"How Much Money Can I Make? " follows. Thefollowing query from a brand-new custom t-shirt shop concerns the DTG printingcosts they can charge. Examining the "market price" for your goods isone method of determining your product's price. This only implies that youassess your costs to those of competitors in your market or neighborhood. Thecost of your wholesale blank t-shirt will be determined by cost pricing.
You can obtain a smooth and even image because the ring-spuncotton yarn is tighter woven and less "fuzzy". As you can see in theimage, both shirts are "black," but their shades differ greatly inintensity. Let's compare the costs of screen printing and DTG for a 50-shirtorder with 4 colors. Charge fairly for rush orders, replacements, and reprintsbecause this kind of DTG printing is a premium service.
Compared to other DTG printers, this uses 30% less ink,lowering printing costs. DTG printing is ideal for urgent orders like thoserequiring a few shirts in less than 24 hours. Keep in mind that your managementsoftware for your DTG printing company is just as crucial as your printer.Because DTG requires no setup fees, has a quicker return on investment whensold at retail, and prints more quickly, it is more cost-effective for smallorders than screen printing.
The business strategy of the maker of DTG printing is basedon what is referred to as the "razor blade model." There are numerousvariables and aspects to take into account with DTG printing, so it is not aseasy as hitting a button. Due to their leadership in the production of DTG printingcomponents, Chinese manufacturers enjoy a significant advantage. Withoutpre-treatment, DTG prints appear faded and dull, or worse, they won't stick tothe fabric at all.
Direct-To-Garment (DTG) printing is undoubtedly a term youare familiar with if you work in the custom garment industry. You might haveheard YouTube videos praising its high-profit margin as if it were a mysteriousmachine that prints money. The "hidden" costs associated with owninga DTG machine are something that most custom t-shirt manufacturing businessowners do not take into account.
Let's talk about the actual expense of owning a DTG printer.
The First Investing
Due to the high initial investment required by DTG, it canbe prohibitive for small businesses. Depending on your business strategy, thecost of the printer could range from $16,000 to $250,000. For this post, let'suse the Epson F2100 as an example, which has a retail price of $17,995.
You must also pay for the following addition:
- A Pre-TreatmentMachine, which costs about $3,500.
- a Heat Press (about$1,500)
- a computer, withprices beginning at $1,200
- RIP software, whichcosts about $950.
Without factoring in the cost of purchasing blanks, leasing,bills, labor, and ink, you are looking at an overall upfront cost of at least$25,145. Our next point is a result of this.
Costs of Ink and Upkeep
DTG ink is costly, as in $220 for 20 oz costly (based onEpson F2100 ink price). The white ink needs to be renewed more frequently thanyou might anticipate because, in contrast to the CYMK inks, it runs outconsiderably more quickly.
However, you must be aware that white ink needs to be shakenfrequently to keep the ink emulsified before you purchase big quantities ofwhite ink. Pulling the emulsified pieces through your print heads will clogthem, and if they are damaged, it will cost you hundreds of dollars to replacethem. Your clothes' prints will seem streaked as a result.
The majority of DTG customers believed they had purchased"plug and play" equipment since they lacked any inclination toperform any kind of maintenance.
It will cost you money to leave your equipment unattendedfor a few days. Regular cleaning cycles must be performed, as well as dailyprint head cleaning, moisture maintenance of the capping station overnight,wiper blade cleaning, and other tasks. You won't have to spend hundreds,perhaps even thousands of dollars on replacement parts thanks to all theseminor maintenance chores.
Labor Charges
To better understand how much profit you may make, even ifyou run a one-person business, you must figure out your labor costs.
Sales Time: Thetime you spend looking for customers is labor-related. Are they regular clientsor people you met at a networking event, for instance? Before you discoveredthis one customer, did you make a day's worth of cold calls?
- Accounting Time:How much time did you spend preparing an estimate or proposal, contactingvendors to place your order, and drafting your invoice?
- Shipping andhandling fees - shipping and packing fees are merely a portion of handlingfees. Are the boxes being used branded? labels for mail? How will you fulfillmy order?
Processing a sales order involves numerous small steps. Areyou still going to make money off of it? A realistic evaluation of the laborexpenses involved must be made, but the answer is almost probably YES.
As a result, it is advised that you start with market pricesand contrast them with cost prices before determining your DTG printing priceper t-shirt. A high-end DTG machine cannot be installed in most screen printingshops without reliable temperature control, it is crucial to remember this.
Customers may notice a substantial amount of print fading asa result of frequent washing and drying due to the ink used by DTG printers andthe way it is applied. The input image is converted into a format that can beprocessed by DTG printers using this software, which is a printing utility.
With the aid of DTG, the personalized clothes industry mayprosper in a booming market. DTG is well suited to handle this demand for smallorders containing intricate artwork and a variety of colors for clientsordering custom clothes. The difficult part is calculating the ROI while takinginto account the price of the necessary equipment, upkeep, and personnel. DTGis more suited for retail and fulfillment of promotional products rather thanwholesale because you would need to charge more for your products.