Starting a t-shirt printing business can prove to be a profitable investment. But, it can also turn out to be a total nightmare, if you do not have the right strategy or the technology available with you. To help turn your t-shirt printing business a successful, here are 7 common mistakes to avoid:
Buying a DTG printer without understanding the learning curve – You can’t just purchase a DTG industrial printing machine and expect your business to flourish. Remember the t-shirt printing is a competitive industry and you can’t just become successful without hard work. It requires a lot more than finding the cheapest DTG printers, DTG inks and pretreatment machines. You need to have the skills to become a successful business owner. Also, you must know the process that needs to be followed for good-quality DTG printing. A proper expectation of the learning curve and knowledge base is important.
Not having enough space – Of course, the DTG printers are small and can be easily fit in a small space, but it doesn’t mean that you would need only a 4×6 ft room to start your DTG printing business. You would need to perform the pretreatment process and then dry the print to achieve better results. This means, you would need space for the DTG printers, pretreatment machine and other equipments required for the entire printing process. If you have small space, get the DTG printers that are easy to move so that you can rearrange your office or set up according to your requirements.
Thinking you can print on anything – Well, this is one of the most common mistake that many people make when launching a DTG printing business. Remember that DTG printers are designed to product good-quality prints on different types of fabrics, but it doesn’t mean you can print on almost any fabric. According to the experts, the technology was created specifically for 100% cotton and high cotton blended textiles. Of course, it is possible to print on 100% polyester, but the amount of extra work required with the standard ink.
Underestimating the importance of pretreatment process – Pretreatment is one of the most important steps of the DTG printing process. However, many businesses tend to underestimate its importance, especially when printing on dark surfaces. However, the fact is that it is equally important to perform pretreatment process on almost every fabric and color.
Not delivering on time – Regardless of the nature or size of your business, timelines always mater to the end customers. This means, you should be very strict about delivering the products on time. For many people, timeline can be the biggest concern so they would want the printed t-shirts to be delivered on time while ensuring the quality. So, if you are sharing a timeline, make sure to stick to it and deliver the products. Remember, if you are not able to maintain the timelines, you are likely to lost trust in the industry.
