Design Question

Spankdacamel4me · 07-16-2007, 09:25 PM

I make designs for t-shirts for a new, very small, clothing company that we're trying to make known and I was wondering what tools can be used to print an image that is designed in Photoshop onto a t-shirt. I'm looking for something that can preferrably be done home-based as opposed to a large operation. As of now it has just been taking designs to screen print companies that can put them onto a shirt and we are looking to upgrade a bit and be able put the images onto shirts ourselves.

Any comments or input is greatly appreciated.

Thank You,
- Camel

**koala** · 07-17-2007, 05:18 AM

You can buy special paper for your printer that, when heated with an iron, transfers the image from the paper to the t-shirt. The quality is nowhere near as good as you'd get from a professional t-shirt printer, but is good enough to last for a few washes before you start to notice fading or cracks in the transfer.

Spankdacamel4me · 07-18-2007, 10:11 PM

Thank you very much ill look into that. I'm also open to other ideas if anyone else has anything to offer on this topic :) Thanks!

Oh also i know this is the wrong forum i was just wondering if anyone could tell me how i put the "My System" drop down list under my name i like how that looks.

- Camel

**koala** · 07-19-2007, 01:01 AM

Click User CP (top left of screen), then Edit Options. Scroll down to the System Specs area, change the No box to Yes and enter your details in the boxes below, then click the Save Changes button at the bottom.

ebackhus · 07-19-2007, 07:45 AM

I'm afraid that I can't think of anything better than what Koala suggested for the price range you are targeting. I suppose there's digital embroidery but that can become expensive quickly if you don't have your own equipment.

Spankdacamel4me · 07-19-2007, 02:51 PM

Well thank you both on the quick replies i think ill try the paper patch one and see how that goes :)

- Camel

**Redcore** · 08-14-2007, 01:44 PM

If you're looking to sell these and make a business out of it...I don't think doing heat transfers is goign to cut it (unfortunately).

I used to have a shop on CafePress for a few t-shirts (not really as a business, just because friends wanted them) and they turned out pretty good.

http://www.cafepress.com/

You could upload your design in any number of shirt combinations (or perhaps even other items like mugs) and order them at the base price then sell them whereever you want to sell them. Since CafePress creates online shops...with that same brush stroke you'd also be creating an online presence for your designs...so you could make money that way too if you want to.

I don't know of any other similar ones...but I know this one is pretty popular.

SLG · 08-15-2007, 05:23 AM

yeah, i looked into this with a group of friends as a business idea,
and basically the only way you can home produce it with anything near good quality (i wouldn't recommend printing and then ironing, we tried it and it well... sucked...) is to actually buy one of those £1800 printers. i would recommend a professional or online website, however if you wanting to do this with low funds and high quality ~ im afraid its all about knowing someone who can give u free time with one of those printers.

sorry this is such a mournfull tone, but if you do this from a business perspective ~ you simply wont be able to turn a profit unless you invest in a printer

ps if you are buying in bulk, be sure to try get a price reduction!

Spankdacamel4me · 08-15-2007, 09:57 PM

Thanks again for the excellent input. I'm looking into this to use it somewhat for a business and a lot of stuff just for friends, but I definitely agree that if im about to venture into a small business i have to spend some money to make some money. That cafe site is neat and like u said it could help me to gain some reputation in the graphics and design world. I'll definitely be looking into both of the suggestions that u guys offered me. Thanks again for the input.

- Camel

07-16-2007, 09:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Spankdacamel4me Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: California Posts: 36 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Design Question I make designs for t-shirts for a new, very small, clothing company that we're trying to make known and I was wondering what tools can be used to print an image that is designed in Photoshop onto a t-shirt. I'm looking for something that can preferrably be done home-based as opposed to a large operation. As of now it has just been taking designs to screen print companies that can put them onto a shirt and we are looking to upgrade a bit and be able put the images onto shirts ourselves. Any comments or input is greatly appreciated. Thank You, - Camel __________________ If at first you don't succeed, Find out if the loser gets anything. The early bird gets the worm, but The early worm is for the birds.

07-17-2007, 05:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 8,855 OS: XP/UBUNTU My System	Re: Design Question You can buy special paper for your printer that, when heated with an iron, transfers the image from the paper to the t-shirt. The quality is nowhere near as good as you'd get from a professional t-shirt printer, but is good enough to last for a few washes before you start to notice fading or cracks in the transfer. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

07-18-2007, 10:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
Spankdacamel4me Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: California Posts: 36 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Re: Design Question Thank you very much ill look into that. I'm also open to other ideas if anyone else has anything to offer on this topic :) Thanks! Oh also i know this is the wrong forum i was just wondering if anyone could tell me how i put the "My System" drop down list under my name i like how that looks. - Camel __________________ If at first you don't succeed, Find out if the loser gets anything. The early bird gets the worm, but The early worm is for the birds.

07-19-2007, 01:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 8,855 OS: XP/UBUNTU My System	Re: Design Question Click User CP (top left of screen), then Edit Options. Scroll down to the System Specs area, change the No box to Yes and enter your details in the boxes below, then click the Save Changes button at the bottom. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

07-19-2007, 07:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
ebackhus Asst. Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 12,578 OS: WinXP Pro SP3 My System Blog Entries: 18	Re: Design Question I'm afraid that I can't think of anything better than what Koala suggested for the price range you are targeting. I suppose there's digital embroidery but that can become expensive quickly if you don't have your own equipment. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

07-19-2007, 02:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
Spankdacamel4me Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: California Posts: 36 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Re: Design Question Well thank you both on the quick replies i think ill try the paper patch one and see how that goes :) - Camel __________________ If at first you don't succeed, Find out if the loser gets anything. The early bird gets the worm, but The early worm is for the birds.

08-14-2007, 01:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
Redcore Design Team Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Jamestown, CA Posts: 477 OS: WinXP My System	Re: Design Question If you're looking to sell these and make a business out of it...I don't think doing heat transfers is goign to cut it (unfortunately). I used to have a shop on CafePress for a few t-shirts (not really as a business, just because friends wanted them) and they turned out pretty good. http://www.cafepress.com/ You could upload your design in any number of shirt combinations (or perhaps even other items like mugs) and order them at the base price then sell them whereever you want to sell them. Since CafePress creates online shops...with that same brush stroke you'd also be creating an online presence for your designs...so you could make money that way too if you want to. I don't know of any other similar ones...but I know this one is pretty popular.

08-15-2007, 05:23 AM	#8 (permalink)
SLG Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 234 OS: XP	Re: Design Question yeah, i looked into this with a group of friends as a business idea, and basically the only way you can home produce it with anything near good quality (i wouldn't recommend printing and then ironing, we tried it and it well... sucked...) is to actually buy one of those £1800 printers. i would recommend a professional or online website, however if you wanting to do this with low funds and high quality ~ im afraid its all about knowing someone who can give u free time with one of those printers. sorry this is such a mournfull tone, but if you do this from a business perspective ~ you simply wont be able to turn a profit unless you invest in a printer ps if you are buying in bulk, be sure to try get a price reduction! __________________ "Discrimination occurs from experience, Over discrimination occurs from the lack of it" - SLG Last edited by SLG : 08-15-2007 at 05:25 AM.

08-15-2007, 09:57 PM	#9 (permalink)
Spankdacamel4me Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: California Posts: 36 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Re: Design Question Thanks again for the excellent input. I'm looking into this to use it somewhat for a business and a lot of stuff just for friends, but I definitely agree that if im about to venture into a small business i have to spend some money to make some money. That cafe site is neat and like u said it could help me to gain some reputation in the graphics and design world. I'll definitely be looking into both of the suggestions that u guys offered me. Thanks again for the input. - Camel __________________ If at first you don't succeed, Find out if the loser gets anything. The early bird gets the worm, but The early worm is for the birds.