# Has any used 1st Edition Screenprinting?



## aylajackson (Jun 19, 2014)

Hello. I have my 1st 25 shirt order in the customer wants 3 colors but she doesn't want JPSS heat transfer or Vinyl so I showed her a sample of a shirt I pressed for 1st edition screen printing I she liked it. I tired to get un touch with 1st Edition but they were closed for today. I am wondering have any of you guys used 1st edition, if so how was the quality of the heat transfer and how did it take to arrive?


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## lkt1954 (Nov 15, 2009)

We have been using 1st edition for over 2 years and are really pleased with their products. They have an excellent transfer use on 100% polyester, nice hand and really sticks to the garment, which is mostly what we use. Their regular transfers are very good and our employees like pressing them. Their turn-around time is not as fast as some of the other companies, but if you plan ahead the extra wait is worth it.


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## aylajackson (Jun 19, 2014)

Hi. Thanks for the reply, when you say turn-around time is not as fast what do you mean? Is it by days or weeks?


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## lkt1954 (Nov 15, 2009)

Depends on their work load- usually 3-4 days from order to shipping. We have had faster just depends on # of colors and design. It is not as fast as like transfer express.


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## jen2swt (Apr 19, 2013)

I have used them twice since we've been up and running (a month). I do like them however the turn around time isn't as fast as other vendors. it has taken around 2-3 shipping then waiting on shipment to arrive. So almost 7 days. Transfer Express ships same day or next day and received within 2 days from shipment.

I do like FE as their prices are a tiny bit cheaper while maintaining quality.


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## Stefano (Aug 5, 2013)

aylajackson said:


> Hello. I have my 1st 25 shirt order in the customer wants 3 colors but she doesn't want JPSS heat transfer or Vinyl so I showed her a sample of a shirt I pressed for 1st edition screen printing I she liked it. I tired to get un touch with 1st Edition but they were closed for today. I am wondering have any of you guys used 1st edition, if so how was the quality of the heat transfer and how did it take to arrive?


Hello,
I ordered from them about 3 months ago. Their designs were nice and pressed better than many plastisol designs I have tried. I used both hot peel (which you still have to let set a few seconds before peeling) and cold peel. I never used cold peel before and they came out very nice. The sales/customer service people are excellent and will give you advice on pressing shirts as well as which gym style garments they have had the best results with. As others have mentioned, they are not the speediest to deliver.


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## aylajackson (Jun 19, 2014)

Thank you all for you reply. I have another meeting with the customer tomorrow because she suddenly changed the entire design of the shirt. I will probably end up not doing the order because now she wants a 4 color design and want to pay less than $12 a shirt. In that situation that will be no profit for me and fact I would be using my personal money to finish the job. It sucks because this is my 1st real customer and I know it will be repeat business but at the same time I do not seek to enter this business to break even or go broke. I do realize that I need to do more research on the different vendors and their production time, shipping time and stuff like that. I will tell you all how it goes tomorrow.


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## Stefano (Aug 5, 2013)

aylajackson said:


> ... now she wants a 4 color design and want to pay less than $12 a shirt. In that situation that will be no profit for me and fact I would be using my personal money to finish the job. It sucks because this is my 1st real customer and I know it will be repeat business but at the same time I do not seek to enter this business to break even or go broke. I do realize that I need to do more research on the different vendors and their production time, shipping time and stuff like that. I will tell you all how it goes tomorrow.


Hello,
Just walk away. Someone is not a "customer" if they keep beating you down in price and aggravating you. So who needs repeat business from a P.I.T.A. anyway? Often these sleazy people vaguely promise repeat orders just to get their way. Then ALL your jobs with them would be low/no profit.

Stick to your guns in not being in business to lose money. I've seen people on the forum so anxious to get business that they lose money. What sense does that make? And others that feel guilty if they make more than $2/shirt profit. I can sit here all night naming businesses and industries that are not shy about making obscene profits and they don't guilt out over it.

Oh, and another tip I learned the hard way years ago - cheap clients refer you to their cheap friends, so break the tie before you get pulled down a rat hole.
- Steve


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## aylajackson (Jun 19, 2014)

Thank you for your advice. I met with her earlier today, I told her my price for the 4 colors design, she didn't want to pay that amount, so I begin to tell her that I will not be able to do the order for the price she was offering than she reverted back to the 1st 3 color design and price. With the price I just added up all the costs it would take me to make the shirts and multiply by 2. She paid half up front which is the total amount it will cost me to do the shirts and I will get the other half (my profit) when I finish the shirts.... I will see how that goes.... At this point I am talking back forward with the people at 1st Edition and I have already placed the order for the shirts with Sanmar.


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## Stefano (Aug 5, 2013)

aylajackson said:


> Thank you for your advice. I met with her earlier today, I told her my price for the 4 colors design, she didn't want to pay that amount, so I begin to tell her that I will not be able to do the order for the price she was offering than she reverted back to the 1st 3 color design and price. With the price I just added up all the costs it would take me to make the shirts and multiply by 2. She paid half up front which is the total amount it will cost me to do the shirts and I will get the other half (my profit) when I finish the shirts.... I will see how that goes.... At this point I am talking back forward with the people at 1st Edition and I have already placed the order for the shirts with Sanmar.


Glad you stood your ground! She will have more respect for you in the future.

On the cost of materials x 2 figure, many suggest that and many don't. It works if you are doing big orders but not small. Also, consider ALL you costs - shipping, the gas and time you burn meeting with the client, expendables, etc. Many people fall way short when they estimate costs. Not saying you do, but look hard at your true costs.
Good luck. You will be happy with the First Edition designs. Janet is the rep I deal with.
- Steve


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## aylajackson (Jun 19, 2014)

I'm glad I did too because old habits die hard, better off not getting them started in the first place. You're right about estimating total costs, I did not even consider my gas or my time. How do you come up with your prices? What method can I use to estimate my time? Also far as the shipping, she is going to pick the shirts up from me. Janet is my rep too, right now I am trying to get the art work into the right format. At 1st it wasn't a true vector, so I used Illustrator to clean up the paths, then the colors wasn't all Pantone Solid Coated so I had to figure that out. I sent the final revision to her but she hasn't replied back yet. Back to estimating total costs, I didn't think of art fees either... I will take the time out to think of every aspect of making custom apparel tonight.


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## joey1320 (Feb 21, 2012)

You have got to consider the total amount of time you put into an order 
- from the moment you first meet the customer, to the time you deliver the goods. 

I also charge a $20 fee for "cleaning up" the artwork if its subpar. If its just crappy, then I either tell them to rework it or I charge them $30 per hour to do so.

As far as driving, fuel and such, I usually have the customers meet me, so they use their car and fuel. 

Then add your profits. Good luck!!

Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums


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## aylajackson (Jun 19, 2014)

Update: I received my invoice today and I was told that the transfers will be shipped on Monday.


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## aylajackson (Jun 19, 2014)

joey1320 said:


> You have got to consider the total amount of time you put into an order
> - from the moment you first meet the customer, to the time you deliver the goods.


Hi, Joey 
I know this might be strange but how do I price my time?


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## joey1320 (Feb 21, 2012)

aylajackson said:


> Hi, Joey
> I know this might be strange but how do I price my time?


You accumulate all the time you put into the job, and charge what you think is fair. Or just added into the cost if the final job. 

But that's for extra time, like you spend 45min. cleaning up the customer's work. Another 35min. redoing the revision they sent. Another 40min. going through all the details because they don't understand the breakdown. 

All this time adds up. Time is money man, you gotta get paid.

Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums


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