# Screen Printer and a Clothing line. Too much?



## ThatGuyWhoPrints (Jul 11, 2012)

Okay, so I have my LLC and everything is good to go. purchased a 4 color printing kit with everything included (flash, screens,ink, exposure, Etc) Problem, my goal is to ultimately be a screen printer. i know how ive done it before just never for myself. my concern however is that i want to run a clothing line on the side that will ultimately raise money to donate to charities for the troops. I am In the military and will not be home until the end of the year so i started a following and people are now just waiting for production.

Am i biting off more than i can chew? what would be the best way for me to advertise myself? i feel like i dont have an image or goal for my business like im just "all over the place"

im in no means overwhelmed with anything i just need some advice and would like the comfort of knowing im "minding my business"

Any thoughts?
Thx.


----------



## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

I'm doing exactly the same.

I've incorporated a new company to offer screen printing services and at the same time I'm releasing a surfwear brand.

Not the easiest of things to do, but I figured that if I get quiet with the screenprinting orders, I can knock out a few surf designs/shirts.

Ideally, I would like to have a retail shop for each one, (I have a warehouse with all my equipment in and a very small retail store of 10' by 15'), but combining the screen printing services and surf brand is the most cost effective way, even though it may not be the best launchpad for the surf brand.

I do have separate websites for the print shop and the surf brand, though.

To make the most of space, I am also using the surf shirts as a showcase to display the quality of work we can knock out, so screenprint customers can see the various options available.

Kind of messy, but it's the best I can do with my current resources! The way I see it, one may subsidise the other and the surfwear shirts will be cheaper to me than anyone else can produce them for, so I can use price as a marketing tool and undercut everyone else to establish the brand and get it in other retail outlets.

Richie


----------



## ThatGuyWhoPrints (Jul 11, 2012)

sounds like we are on the same track here. the way i see things is that i can run my screen printing business and my clothing line at the same time. 

for example: the clothing line doesn't even really have to exist anywhere, accept online. people wont know the difference. i can print out my line and sell them retail. all it will cost me is some space to store the shirts. 

I will run my printing business and when orders come though the online store for my brand i ship em out. it seems that easy to me but thats why im beginning to second guess it. 

"will it really BE that easy?" is the question i keep asking myself


----------



## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

ThatGuyWhoPrints said:


> "will it really BE that easy?" is the question i keep asking myself


Of course not!

But it's worth a shot 

I always say, "If you try enough times, the law of averages says that you will eventually succeed"


----------



## NewEmpire (Jul 31, 2012)

I am also starting up a screen printing biz, and currently have a clothing line going. Started selling t-shirts in 2010 to raise money to help people in need. Sold shirts, raised money to help a 4 yr old with leukemia and raised money to help a 23 yr old get a double lung transplant!! Pretty cool stuff!! Now I purchased a 4 color 2 station press to start printing my clothing line in-house to save time and money. I am also starting to screen print for local businesses and schools and churches. Just beginning the screen biz. Side question...where you are donating and doing a lot to raise money for the troops why did you go with the LLC and not a non-profit status?

Brian
| Changing the world, one shirt at a time…


----------



## NEWAGEHOODIE (Aug 1, 2012)

I am currently doing the same thing. I have a clothing line I have been working on for a couple of years now and decided to purchase screen printing equipment to cut cost. I think it is an excellent idea being that the cost of getting tees printed could easily reach into the thousands of dollars.


----------



## ThatGuyWhoPrints (Jul 11, 2012)

NewEmpire said:


> I am also starting up a screen printing biz, and currently have a clothing line going. Started selling t-shirts in 2010 to raise money to help people in need. Sold shirts, raised money to help a 4 yr old with leukemia and raised money to help a 23 yr old get a double lung transplant!! Pretty cool stuff!! Now I purchased a 4 color 2 station press to start printing my clothing line in-house to save time and money. I am also starting to screen print for local businesses and schools and churches. Just beginning the screen biz. Side question...where you are donating and doing a lot to raise money for the troops why did you go with the LLC and not a non-profit status?
> 
> Brian
> | Changing the world, one shirt at a time…


things are at a halt right now due to military orders until the end of the year but i chose the LLC because i plan on screen printing for local schools, businesses, etc for profit and i plan on using the clothing line to get my name out there and help out the fellow troops in need by donating most of the profits to organizations that help them. the main business is screen printing so thats why the LLC, the clothing line is for the donations


----------

