| So you are ready to dive in and try your hand at | | | | about to take it offline thinking it wasn't good |
| your own T-shirt design company? Well if you | | | | enough! |
| haven't researched all the things you'll need to start | | | | The forums at CafePress are very important and |
| your T-shirt design business at home this is the basic | | | | you'll spend a lot of your time there when you first |
| breakdown of items you will need: | | | | get started. All the questions that new users or |
| Heat Press or DTG (Direct To Garment) Printer | | | | experienced users have asked are stored in the |
| Stock of plain t-shirts in varying colors and sizes | | | | forums so more than likely if you are having trouble |
| replacement inks website for selling your designs | | | | with something someone else has too and the |
| merchant account to take payments shipping method | | | | answer is in the forum. |
| and supplies | | | | You can use a multitude of programs to make your |
| You could easily sink $10,000 in to your business | | | | designs and simply set the parameters based on the |
| before you create your first design! | | | | template size CafePress gives you. For example, a |
| But there is a better way. CafePress allows their | | | | T-shirt requires a 10inch by 10inch template. You |
| members to upload their designs to varying array of | | | | design your shirt in the program of your choice and |
| products including T-shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, | | | | then upload it in a compatible format to your media |
| mugs, clocks, and many other items. Premium shop | | | | basket where it can then be transposed on |
| members pay a fee, currently $59.99 per year, for | | | | numerous products. I pretty much stick with T-shirts |
| their shop and the ability to sell all the goods with | | | | and sweatshirts but there are many products you |
| their designs on them. For this $59.99 you have | | | | can branch out in to. Something funny on a coffee |
| CafePress basically acting as your supply house, | | | | mug might not work on a T-shirt, so there are plenty |
| merchant account, and shipping service. They provide | | | | of options for the budding designer. |
| support, templates, the shop itself hosted on their | | | | What if I can't draw? Well, there are some great |
| servers, and a website for your shop. It's a very | | | | artists on CafePress who turn out some beautiful and |
| neat service and gives you the opportunity to test | | | | creative designs, but you don't have to be artistically |
| out designs without investing a ton of money. The | | | | skilled to profit on CafePress. |
| first shirt I sold really shocked me because I was | | | | |