# So many options, so much information, still a little lost



## PHdude (Sep 18, 2012)

Whats up T shirt forums,


So I own a clothing line I started in 2012. I have my own 4 screen press and I have a desk top heat press with plotter/cutter. I also have an account with "Ryonet" for silk screen printing supplies and "Thinc Action" for garment supplier.


The issue I'm having now is that I am both overwhelmed with the process of doing my own shirts but I was also in a car accident and my injuries have stopped me from silkscreen printing for the past 3 years. Also overwhelmed with hiring people, paying to teach them then having them walk away to buy their own equipment etc etc. 

So my question is, ( after extensively researching of this forum and google) what company can I or should I hire to take care of my printing needs at an affordable, small scale? I see a lot of mixed information and reviews on top of some of them being a few years old on this forum..

A lot of my designs are one color prints, I might implement printed designs down the road but its not necessarily my style of designing at the moment... any and every help would be greatly appreciated. Maybe down the road when the funds are there, I will invest into doing my own apparel again but I just don't find it efficient enough at the moment.


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## PHdude (Sep 18, 2012)

I also wanted to add that I'm not looking for a 3rd party drop shipping style company or a company to print as needed then ship while advertising their own website. I'm just looking for a silk screen printing company I can have print and label my garments then send them directly to me for me to distribute to customers. Cafepress is a different selling platform I'm not interested in doing. Printmojo website doesn't work.


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## Ribcage (Nov 4, 2010)

I'm not sure where you're located, but it sounds to me like the best solution is to start a business relationship with a local screen printing company. I have been on the other end, printing for people nearby who have their own clothing line. For me they were nice steady accounts. For them, I was close by and convenient. If you have designs that are selling, you can concentrate on marketing while someone else does the printing. I'm sure if you ask around, you'll find a company near you that will be a good fit. All the best.


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## webtrekker (Jan 28, 2018)

If it's mainly the printing side that's the problem, have you considered having your designs scrern printed as plastisol transfers and still press them yourself?

Plastisol transfers can be very cost-effective with a single colour design and are virtually indistinguishable from normal screen printing. Almost all the suppliers I know of will provide free samples for you to try out.


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## PHdude (Sep 18, 2012)

Ribcage said:


> I'm not sure where you're located, but it sounds to me like the best solution is to start a business relationship with a local screen printing company. I have been on the other end, printing for people nearby who have their own clothing line. For me they were nice steady accounts. For them, I was close by and convenient. If you have designs that are selling, you can concentrate on marketing while someone else does the printing. I'm sure if you ask around, you'll find a company near you that will be a good fit. All the best.




I guess thats what I was trying to do on this site haha... finding an affordable printer/ printing company... maybe getting info on buying a DGP?


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## PHdude (Sep 18, 2012)

webtrekker said:


> If it's mainly the printing side that's the problem, have you considered having your designs scrern printed as plastisol transfers and still press them yourself?
> 
> Plastisol transfers can be very cost-effective with a single colour design and are virtually indistinguishable from normal screen printing. Almost all the suppliers I know of will provide free samples for you to try out.



Thanks for the info but its still a process I would need to be doing myself. I guess I was hoping to find a company that can print for me.... maybe get info on a DGP?


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## Ribcage (Nov 4, 2010)

PHdude said:


> Thanks for the info but its still a process I would need to be doing myself. I guess I was hoping to find a company that can print for me.... maybe get info on a DGP?


A direct to garment press is still a good bit of expense, work and maintenance for you.
The suggestion of plastisol transfers is a good one as all you will need is a heat press and minimal work.
If you want to stay out of printing altogether, I think a nearby screen printer is your best bet.


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## Amw (Jul 2, 2012)

Find someone who wants to be in the business and give them a percentage of the business. Then they are not helping fill your bank account...but rather their own and just happens to fill yours in the process. This can work out very well for both parties.

Or

Go to every screen printer and ask them for a quote on your job.
If your lucky you will find a printer who can take care of you at a good price. You most likely are not going to find them on this site, I highly doubt even 1% of the screen printers in the USA are even on this site.
A small family owned place is probably your best bet.

Screen print transfers is a very good solution for you if you just had someone to press them at your location.


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

Well, I know where you are from ;-)

If your model is to print and carry inventory (as opposed to printing for individual end user orders one-by-one), then go with a local screen printer. There is no shortage of those here. Might just start with the old dead plant pulp phone book.

DTG (direct to garment printing) is best suited for printing designs one-by-one to fulfill individual end-user orders, not for selling wholesale to retailers or for carrying your own inventory. It is both slower and more expensive than screen printing, and for typical one or two color designs looks like butt compared to screen printing.

Hell, if you don't need a crazy number of shirts printed and you prefer water based inks over Plastisol, I could even do some of your printing for you. But printing for other people isn't really what I do; like you, I own my own gear so I can print my own lines.


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