Comments on: Why T-shirts? http://www.erica.biz/2005/why-t-shirts/ Erica Douglass, "temporarily retired" after selling a successful business at age 26, writes thought-provoking blog entries challenging you to change your life and daring you to become more successful. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:58:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anon. http://www.erica.biz/2005/why-t-shirts/#comment-224 Anon. Sat, 30 Jun 2007 11:15:33 +0000 /?p=72#comment-224 Here`s a good tip also. printers usually help each other out because of mutual benefit through outsourcing; like if the big shop needed a bunch of small fry work done or wanted to help some small order they didnt have time for they would kick you down the work; and do a 10% mark up on your price to pocket. Then if you ran into a huge order you couldnt fill you could outsource it to them and scrape 10% eventually you`ll be telling people you can get golf balls,when you just order them out of a catalogue and mark up the price. everybody does it. Some businesses do absolutely nothing but take orders and outsource; to catalogues and stoned kids in there garage, and paint a professional face on it; which entitles them to 10%+ these guys are sharks so they do everybody dirty; but outsourcing isn`t inherently evil when done fairly. 10% is fair 500% mark up is highway robbery. Here`s a good tip also. printers usually help each other out
because of mutual benefit through outsourcing; like if the big shop needed a bunch of small fry work done or wanted to help some small order they didnt have time for they would kick you down the work; and do a 10% mark up on your price to pocket. Then if you ran into a huge order you couldnt fill you could outsource it to them and scrape 10% eventually you`ll be telling people you can get golf balls,when you just order them out of a catalogue and mark up the price. everybody does it. Some businesses do absolutely nothing but take orders and outsource; to catalogues and stoned kids in there garage, and paint a professional face on it; which entitles them to 10%+ these
guys are sharks so they do everybody dirty; but outsourcing
isn`t inherently evil when done fairly. 10% is fair 500% mark up is highway robbery.

]]> By: Anon. http://www.erica.biz/2005/why-t-shirts/#comment-223 Anon. Sat, 30 Jun 2007 10:56:31 +0000 /?p=72#comment-223 Lol your such a Silk-screen noob. Iron-on transfers are crap. I dont know what emulsion process takes an hour to cure but its not the right way. Find a local print shop with the professional emulsion unit; they shouldnt charge more than $20 for the film and emulsion a color and if you`re real cool they`ll do it for free. You can probably get away with whatever shitty process your using now with low detail designs. 10 shirt minimum pppfff..I used to get kicked back light weight in the day..the print shops minimum was 300 i think; my minimum was 50 since it was sometimes peewee leagues, peewee leagues gets jipped alot on jerseys; so if they know you`re fair they come back with the other coaches. Now I dont do orders. If you got good designs they`ll sell themselves and you make more money even wholesaling; than printing. Dont get discouraged its not a get rich quick scheme, alot of retailers wont acccept you until your shit hits the fan. and if your ink falls off prematurely prepare to have to get plastic surgery and change your name. Make sure that inks fresh and it gets cured properly. Its alot of hard work with a big pay-off keyword ther HARDWORK not some pick up overnight and immediatley pass off to daylabor you got to be a master craftsman. Theres alot of stuff to learn like tricks of the trade; that you`ll never pick up unless you`re in the club. Like theres this shit called bean-e-doo for cleaning ink off shit and you can take out accidental inkspots on shirts while the inks wet, by squirting it through the shirt onto a balled up piece of junk fabric; dont do the dry and shoot with acetone thats for fags. same idea though. Lol your such a Silk-screen noob. Iron-on transfers are crap. I dont know what emulsion process takes an hour to cure but its not the right way. Find a local print shop with the professional emulsion unit; they shouldnt charge more than $20 for the film and emulsion a color and if you`re real cool they`ll do it for free. You can probably get away with whatever shitty process your using now with low detail
designs. 10 shirt minimum pppfff..I used to get kicked back light weight in the day..the print shops minimum was 300 i think; my minimum was 50 since it was sometimes peewee leagues, peewee leagues gets jipped alot on jerseys; so if they know you`re fair they come back with the other coaches.
Now I dont do orders. If you got good designs
they`ll sell themselves and you make more money even wholesaling; than printing. Dont get discouraged its not a get rich quick scheme, alot of retailers wont acccept you until your shit hits the fan. and if your ink falls off prematurely prepare to have to get plastic surgery and change your name. Make sure that inks fresh and it gets cured properly. Its alot of hard work with a big pay-off
keyword ther HARDWORK not some pick up overnight and immediatley pass off to daylabor you got to be a master craftsman. Theres alot of stuff to learn like tricks of the trade; that you`ll never pick up unless you`re in the club.
Like theres this shit called bean-e-doo for cleaning ink off shit and you can take out accidental inkspots on shirts while the inks wet, by squirting it through the shirt onto a balled up piece of junk fabric; dont do the dry and shoot with acetone thats for fags. same idea though.

]]> By: SlashChick http://www.erica.biz/2005/why-t-shirts/#comment-222 SlashChick Wed, 13 Apr 2005 02:50:33 +0000 /?p=72#comment-222 Hi Satchel, Yes, the minimum run is probably going to be 10 or so... the reason being that you have to make a screen for each color, which takes an hour or so to cure properly. Iron-on transfers are definitely an option for small batches. You can find trasnfer paper pretty much anywhere on the Net. :) Best of luck! BTW, how did you find my blog? Thanks to everyone else who commented...welcome, Jamie. :) Hi Satchel,

Yes, the minimum run is probably going to be 10 or so… the reason being that you have to make a screen for each color, which takes an hour or so to cure properly.

Iron-on transfers are definitely an option for small batches. You can find trasnfer paper pretty much anywhere on the Net. :)

Best of luck! BTW, how did you find my blog?

Thanks to everyone else who commented…welcome, Jamie. :)

]]> By: Satchel Marr http://www.erica.biz/2005/why-t-shirts/#comment-221 Satchel Marr Wed, 13 Apr 2005 02:42:53 +0000 /?p=72#comment-221 What's the minimum run for making a shirt? I'm guessing Twisted Tees wouldn't do individual shirts, only series (10, 20, or more?) I'm in the San Jose area, and I saw your saga of the launch of Twisted Tees. :) I've been looking to have some individual shirts made, though my best shot is probably to do it with computer transfers. Any thoughts? What’s the minimum run for making a shirt? I’m guessing Twisted Tees wouldn’t do individual shirts, only series (10, 20, or more?)

I’m in the San Jose area, and I saw your saga of the launch of Twisted Tees. :) I’ve been looking to have some individual shirts made, though my best shot is probably to do it with computer transfers.

Any thoughts?

]]> By: SafetyCap http://www.erica.biz/2005/why-t-shirts/#comment-220 SafetyCap Tue, 12 Apr 2005 20:37:14 +0000 /?p=72#comment-220 Congrats, Erica! Many years ago (8+?) I hung out with a guy who went into the t-shirt biz, doing dragons n' stuff. I saw one of his designs last year at RenFest, so I know he's still going it! One would think that the market is saturated, but if you find a nitch that appeals to enough people, I wouldn't doubt you could make a good go of it. Congrats, Erica! Many years ago (8+?) I hung out with a guy who went into the t-shirt biz, doing dragons n’ stuff. I saw one of his designs last year at RenFest, so I know he’s still going it!

One would think that the market is saturated, but if you find a nitch that appeals to enough people, I wouldn’t doubt you could make a good go of it.

]]> By: Jamie http://www.erica.biz/2005/why-t-shirts/#comment-219 Jamie Mon, 11 Apr 2005 22:26:17 +0000 /?p=72#comment-219 Welcome to my world, Erica! I've never pulled a squeegie myself, but I've done design work for t-shirt printers and signmakers for over 25 years. I even got my start painting airbrush t-shirts, and still do that kind of work on occasion. It's a lot of fun seeing it all go together and come out looking professional. <p>And who knew? I'm one of your resellers, BTW (northgeorgia.net).</p> Welcome to my world, Erica! I’ve never pulled a squeegie myself, but I’ve done design work for t-shirt printers and signmakers for over 25 years. I even got my start painting airbrush t-shirts, and still do that kind of work on occasion. It’s a lot of fun seeing it all go together and come out looking professional.

And who knew? I’m one of your resellers, BTW (northgeorgia.net).

]]> By: SlashChick http://www.erica.biz/2005/why-t-shirts/#comment-218 SlashChick Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:24:06 +0000 /?p=72#comment-218 No insult taken; I felt it was worth explaining. :) You're welcome! No insult taken; I felt it was worth explaining. :) You’re welcome!

]]> By: FortKnox http://www.erica.biz/2005/why-t-shirts/#comment-217 FortKnox Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:13:09 +0000 /?p=72#comment-217 I didn't mean to insult or anything, just wanted an explanation... so... umm... thanks? ;-) I didn’t mean to insult or anything, just wanted an explanation… so… umm… thanks? ;-)

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