How to Start a T-Shirt Printing Business from Scratch

The T-shirt printing business is growing in popularity across every age and demographic. The market for t-shirts is the hottest it’s ever been, so why not jump on the bandwagon for yourself and turn this interest into a business?

Making t-shirts can be a fun business that allows for a high level of customer engagement, an outlet for personal creativity, and the possibility of producing great income. If you’re thinking of starting your own t-shirt printing business here are several steps to follow to set you up for success.

Find Your Niche

As stated by Imaging Spectrum, the t-shirt business is a highly competitive market, so the first thing you need to do is figure out your niche. What makes your brand, your t-shirts, and your designs unique? What will make you stand out from the sea of t-shirts on the market today?

These are the questions you need to ask yourself to figure out what makes your company special.

Your niche can be anything you’re passionate about. Do you love the great outdoors and witty sayings? Perhaps you’ll create t-shirts that combine your favorite quotes with outlines of nature scenes. Do you like cats or quirky art?

Incorporate those into your 100% unique designs. Whatever niche you decide on, make sure that it represents who you are as the creator.

Create Several Designs

Once you’ve figured out your niche, the next step in the process is t-shirt design. If you have a flair for the creative arts, try designing several options yourself. You can also hire someone to create several designs for yourself if you are not good at them.

In order to find a t-shirt designer, ask a friend who is a budding artist or go on talent sites such as Upwork or Fivver. You can hire well-reviewed artists that fit your budget, and the final designs will be yours to keep forever.

Find Your Test Subjects

After you’ve figured out your niche and have come up with several designs, find test subjects to give you feedback on your proposed t-shirts. Ask what they do, and do not, like. Allow them to submit their own suggestions for design and concept changes.

Once you’ve gathered all relevant feedback, make changes to reflect your target demographic then proceed to the final step.

Find Your Supplier & Printer

To carry out your t-shirt business, you need to decide on a business model. Are you going to order blank shirts for inventory and print them yourself?

If:

You choose this option, keep in mind that your overhead will be costly. You’ll need a place to store inventory, and printing each batch can be very expensive.

Should cost be a major concern, the best option is to utilize a company that purchases high-quality blank t-shirts and prints them for you. By hiring a company that does it all, your customers buy from you, but you won’t have to keep any inventory on hand.

This option is ideal for small-batch orders and beginning businesses. It also offers the lowest startup cost available.

What Will Your Design Be?

There you have it! Five simple steps to becoming a t-shirt entrepreneur. Figure out your niche, sketch your designs, get some valuable feedback, decide on a business model, and start selling your awesome t-shirts!

Now that you know how simple it is to start your T-shirt business, what will your first design be?