# Need help deciding what type of process to use for starting a T-shirt printing bobby



## voiceofthasouf (Apr 26, 2015)

I am starting up a little business printing custom shirts to sell at pow wows and urban city shops. I just don't know what process to use. If I need to buy a printer to print heat press images and a press, or use a direct to garment printer. I cannot seem to get much help from people. I know every little about the process. I just have all my own art and drawings I will use. Also if anyone might know where I can find a wholesale dealer to get nice heavy weight 100% preshrunk cotton tees. Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!


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## micleross (Mar 25, 2014)

voiceofthasouf said:


> I am starting up a little business printing custom shirts to sell at pow wows and urban city shops. I just don't know what process to use. If I need to buy a printer to print heat press images and a press, or use a direct to garment printer. I cannot seem to get much help from people. I know every little about the process. I just have all my own art and drawings I will use. Also if anyone might know where I can find a wholesale dealer to get nice heavy weight 100% preshrunk cotton tees. Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!


Well..... Welcome to the forum first of all 

The process is going to depend on how much you are willing to invest $$$ A DTG (Direct To Garment) printer is going to run pretty high. A heat press is great if you want to have low inventory and just print as the customer buys. Manual Screen Printing Press if you want to keep inventory. They all have their up sides and down sides to them. It's just a matter of how you would like to go about it. 

You could also just find a printer and contract the work out..... all you would need to do is sell the garments. 

On a job to job basis this would be the best place to get your shirts 
Wholesale Blank Shirts - JiffyShirts.com


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## voiceofthasouf (Apr 26, 2015)

I was a awarded a grant for 15K and this is what I will be using to start up my little project. I have about 6 stores willing to sell them as well as others in various cities also willing to push them. So I will need some inventory. I just want good images that will not fade or wash out in a couple washing. We bought a shirt a month ago and after the first wash the image started to bleed and streak. it was horrible. I just want to be able to provide the best and most durable images possible.


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## micleross (Mar 25, 2014)

voiceofthasouf said:


> I was a awarded a grant for 15K and this is what I will be using to start up my little project. I have about 6 stores willing to sell them as well as others in various cities also willing to push them. So I will need some inventory. I just want good images that will not fade or wash out in a couple washing. We bought a shirt a month ago and after the first wash the image started to bleed and streak. it was horrible. I just want to be able to provide the best and most durable images possible.


Well.... .with that amount of capital you can find a DTG printer for about 10K or so (meaning might be more expensive) Or buy a manual press and learn how to screen print


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## STEFFIE268 (Aug 2, 2015)

Hello,


Learning how to screen print can be a lengthy and tedious process, and maybe you'll hate it with all your heart lol...
I'd say either outsource to a decent screenprinter, or get a heat transfer set-up and order yourself some custom plastisol transfers from a decent supplier...Or do a combination of both, depending on what you need and how many of it you need...
So far for my 2 cents...

grtz
Stef

PS You'll want to spend your time designing stuff, and selling it - outsource production


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## voiceofthasouf (Apr 26, 2015)

Screen printing looks like it takes way to much time, more time than I have to spend. That's why I figured DTG would be best way to go. Well see. I really don't want to outsource production, just incase I might want to expand on my business later. But I will see. Thanks for your advice. Great help


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