# Looking for a DTG printing company to print & ship my full color designs



## teehugger

I'm getting ready to start my teeshirt business at a smaller than planned for scale during covid 2020 and am looking for a printer to make my products. I'm currently homeless and limited on computer time, so links to your businesses with no price lists don't help me much and make me want to move on to your next competitor.

Please PM me your prices for sizes small - 5x, what blanks you use, and available colors, if you can make custom labels with my logo, shipping charges (especially if you have ebay integration) and your largest imprint size. i'd like a 12x15 minumum image size with a printer who DOESN'T run images right up to a teeshirts neck hole. prices for front and back/both are appreciated too.

i'm looking to get rolling with a partner asap now as i can't even rent a room with my prepaid debit card here and i'd like to get back on my feet where i'd planned on doing this from my previous apartment.

when i narrow my options down to a printer to test, i'll buy some samples for my own use and to get pictures of (printers that can catalogue my designs on camera as they ship out get bonus points in my quest) before opening my doors to the world.

i want a no BS printer and want a keeper partner to grow with. i don't care if you're big or small, just that you are reliable and provide our customers with high quality merchandise. i would like to seen as a valued customer myself by my partner and bring them as much business as i can market as i grow. 

i'll be needing a way for my partner to host my art either through uploads, or snail mailing CDs... whatever works best for you, and would like to have a cataloguing system eg. med gr #17 (medium grey tee design #17). i imagine you already have your own systems. my background is in paper printing & pre-press.

next day turnaround would be nice too, but i'm more concerned about a printer who takes pride in their wares and who can deliver good art than how fast they do it. i'd go with a higher bid for better quality. i'd rather print myself, but that's way down the road now.

thank you all for your time and consideration and by all means ask me any questions you might have.

i'm not looking to open a line of credit, just work with an on demand printer i can pass my orders on to.


----------



## TeedUp

I imagine you've already considered some of the numerous POD services out there. While I'm a noob to t-shirt printing myself, I've been around the block a few times with various businesses, and it seems the direction I would look investigate in your situation. It also seems you have some very specific expectations that you need to be flexible on, you may have to make some compromises.

Being homeless has to make it 10x as hard, I wish you the best of luck.


----------



## into the T

hey cogtees,
i can help with hosting your site and domain for a year or two if you need


----------



## Robertstringer

TeedUp said:


> I imagine you've already considered some of the numerous POD services out there. While I'm a noob to t-shirt printing myself, I've been around the block a few times with various businesses, and it seems the direction I would look investigate in your situation. It also seems you have some very specific expectations that you need to be flexible on, you may have to make some compromises.
> 
> Being homeless has to make it 10x as hard, I wish you the best of luck.


I was going to respond this your response was so much nicer he is asking quite a bit for no guarantee of anything


----------



## teehugger

i don't know what i'm being unreasonable on. i'd just like to get started with a reliable printer who doesn't give me run around. i started out planning on a specific printer who i was having a good relationship, back when i was writing my original business plan, but the owner turned operations over to someone else who was difficult to get info from and who kept changing the prices i thought were agreed upon.

i'm not looking for anything too special other than the "no designs right up to the neck" imaging issue that has kept me from going with one of the largest POD printers who had about the lowest prices. that's why i'm trying to find a printer who doesn't have a problem lowering the image area so designs are more centered vertically.

i'd like a reliable partner who gets the job done, and intend to be a valued customer who asks for nothing more than to get my orders out when i send them and pay for them. that's a pretty low bar on expectations in my book. i have a customer... here's money to print & ship their order... do your job. what am i missing?


----------



## teehugger

as to websites, that's something down the road. i have a ton of books i need to go back and re-read, and search engine optimization etc. isn't my highest priority right now, just to get a small catralogue of maybe a dozen or two designs up on ebay to grease the proverbial wheels and get some test marketing done for my pro-forma once i rewrite my business plan. i have a bunch of stuff i need to re-learn as well as new stuff i'm not even aware of yet, so i'm taking a baby step to build on. websites will happen after i have income to build one with... preferably one where i'll have artistic control and won't have to use some hideous template(s) for. that was an issue a few years ago when i was still writing my first biz plan.

i haven't even decided on my new name yet. someone stole this one and is selling tees online with it. those aren't my designs.


----------



## TeedUp

@cogtees So I happened to come across one of your old book review threads, you really DO read a lot!

Don't be immobilized by the overwhelming amount of information you're trying to digest. Sometimes you have to jump in and just take one step at a time. Organize, prioritize and focus. Perfect is the enemy of good.

Also, your expectations of your vendors may not seem unreasonable to you, but when you come to a busy businessman with what is now a small order and ask for a lot of little things outside the routine that require his attention and/or time, well... for me... I like to try to help people WHEN I can and I love new customers, but when I'm busy I just have less appreciation for PIA customers, and not a great start to a relationship.

Best of luck.


----------



## teehugger

> I like to try to help people WHEN I can and I love new customers, but when I'm busy I just have less appreciation for PIA customers, and not a great start to a relationship.


now see, i used to HATE IT when i was doing work for customers and had to work for greedy bosses who'd rather rush a job out the door to save 50 cents (not even at 80s pay) on labor instead of letting me take another couple minutes fixing something minor "the customer will never see". i was actually happier making less money at jobs with better management. i hated putting inferior art out when it wasn't necessary.

i'm not starting the biz to get rich, but just to supplement my income with MY IDEAS and give my customers the absolute best product i can. i take customer service EXTREMELY seriously and would like to find a like minded printer who has more pride in his work than greed. i'd hate to work with someone who hates their job. like i said too, i take my responsibilities as a CUSTOMER seriously too and had no plans to be all "gimme gimme gimme" to my printer. i turned free samples down from the ORIGINAL owner of the shop i intended to work with. i want to be VALUED as a customer the same way i value mine. really, that should all just fall under "just do your job". me? i have no probs cleaning toilets and when i do, they sparkle, but with today's rampant greed, there's a lot of people i would never want to partner with as i don't want to have to pass someone else's issues on to my customers. in an ideal world, i OWN my printer and have total quality control.

right now, i'm looking into renting an office space. they're way cheaper than i thought, starting at just $230 a month here. that would hopefully give me a rent receipt i can use to get a bank account after getting screwed over this bad by my credit union so i can get direct deposit again (my prepaid card only goes up to $500 and is USELESS for getting hotel rooms anyways), have a legit business location i can correspond from, and eventually work from when i can afford a laptop and a graphics tablet. i prefer PCs, but i'm trying to work with what i got here, which calls for a lightweight laptop.

i'm still looking for a printer looking for new on demand customers.


----------



## TeedUp

cogtees said:


> now see, i used to HATE IT when i was doing work for customers and had to work for greedy bosses who'd rather rush a job out the door to save 50 cents (not even at 80s pay) on labor instead of letting me take another couple minutes fixing something minor "the customer will never see". i was actually happier making less money at jobs with better management. i hated putting inferior art out when it wasn't necessary.
> 
> i'm not starting the biz to get rich, but just to supplement my income with MY IDEAS and give my customers the absolute best product i can. i take customer service EXTREMELY seriously and would like to find a like minded printer who has more pride in his work than greed. i'd hate to work with someone who hates their job. like i said too, i take my responsibilities as a CUSTOMER seriously too and had no plans to be all "gimme gimme gimme" to my printer. i turned free samples down from the ORIGINAL owner of the shop i intended to work with. i want to be VALUED as a customer the same way i value mine. really, that should all just fall under "just do your job". me? i have no probs cleaning toilets and when i do, they sparkle, but with today's rampant greed, there's a lot of people i would never want to partner with as i don't want to have to pass someone else's issues on to my customers. in an ideal world, i OWN my printer and have total quality control.
> 
> right now, i'm looking into renting an office space. they're way cheaper than i thought, starting at just $230 a month here. that would hopefully give me a rent receipt i can use to get a bank account after getting screwed over this bad by my credit union so i can get direct deposit again (my prepaid card only goes up to $500 and is USELESS for getting hotel rooms anyways), have a legit business location i can correspond from, and eventually work from when i can afford a laptop and a graphics tablet. i prefer PCs, but i'm trying to work with what i got here, which calls for a lightweight laptop.
> 
> i'm still looking for a printer looking for new on demand customers.


Wow, there's a lot to unpack there. I see issues of philosophy and issues of facts. I'll try to keep it short.

1) Having pride in your work and attention to quality and detail is great, and how much extra time you spend going above and beyond is your prerogative when you are your own boss.

2) Attention to quality and detail out of pride in your work are different than going out of your way to accommodate the very specific (picky) requirements of a sales prospect (not even a customer yet, really, can't rely on any payoff for the time and special efforts invested).

3) What you may do for others is not the standard of what to expect others to do in similar situations. Spending extra time and attention above and beyond for one customer is at the expense of time and attention that could be given to another customer, or - better yet - home with your family. Time is a valuable resource. Ask for a fair job for the price, not personal sacrifice.

4) If you're homeless on one hand, but on the other "i'm not starting the biz to get rich, but just to supplement my income with MY IDEAS and give my customers the absolute best product i can." you need to do a little soul searching and reality adjustment. "Supplement your income"? Really? You're deluding yourself. Are you in business, or are you an artist? It's super difficult to succeed at both at the same time.

I'm not spending my time writing this because I want to rip you, I think you're too nice a guy on hard times who needs to figure things out. I don't know if I've helped, but best of luck.


----------



## GTL design

Hello, cogtees 
I'm working with tees sellers online and e-shops owners. They send me only order, i print on t-shirt, sweatshirts, packing and send directly to client.
My clients choose for themselves which t-shirt they want to print, economy, medium or premium class.
I can supply T-shirts from different manufacturers. Most popular in Europe: Stedman, B&C, Stanley Stella and others.
But I'm located in Europe that's when you decide to trade in Europe, we can work together.


----------



## Sebastian Blas

Hi cogtees,
We are soon opening our start-up DTG store in Florida, for full color designs we will be using an Epson F2100 DTG Printer so it will be a very good quality print. I am sure we can can co-operate.


----------



## splathead




----------



## teehugger

> Ask for a fair job for the price, not personal sacrifice.


of course! i have a logical personality type, so people read all kinds of stuff into what i'm saying that i don't intend. as i recall saying, i want to be seen as a valued customer by my printer... pay my bills on time, DON'T hassle your printer and so on. in my mind... such conversations shouldn't even be necessary when everyone is a professional. what i DON'T want is to work with someone who hates their job and just wants to make a quick buck... even if they bid lowest. i guess i'm trying to say i'd like to work with someone reliable. to me, "doing one's job" isn't about being selfless, it's about putting an honest effort in. even when i worked as a deli meat cutter, i took pride in my work, but i was raised by my grandparents.



> If you're homeless on one hand, but on the other "i'm not starting the biz to get rich, but just to supplement my income with MY IDEAS and give my customers the absolute best product i can." you need to do a little soul searching and reality adjustment. "Supplement your income"? Really? You're deluding yourself. Are you in business, or are you an artist? It's super difficult to succeed at both at the same time.


we are on totally different pages here. as it stands, now that i'm getting back on my feet, i literally can't afford rent HERE despite just scraping by since 2013 in a town that wouldn't give me a job. i need a couple hundred dollars a month in extra income to start BUILDING a life and no longer counting on OTHERS to give me a job.

believe it, i've done my due diligence in writing my original business plan and researching marketing etc. i have outstanding ideas i have faith in, and like i said, i'm only looking to sell maybe a teeshirt a day to start with. all i want is to get my head above water for a minute. that whole "social climbing & get rich" thing? not really for me. the hippy in me hates greed. MY NEEDS are simple and unlike most of the rest of yours

right now, i'm still struggling to get a phone because it's so hard to find a good flip phone that works with MVNO carriers. i want to look for a job here too. the economy's better here.


----------



## teehugger

Sebastian Blas said:


> Hi cogtees,
> We are soon opening our start-up DTG store in Florida, for full color designs we will be using an Epson F2100 DTG Printer so it will be a very good quality print. I am sure we can can co-operate.


just getting back up to speed on what's going on in the world at the moment as the library was closed a couple weeks. thanks for your reply


----------



## swaggin.com/

Feel free to check us out. We are brand new. www.swaggin.com. We are based in Los Angeles and we can talk on the phone and help you set up your t shirt business. We carry shirts that other pods wont do.


----------



## IPAS_WeHelpYouSellShirts

I can help you. I help SMBs with every aspect of getting their shirt business set up... from websites to advertising to printing AND fulfillment. We've helped startups take their business to where it is now their full-time business AND it's profitable. Let me know if you are interested - would love to chat more.


----------

