# heat transfer ink cost



## oldeguy (Feb 2, 2011)

I'm putting together a business plan for a custom printed heat transfer business. I have know idea on what the cost of ink would be for a 8 1/2 X 11 heat transfer. just need a ball park number. Want a high quality ink on a high quality T shirt. Thk's


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## Startup Guy (Jan 26, 2011)

I'm in Europe and found that CISS Ink Supply Systems. CISS ink and CIS cartridge printing specialist | City Ink Express has a good service, a CISS system with pigment ink is around 100 Pounds (ca. 150 USD?), and each refill would cost about half of that price.

This concerns pigment ink. Each "load" of ink refill is about 500 ml, which corresponds to about 60 (!) complete sets of standard cartridges. So in the end it should be I relatively small part of the total budget...


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## oldeguy (Feb 2, 2011)

I was looking for more of xxx size cartiridge cost this, and it wiil print XX number of 8 1/2 x 11 transfers.


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## rawbhaze (Jan 29, 2011)

The answer has too many variables for an exact number. For a line item audit one would generally give it a blanket value with a 20% multiplier, at least when dealing with low values. If you estimate that your transfer costs you a buck for the sheet and ink then you'll book it as $1.20

Using a multiplier on consumables and parishibles helps to cover the occassional printing/pressing mishap and other minor unforseen costs. It also helps to pay for the things that you can't directly bill the customer for such as utilities. When all goes well, you build up a nice nest egg. Another advantage of multipliers is that it gives you a little more room to wiggle should a potential customer tell you that your initial bid was too high.

Remember to factor in the shipping costs of ordering your supplies when doing quotes and line items. Leaving it out will nickel and dime you to death.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I use a guy in the states that charges $100 for a CISS with Pigment Ink. 

It's tough to determine that kind of cost due to the unknown images you'll print for someone. We don't know what your customers are going to ask you to print. 

You really don't need a business plan unless you're going to Borrow the money. Usually a Loan Company wants you to borrow at least $5,000, and if you're not already in the business they won't lend you anything. 

A heat transfer business doesn't cost that much to start. You can get a 15" x 15" starter heat press for under $300 with a Teflon Sheet and some blank transfers. 

When you make a sale, then order more tranfers. 

You can also start by using your inkjet printer you already have and upgrade to a Wideformat with Pigment ink later.


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## jdoug5170 (Sep 8, 2010)

selanac said:


> I use a guy in the states that charges $100 for a CISS with Pigment Ink.
> 
> It's tough to determine that kind of cost due to the unknown images you'll print for someone. We don't know what your customers are going to ask you to print.
> 
> ...


A business plan is a necessary tool when starting a business, applying for a loan or not! Writing a good business plan, based on facts and research has saved many a aspiring new business owner heart aches and financial losses. Not all business ideas are good business ideas and the research can help weed out the bad from the good. I tend to be much a happier when I find that I've lost several hours of research rather than several stacks of dollars.

That said, a business plan is not necessarily a financial statement on the business, meaning, you don't have to price out every little staple you might use, or in the this case, every droplet of ink.

A under capitalized start up company is more likely than one that is carefully planned out, with enough funding to sustain ones plans. How many folks do you see that start out with a $500 investment in a printer, heat press, and a little ink actually still in the business, even months later? We do no good here if we are constantly dishing out false hopes.

Good luck to the OP, hope your plan supports your ideas.

Doug


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

If your not in business after $500 investment you have another problem. 

That problem is your failure to motivate yourself.

You should be able to make sales without any equipment. Simply outsource until your ready.

If you want to succeed you need to do whatever to stay afloat. Part time job, whatever.

Most of us start by spending thousands. I started with $25k on a DTG and Embroidery Machine.


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## Sector 9 (Aug 9, 2011)

I'm guessing the cost of ink for a for a 8 1/2 X 11 heat transfer will be between 90 cents and $1.50


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

The best way to determine would be once you put a new set of cartridges in, start counting each page you print. Once the ink runs out, total up your check marks or pages you printed. Divide the cost of the ink cartridges by the number of pages. 

That would only be an estimate because each print out won't be the same from page to page or cartridge to cartridge. Unless of course you received a huge order and ran through all the ink. Then just total the pages and divide by the price or vise versa.


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