Everything There is to Know Before Starting a Direct to Garment Printing Business
Tips & Tricks for Garment Professionals and Novices
It’s the perfect time to start a direct to garment printing business. We’ve been working in this industry for years and we wanted to share some of the most important things we’ve learned to help you succeed. We find that the people who are starting their own direct to garment (DTG) business typically fall into one of three categories. They are decorators who already have a lot of experience, people who have a home based business, or people for whom this is a second career. Each of these groups of people is unique and they have different needs. They need different types of support. The tips that we are about to share will help any DTG printing business whether you are a novice or have been working in the field for a long time.
The Experienced Decorator
You already have a well-established shop. You are a screen printer or garment decorator with a lot of experience. You keep your machines working non-stop all day long. Typically, you handle large quantity jobs. Your pre-production costs are spread out over a large number of pieces which reduces the production costs.
Small print runs do not make sense. Pre-productions costs are too high. Not to mention the time it takes to prepare for them. This problem can be easily fixed by adding a DTG printer to your repertoire. You can use a DTG to print small runs. Damaged prints can be easily replaced.
If you treat the DTG printer as if it is its own separate company, you will fare better than most. Don’t leave the printer in the corner for occasional prints. DTG printers that don’t get used often tend to clog. Clogged printers are frustrating, time consuming, and sometimes expensive. If you consider your DTG printer as its own business with its own resources and strategy you will enhance your overall business. Create a separate strategy for using this machine. Find new markets and customers specifically for this machine. They may have initially been out of your reach, but now they aren’t. You can keep your DTG printing all the time. More printing = More Money. Cha-ching!!!
Printers Who Are Home Based:
You may have a family. You may have a lot of free time. You may just want some extra money from a side hustle. Whatever the reason is, you need balance in your life. You have time considerations and work considerations. You want to earn income, but need it to fit in with your life. With DTG you can generate income from an online store, craft fair, or word of mouth. You can make money without spending every waking hour of your life printing.
You don’t need a $250,000 machine. You can go with something much smaller and easier to use. The Epson SureColor F2100 DTG printer is a great option for those printers. Your business will thrive with a strong relationship to your community. Focus on church groups, bands, sports teams, along with other members of your community. Find a local theatre group that needs shirts. All of these particular groups need somebody they can trust to deliver a great shirt at a fair price.
The Person with a Second Career
You’ve spent your professional life working for somebody else. Making somebody else rich. You can make DTG printing a second career. Start printing shirts and run your own company. Make yourself rich.
It can be scary to start your own business. You have strengths and opportunities that you can rely upon to make you successful. Make quality a priority. Bigger jobs have higher profit margins. There are loads of people who want to sell their designs. Some of them are retail stores. Some are people who want to sell shirts on Etsy. You can attract both clients and make money. These people don’t want to run their own print shops. They just need decorated items at a reasonable price. You can both profit.
It doesn’t matter which category you are in. You can be successful with a good plan of attack on how to make money with direct to garment printing. Check out some of Lawson’s DTG printers.
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