🌟 T Shirt Business Startup Cost: Budget vs Professional Equipment

Starting a t-shirt business doesn't have to put you in debt before you print your first shirt. This calculator compares the upfront costs of budget equipment against professional gear. As Mylo Prints always says, start with whatever you can afford but think in the long run.

The foundation of your business is your design software. As Mylo Prints puts it, CorelDRAW is around $300 a year while Kittl is around $15 a month. CorelDRAW caters to custom vector work for pros, while Kittl offers a beginner-friendly platform to start making designs immediately.

Your heat press is the engine of your production. A commercial press offers faster production speed, but a basic press works perfectly to get your feet wet. As Mylo Prints notes, the Vevor goes for around $200 while the Ricoma heat press goes for around $900.

Professional exposure units and multi-station presses are where the massive costs hide. As Mylo Prints warns, screen printing equipment is very expensive and you are looking at $5,000 to $10,000 just to start.

You can completely bypass this initial hurdle. As Mylo Prints puts it, you can make an exposure unit in under $40 with a couple 2x4s and a UV light bulb.

Sourcing your blanks efficiently saves serious money over time. As Mylo Prints points out, to order from SNS Activewear, you are going to need a wholesale license, which helps not paying full price and skipping taxes. Calculate your ongoing savings below if you get licensed and avoid retail markups.