I Want to Start My Own T-Shirt Business?

I'm going to start my own online t-shirt company. I'm 17 years old but I love designing and have experience with Illustrator and Photoshop so I want to put my skills to use.


My question is, does anybody have any advice for me? I don't want to use Cafepress because I'd rather have my shirts manufactured from American Apparel and design my own website. I love web design so that's something else I'll incorporate into my business.


What I'm having problems with at the moment are a theme and design for my company. I'm like having writers block...except with art. So I'm pretty much at a design-block right now, so any ideas would be helpful. I love Johnny Cupcakes and his designs, if that's helpful.


Um...what else? Oh do I need any business licenses to do this? How much will my initial investment be? Do you think I have a shot?

I Want to Start My Own T-Shirt Business?
I wasn't aware that American Apparel did screen printing. Yes it will be very expensive. The real cost in screen printing is the making of the screens and the set up time. It takes as much time and money to set up to print one shirt as it does a 1000.





If you are doing spot color you should have no problem finding a local firm to do your printing. You can always have them printed on AA shirts. That is a wise choice I might add.





If you are doing process or simulated process color that might be harder to find.





It will also reduce you cost if you do your own color separations. It is pretty easy to do spot color separations. Process color a little harder and simulated process is difficult without software to do it for you.





It would be a good idea to go to a trade show if there is any close to you. You can find ISS(Imprinted Sportswear Show) shows here:





http://www.issshows.com/issshows/index.j...





The huge show is the SGIA (Specialty Graphics Imaging Association) show it is in Atlanta GA Oct 15-18.





There is a wealth of information about the industry on the SGIA website





http://www.sgia.org





One more useful source is Impressions Magazine.





http://www.impressionsmag.com/impression...





There is an on-line copy and also a paper copy. Both are free, although I have heard that there may be a charge for a paper copy soon.





You might want to consider one of the new digital printers that prints directly on the shirt. It would be a good thing with small orders. Then you only print what you need and don't have to carry a large inventory.





You can find about it here.. also there is a good industry supplier list.





http://www.usscreen.net





Good luck.. can't help with website
Reply:use cafepress.com





they let you make your own tees and they print them for you, you just market them by advertising your tshirts
Reply:any business you need a license and must pay taxes. License may be only $200. but to get started properly you will probably need at least $10,000 investment for equipment,advertising,etc.
Reply:Yes, you need to have a business license. I don't know the theme but make sure you have the license and tax numbers or you can get into big trouble.
Reply:You should go and follow your dreams.





And, could you make me some habbo pictures on photoshop then send them to me? That would be cool.





If you need to know, this is habbo. http://www.habbo.com
Reply:lol
Reply:i sa try ur best ok it will be hard for u though it will be fun the firdt thing u should do is make a name for ur company k then make papaer on how much it will cost per shirt and make sure always agrea with the ostomers and make sure if u know it will look bad then tell them that can u add somthing in it to giveit a pop lol ps. GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!!!!!ON UR BIZNESS K AND IT WILL BE HARD ON U BUT DONT QUIT BYE........................
Reply:i think you go girl must people get to nervous to even try so good luck and if so i will go lol!best of luck!
Reply:Go to screenprinters.net the address is http://boards.screenprinters.net this is a forum where a lot of people have been in the business for years and you can get a lot of good advice. they are really nice and like to help newbies such as yourself. you can learn from a lot of their mistakes and they don't make you feel dumb and you can ask anything.
Reply:Be vewwy vewwy careful about copyrights!!! Yes you should have a business license but that's okay... it's the only way to deduct business expenses. Follow your dreams but under the direction of an attorney. Business is a legal entity. If you want a hobby, pursue a hobby but if you want a business... make it legit.
Reply:I have absolutely no idea...but hey if you find out let me know. I'm actually helping my brother(18)..he basically wanna do something similar to what you're talking about...he's good with photoshop and designing and drawings, I'm good with computers. Let me know more about it....k. %26amp; go for it!
Reply:Here Try this place out it looks pretty good.


http://www.spreadshirt.net/en/GB/T-Shirt...
Reply:it will be very expensve but if you get your ideas and money into a good and well known company you should do well and prosper
Reply:just do what you gotta do, and may the lord be wiht you!!!