The Truth and Transparency of Our Pricing

As a screen printer of printed ephemera, I hear the two comments the most: "Do you print t-shirts?" and, "I really love your artwork; you should put it on t-shirts."

I do not print shirts mainly due to the setup to address the first comment. The materials and types of inks differ, and I do not have the space or money for the additional equipment. Regarding the second comment, I never really saw my style as something that would translate into a strong t-shirt graphic. However, over the past several years, my style has changed and evolved to something that could work for clothing designs, so with the launch of Hold Fast! You Maker, I am going to test that theory.

With the decision to make t-shirts, I am faced with three processes to make this happen. The first is to screen-print the shirts myself, which I have already established is not feasible. The next option would be to print the shirts at a local screen-printing shop. Using a local screen printer is a good solution if you are an organization like a sports team or club, but logistically, it does not make sense for an artist like myself.

USING A LOCAL SCREEN-PRINTING SHOP

Consider the upfront costs when printing shirts. Most shops charge around $25 per color in setup fees, plus additional charges. You will need to buy blank t-shirts, and ordering in bulk affects the price. Typically, shops require a minimum order of 100 shirts. The average cost for 100 four-color shirts is about $1,350, or $13.50 per shirt.

To break even by selling shirts at $25 each, I need to sell 54 shirts. If I sell the additional 46 shirts, my total profit would be $1,150. However, selling those extra shirts is uncertain, especially without a physical store to draw foot traffic. I also need to estimate how many shirts to order in each size—large, medium, small, and 2X.

I might only sell 10 shirts of a design, leaving me with 36 shirts in inventory. The time and effort spent packing and shipping the orders would only result in a couple hundred dollars in profit, which isn't worthwhile.

THE PRINT-ON-DEMAND SOLUTION

This brings us to the third option: Print On Demand. This new industry addresses many challenges of traditional printing. It doesn't require minimum order quantities and handles printing and shipping, reducing overhead costs and eliminating the need for inventory. It also allows artists to showcase multiple designs without the risk of pre-printing them.

The main downside of Print On Demand is the cost per shirt. Unlike traditional methods, where artists invest upfront and hope to sell out their inventory, Print On Demand eliminates that gamble but comes with higher production costs. Each shirt costs $29 to produce, and I sell it for $38, leaving a profit of $7 per shirt.

I struggle to compete with popular online t-shirt sellers who price their shirts between $16 and $20 due to their high sales volumes. I need to sell more of my designs to make a significant profit. That's why it's essential for customers to promote my shirts by sharing them on social media and considering repeat purchases.

Building this brand will require time and effort and depend on creating and nurturing a community around it. I hope this post provides insight into the process and pricing of the t-shirts. I aim to remain transparent and document the journey, sharing the successes and challenges of building this brand.