The idea of starting a t-shirt business, let alone successfully launching your t-shirt business, can seem daunting.
Maybe you’re a creative person who has a specific message to say to the world. Or perhaps, you just can’t find the perfect t-shirt from other brands.
But you can imagine people walking around the world with your brand or your quotes printed on t-shirts. How cool is that, right?!
Whatever the reason, the appeal of starting a t-shirt business is compelling.
With a clear plan, and the correct steps, successfully launching your t-shirt business can be a profitable reality.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ve outlined exactly what you need to consider to become a successful t-shirt business owner.
Step 1: Know Your Niche
Before you start contacting t-shirt manufacturers, you need to understand the why.
Knowing your niche is critical because, although almost everyone on the planet wears t-shirts, consumers buy them for different reasons.
Some people buy from their favourite musician. Some people want to make a political statement. While some people just want to wear something under other clothing.
Additionally, not all t-shirts are the same. Different fabrics will affect the style of t-shirt you make and who will wear it.
You need to ask yourself what sets you apart from other t-shirt brands. Questions such as:
- Are you focused on sustainabile clothing?
- Do you want to promote inspiring slogans?
- Are you just selling super comfy leisurewear?
- Do you want to make size-inclusive t-shirts?
- Do you want to make t-shirts for people with sensitive skin?
- Is this just a business to make money?
Knowing your niche will help you refine your ICP (ideal customer profile) which will ensure you maximise your sales.
Step 2: Create a Customer Profile (ICP)
Creating a business plan is necessary to successfully launching your t-shirt business.
But one of the most important parts of your plan is knowing who you’re going to sell your t-shirts to.
This is known as the customer profile or Ideal Customer Profile.
Knowing exactly who your ideal customer is will inform your marketing plan, improve your customer service, and give you a competitive edge.
To properly market to the correct consumer type, you need to know everything about your potential customers. Indicators include:
- Demographics (who) – age, gender, ethnicity, income, education level, occupation
- Geographics (where) – city, province, state, country, population, climate, topography
- Psychographics (what/why) – hobbies, interests, beliefs, behaviours, values
- Personified Characteristics (how/when) – buying habits, buying frequencies, brand loyalties
If you want to make your life easy, download CM Garmindo’s Ideal Custom Profile template here.
Step 3: Conceptualise Your T-Shirts and Surface Designs
At the core of your t-shirt business is, of course, the t-shirts and your unique designs (called “surface designs”).
Before you approach manufacturers, you should already know what shapes your t-shirts need to be.
There are different cuts such as raglan cut, oversized, long sleeved, tailored, classic cut, and more. You can see CM Garmindo’s Private Label t-shirt cuts here.
Another part of the concept is the drape of the fabrics. For example, t-shirts can be form fitting, flowy, or structured.
There’s a variety of ways to get your t-shirts and surface designs conceptualised:
- Create a detailed tech pack to send to manufacturers;
- Work with manufacturers that already have t-shirt templates;
- Work with 3rd party printers who already have blank t-shirts;
- Get graphic designers to create your prints;
- Buy print designs and graphics online.
These details should be formalised before approaching manufacturers because you won’t be able to get quotes if you haven’t confirmed your designs.
Step 4: Find the Best T-Shirt Manufacturer
One of the most crucial parts of successfully launching your t-shirt business is securing a reliable and quality t-shirt manufacturer.
Your supply chain is the beating heart of your business. Everything revolves around a stable manufacturing partner.
The best factory will be one that offers custom design as part of a complete t-shirt manufacturing service.
For example, at CM Garmindo we offer Custom Design as well as Private Label options. This gives our clients the advantage to get exactly what they want, launch quickly, and save money.
There are also white-label clothing manufacturers. The factories pre-make generic template clothing, and you simply add your own custom labels and prints on them.
The choice in t-shirt factories will vary but whatever you do, we can’t overstate the importance of working with a Fair Trade garment manufacturer.
An ethical garment factory will ensure a higher standard of communication and quality. It’s in our nature.
Step 5: Embroidering and Printing Your Surface Designs
As mentioned earlier, the types of designs you place on to your t-shirts are called surface designs.
There are many ways to apply surface designs and the choice isn’t always yours. It’s actually the designs that determine which method is suitable.
Besides embroidery, there are a few printing methods that you need to consider:
- Screen Printing – ideal for designs with 6 to 8 colours or less and that aren’t too complex;
- Direct-to-Fabric – also called heat transfer, this is when a high-performance sticker is printed on transfer paper and heat is applied to embed the design into the fabric;
- Direct-to-Garment – usually using a digital printer like you have at home, this machine prints your designs directly into the fabric of the t-shirt;
- Digital Direct-to-Fabric – best for t-shirts with repeat prints;
- Digital Sublimation – best for vibrant repeat prints on synthetic fabrics;
- Puff Printing – using a special chemical composition, heat is applied to the design and it raises becoming 3D;
- High-build – sparkly, shiny, flocking, reflective, glow in the dark, and many other high-build sticker applications that work with heat.
These are just some of the methods that are available in the world.
Step 6: The Actual Process of Successfully Launching Your T-Shirt Business
This includes other business activities that you need to consider. If you want to be a serious t-shirt business instead of a hobby, here’s what you need to do:
- Register your t-shirt business as per your country’s laws and regulations;
- Setup an ecommerce store to be able to sell online;
- Register with a 3PL service such as Amazon to warehouse and ship your t-shirts (unless doing from home);
- Plan, map, and start acting on a broad marketing strategy that includes social media, blogging, media event opportunities, collaborations with influencers, and allocate a paid marketing budget because doing free marketing is gruelling.
As boring as it might seem, it’s right in the name – launching a t-shirt business. If you’re not willing to do everything listed above, you need to ask yourself whether you’re really doing this as a hobby.
Final Thoughts
Successfully launching your t-shirt business is like any other business. It takes careful planning and a well-designed execution strategy.
The apparel and fashion industry is cut-throat. Consumers are fickle.
But if you have a creative flare, persistence, and a strong plan of action, you can easily launch a t-shirt business.
- Are you curious about starting your own t-shirt business and looking for a reliable manufacturer who values quality and ethics, above all else?
- Are you an established apparel brand seeking a more robust service-oriented garment manufacturer for your leisurewear?
CM Garmindo is Bali’s #1 clothing manufacturer specialising in t-shirt productions.
We make it easy for brands to turn creative ideas into quality clothing.
Contact us via our website to get your t-shirt business started right away.
