gouge them, just don't get involved in a race to the bottom)

bring samples to the meeting, including samples washed & dried many times to show your quality
always comport yourself in a friendly & polite manner
highlight some of the things you have done for the community (does not have to be t-shirt related)

mention your other abilities, like you can do graphics for them as well (logo upgrades, new logos, etc.)
lay a foundation on which they know they can build on into the future

be passionate and confident about your work and who you are, without resorting to used-car salesman mode

 

[NoXid]

I'm also not in the UK , but I sell my own screen printed designs on eBay, Etsy, Amazon Handmade, and my own URLs. To a large extent, I think each of the major online marketplaces has it's own pool of customers, so you might consider opening an Etsy shop at least (I'm not sure if AmzHm is available in the UK; there is no $40 monthly fee as there is with a regular Seller Central account).

Depending on your art, you might also try selling in person at local craft markets and fairs. Best for that are probably designs specific to the locality, things for tourists and civic pride, etc.

Myself, I have not pursued screen printing as a "service," as I am disinclined toward "salesy" skills, which are a necessary part of giving that a go. So other than a few friends who needed logo prints for their own small businesses, I have stuck with selling my own creations at retail. YMMV

As to making a living (in the USA), I get by. But my life expenses are low, as I started this part of my life debt-free and already owning essentially everything I need. Having those "salesy" skills, or at least not an aversion to them, would probably be your best bet in going full-time.

 

[TABOB]

What I was wondering is would it be possible to make a living from screen printing alone in 2022 in the UK?

Screen printing alone, as in just printing other peoples designs?
Probably not, because the printing part is not worth much.
Artwork is where most of the money is in my opinion.

 

[TLK]

Hi everyone, I have been screen printing in the spare room for over two year's just as a hobby. I initially splashed out on some half decent kit including a 4 x 4 Hopkins press, Panther tunnel dryer and BBC Industries flash. I'm going to be moving house shortly to somewhere with a large (ish) outbuilding about the size of a double garage that would be ideal for setting up all my printing kit and desk / PC etc.
What I was wondering is would it be possible to make a living from screen printing alone in 2022 in the UK?
I don't have huge overheads so not looking to earn a fortune or branch out into other avenues or to one day run my own shop on the high street. Just a small home run business that earns a modest income would be ideal. The t-shirts I currently print tick over nicely on ebay but would like to get some extra use out of my kit by maybe doing some printing for local schools and businesses.
Any thoughts or recommendations would be much appreciated.
Many thanks

Yeah, you can make a living out of it, of course. I wouldn't give up the day job right away though. We've been going for nearly 10 years, the first 3 were pretty tough. Local schools might seem like a good idea but watch out for the payment terms and indecisive PTA's.

 

[usama iqbal]

its great just you have to spend more and more time on it and work hard you will be successful with surity