If you ever wanted to be a t-shirt designer, you know that opening a physical store is complicated and very expensive. However, that doesn’t mean that there is no other way to follow your dream. You can always start an online t-shirt printing business, like, TeeJunction. You don’t even need professional printing equipment. All you need is your laptop and internet connection.
In this article, you will find a step-by-step guide on how to start your own t-shirt printing business at home.
Design
Creating an original design that will be appealing to the customers can be a challenge. However, it is a far better option than using copyrighted or trademarked designs that will not only harm your business in the future if the act of plagiarism goes out to the public, but also might result in some serious legal consequences.
When designing a graphic, you need to remember that what looks good on your computer, might not look so good on the t-shirt. It might take a while before you find a good one. If you think that it will be too difficult, you can always hire a professional designer. Need bulk customized t-shirts for your company or non-profit? We supply businesses all over the Midwest with shirts, hoodies, and jackets for staff and customers alike.
Test
Before launching any product, you need to test its demand, and if it will appeal to future clients. The first step to do that is to determine what is your target market. Will you sell t-shirts for men, women, children, or maybe all three? Will your t-shirts be designed for fitness, or perhaps they will be for everyday wear?
While establishing your ideal market, you need to be as specific as possible. “Men between 18 and 50” is not precise. However, “men who play golf,” “skateboarders,” “football players” – are good examples of a specific target market.
After you have the target market, you can create a profile of an ideal buyer, and look for people who fit your target market so that they can give you some feedback on your idea – in the end, you want to know if people would buy your t-shirts and what price they would pay for it.
Business Plan and Legalization
Even though it sounds like you are just selling t-shirts, you still need a solid business plan, as, without it, you will lose not only time but also money. It will include your prediction of expenses and profits, the outline of your product, and your ideal market.
While creating a business plan, you should think of a name for your business and its logo – especially if you are planning on selling your t-shirts through a website, as you need to buy the domain name.
Before you start earning any money, you need to make sure that everything is done legally. If you want to sell t-shirts through your website or on a local market/fair, you will probably need a sales tax permit that is issued by your city or county’s business office. Also, to make sure that nobody will steal your designs, you can either get them copyrighted or trademarked.
Printing
If you already have your design, you need to think about how to transfer it from the computer to the t-shirt, so in simple words, how you are going to print it. And there are a few methods by which you can do that.
Here is how you can print your t-shirts:
- screen printing – best if you need to print a bigger number of t-shirts with a simple design
- direct-to-garment custom printing – It is better for smaller batches of t-shirts, as the printing takes time; and also suitable for very detailed designs
- heat transfer machine – good for printing t-shirts on-demand; the design is often less durable and of a lower quality than if you used the methods above
No matter what method you choose, you can either hire a third-party printer, or you can buy the equipment needed – the decision is up to you.
Price
The price of the t-shirt needs to be determined wisely. Usually, you establish it by basing on the cost of the printing – the price should cover the expenses not only of the printing but also, for example, of marketing. However, remember not to go overboard with the prices, as you want to attract customers and not scare them away.
Way of selling
Selling your t-shirts through a website gives you a chance to work without having to leave your house. It also makes running a business a lot easier, thanks to the available software that helps you in keeping track of your sales, finances, or people that visit your website. However, it is optional. You can decide to sell your t-shirts in traditional, in-person markets and fairs.
Marketing
Buyers won’t come to you – you have to put your product in front of them (at least in the beginning). Since you already have an established ideal market, you need to market your t-shirts in places where customers can find them. A good way of marketing is using Facebook, especially if your target market consists mainly of young people. Luckily for you, these days, marketing a product is not very difficult.
Conclusion
It doesn’t take a lot to start a t-shirt business at home. However, what it does take are patience and hard work – you have to be aware of the fact that your business will not become a success overnight. But the hard work you put into it will pay off.
One of the benefits of the home-based t-shirt business is that you are the boss – you can work when and how much you want. When it comes to how much you can earn, everything depends on how much energy, time, and work you are willing to put into it.
The only thing left to say is – Good Luck!
