Frequently asked questions
Shopify T-shirt Website with Online Designer App

1. Find your T-shirt niche business way for yourself

You need to find the kind of t-shirts are you interested in and how to create them. You will have to learn how to build a brand for yourself. Besides, you should find the important reasons for starting a t-shirt business. You need these ideas to create your own niche.

2. Create a brand plan and research your target T-shirt market

Target marketing allows you to focus your marketing dollars and brand message on a specific market that is more likely to buy from you than other markets. This is a much more affordable, efficient, and effective way to reach potential customers.

3. Craft your brand designs with T-shirt Design Tool

You will either craft your own designs or hire a designer to do it for you. There are now a lot of tools and T-shirt designs available for you to choose from Photoshop, Illustrator, Canva, Freepik, Envato Element, Placeit, etc.

4. Source a t-shirt manufacturer

To produce any garment of quality, you need to use a reputable clothing manufacturer to work. The benefit of t-shirt manufacturing, as opposed to other garments, is that it is a fast and automated process without the need for complicated patterns. This allows you to attain larger order quantities in shorter lead times.

5. Sourcing your fabric

With an increasing need for eco-conscious and sustainable options, selecting t-shirt fabric is not quite as straightforward as it was in the past. Organic cotton, bamboo, and jute are popular sustainable options and each has a variety of qualities alongside its green credentials including breathability, wrinkle resistance, and biodegradability.

Be careful to consider where you source your material, as this will help determine its availability long-term. There is nothing worse than a brand that chops and changes the material used in their t-shirts, so you want to avoid this at all costs.

6. Explore Printing techniques

Screen printing: This is a very popular method of printing and produces a high-quality finish.

Direct To Garment (DTG) printing: It works like paper printing in the office, using a quality textile printer and ink. As with paper printing, you load your designs to the computer then feed them to the printer, which sets the designs on the t-shirt.

Dye sublimation: This method is best suited to light fabrics, especially where you want to print a large design. Although it costs a lot to produce a dye sublimation, the resulting design looks very clear with a high resolution.

Heat Press Printing: With heat printing, a special kind of paper is used to make your designs, which transfers the designs to the t-shirt using heat and pressure. In most cases, vinyl is used as the transfer paper, and it has an adhesive on one side and a strippable tape on the opposite side.

Heat Transfer Vinyl: This technique uses a special cloth that is cut into various shapes before transferring them to the fabric using a heat press, which can either be a machine or an iron box. To cut out the shapes, you need something called a Cricut machine. If you intend to use small design graphics or slogans, then heat transfer vinyl is suitable.

7. Create a tech pack for t-shirt production

A tech pack is a collection of specification sheets that provide the blueprint for your design. It is a crucial tool used in garment product development, providing information for the factory or sampling unit to make your style exactly as you designed it to be. Done properly, a tech pack should save a lot of time and money in both sampling and production.

8. Decide on minimum order quantities

Due to technological innovation, digital printing is making it possible for small businesses to produce small batches at a time. Also, print-on-demand or drop shipping methods enable you to print garments only when you sell them. This method proves more expensive in general but enables small companies to find their feet before committing to large orders.

9. Decide on your sales funnel

Do you intend to sell your t-shirts online, in a physical store, or perhaps both? Both funnels have their different advantages and challenges, so this is something to research.

10. Market your brand

Organic growth requires a strong product that people will speak about positively. You will want to cultivate a group of consumers willing to push your t-shirt brand to their respective communities.

 

Whether you want to make an awesome birthday gift for your best friend or start a small business, creating t-shirts with various prints can get you in trouble with the U.S. copyright laws, especially with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998.

To avoid copyright infringement of content under the DMCA protection, you should understand how copyright works in general, how long it lasts, and how to copyright your creative work. 

How Does T-Shirt Design Copyright Infringement Work?

Copyright claims, author’s rights, copyright notices, and intellectual property—copyright has a lot of rules and concepts that might be confusing or unfamiliar to you. The most important takeaway is that all original creative content enjoys copyright protection. Every time someone copies or uses it without the author’s permission qualifies as copyright infringement.

If you think that it would be cute to print a new t-shirt with Mickey Mouse on it, you may be right, but it will count as copyright infringement of Disney’s intellectual property. Besides images and other visual artwork, copyrighted content includes:

  • Music
  • Literary works, including quotes
  • Choreography
  • Plays and movie scripts
  • Movies and TV shows
  • Sculpture
  • Architectural works
  • Digital content, including video games, websites, and software

Copyright Infringement Repercussions

The worst that can happen when you print a t-shirt with a copyrighted design is that the author files a lawsuit against you. This scenario is possible only if the author registers their work officially with the U.S. Copyright Office. 

While small creators usually won’t go that far and will opt for takedown notices and cease and desist letters, big companies that own the rights to popular movies, TV shows, music, and characters have huge legal teams that won’t hesitate to take you to court. 

The possible penalties in such situations include:

Criminal penalties

  • Fines of up to $250,000
  • Imprisonment of up to five years

Civil penalties

  • Damages ranging from $750 to $30,000
  • Fines amounting to $150,000 per infringed work if the prosecution proves willful infringement
  • Lawsuit costs and attorney fees

Is Printing a Logo Copyright Infringement?

Copyright laws don’t protect logos, but it doesn’t mean you can use them without any concern. Logos, symbols, company names, and other similar content used to recognize a brand fall under trademark laws and the regulation of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Designing t-shirts with an image of Iron Man and the Marvel logo are two different violations of intellectual property laws, but the most important idea is that neither is allowed. 

Does My T-Shirt Design Infringe on Copyright?

If you’re hesitating to start printing out t-shirts due to possible copyright infringement, you can use these questions to determine whether you should go for it or rework your designs:

Do I have written permission or a license to use this image? 

If you find a cool design on the internet, you should reach out to the author and ask for authorization in writing that you can use it on a t-shirt. In case the website where you found it didn’t give credits to the author, you still don’t have the right to use it. You can attempt to contact big companies for a license to use their copyrighted content, but those licenses usually cost exorbitant amounts of money

Can I defend my t-shirt design under the fair use doctrine?

Using copyrighted content without infringement is possible in certain situations under the fair use doctrine, but the court decides about the validity of such defense on a case-by-case basis

Can I use this image without an authorization? 

While you need to be extra careful when using images from the internet, public domain content doesn’t require any special permissions. Due to the limits on copyright duration, you can now use all creative works produced before 1925. The public domain cut-off point moves up every year, so even more content becomes available.

How To Steer Clear of T-Shirts Copyright Infringement?

The best way to avoid copyright infringement when printing t-shirts is to use original designs. Even if graphic design isn’t your forte, an increasing number of programs offer easy-to-use tools for creating and editing visual content.

The table below can help you understand the dos of original design work:

  • Use royalty-free images
  • Quote public domain authors who died more than 70 years ago
  • Incorporate images like national symbols, flags, coats of arms, etc.
  • Check specific rules for commercial use even when downloading images from free stock websites

Resources for Avoiding Copyright Infringement With T-Shirts

If you plan to start selling t-shirts with creative designs, check out this table of useful resources for images that won’t cause copyright infringement lawsuits:

  • Wikimedia Commons
  • Unsplash
  • Public Domain Pictures
  • Google Fonts
  • Free Goodies for Designers
  • Designer Candies
  • The Noun Project

Do you want to find out some more tips to avoid piracy in design? Read more the article: How To Avoid Copyright Infringement With T-Shirts

 

 

You can start your own t-shirt business with no inventory at all. We may integrate Third Party API with your website. They have enough equipment and skills to help you fulfill products and ship to your customers worldwide.

There's no limit to how many or few designs you need to start a t-shirt business. You can even use our online design tools to create custom designs from scratch if you don't have any.

Is a t-shirt business profitable?

T-shirts are a staple for men, women, and children around the world, with global retail sales reaching $1.9 trillion in recent years. Creating an online t-shirt business is profitable and has low startup costs compared to other business opportunities. While t-shirt business profit varies depending on your niche and marketing costs, you can set up a profitable additional revenue stream in as little as 30 days.

How much does it cost to start a t-shirt business?

Starting a t-shirt business from home can cost you a minimum of $260, according to one Shopify store owner Tucker Schreiber, which is a small investment compared to opening a brick-and-mortar t-shirt store and buying your own t-shirt printing business equipment and embroidery machines. 

How do I start a t-shirt business?

  • Do market research and find a passionate community.
  • Come up with a t-shirt company name.
  • Make a business logo and set up an online shop.
  • Create your own t-shirt designs.
  • Set up your social media accounts.
  • Run paid ads for your online t-shirt business site.
  • Do blog outreach and free promotions with influencers. 

How much can you make selling t-shirts?

The amount you make selling t-shirts depends on how much time you put into your business. There have been many accounts of business owners making $100,000 selling and dropshipping t-shirts online.

How can I start my own t-shirt business with no money?

If you want to start a t-shirt business fast with no money, add products to your store using print-on-demand dropshippers like Printful. Go to the Shopify App Store, search for Printful, and click 'Add app.'

Do you need a business license to sell t-shirts online?

Typically, you do not need a business license to sell t-shirts online. You may want to get a resale license to buy clothing from a distributor free from sales tax. Check with your local county revenue or finance department to learn more.

No worries if this is your very first time launching a store on Shopify. The seven steps below are all you need to open a new T-shirt brand!

Step 1: Define your niche

Simply speaking, it is choosing to sell what type of T-shirts to which consumer segment. Are you going to sell all-over T-shirts or graphic tees? What is your dominant style (e.g., vintage, funny, elegant)? The more specific your niche is, the easier it will be to distinguish your enterprise in a crowded market.

Step 2: Choose your shirt business model

Popular plans for an online T-shirt store are:

• Private label brand

• Custom cut and sew

• Print on demand

• Dropshipping

Step 3: Sign up for your Shopify store

You can start your 14-day free trial at Shopify. Shopify will offer you some free domain names. 

Step 4: Pick and customize your template

Once you set up your store, it’s time to give it a good look. On your Shopify homepage, go to Online store > Themes. 

Step 5: List your products

To add new items, head to Products > Add products. There, you need to complete a few steps, such as writing the product title & description, setting the price, setting up shipping.

Step 6: Publish your store

When you are satisfied with your store’s customization and have a certain number of items posted, you can launch your brand. The publish date & time is always up to you!

 

Finally, with ecommerce platforms like Shopify, it’s never been easier to set up a fully functional online store (domain name included) in a matter of hours to validate your business idea. Start a 14-day free trial and integrate a print-on-demand service to validate your t-shirts by trying to sell them online.

Print on demand is a process where you work with a supplier to customize white-label products (like baseball hats or tote bags) with your own designs to sell them on a per-order basis under your own brand.

That means you don’t pay for the product until after you’ve actually sold it, so there’s no need to buy in bulk or hold any inventory yourself.

Plus, with print-on-demand services everything after the sale, from printing to shipping, is handled by your supplier. Once you’ve set everything up, it takes only a few clicks to fulfill an order once you’ve made a sale.

If you’re planning to start a print on demand business, begin by choosing a niche and the products you want to sell. Then get your designs and website ready. After that, look for a print on demand service and add the products to your store. Once you start marketing your website, you’ll begin to receive orders, and your print provider will take care of fulfillment.

How much money can you make with print on demand?

How much you make with your print on demand business depends on the target market, their needs, product demand, and seasonality. When determining how much you can earn, you’ll have to consider the sale price, fees for your print provider, and volume of orders.

What are the best print on demand products to sell?

There are a number of products you can sell with print on demand. Some of the popular print on demand products include t-shirts, caps, mugs, wall prints and posters, drawstring and cloth bags, hoodies, towels, phone covers, notebooks, cushion covers, sweatshirts, and leggings.

How do you price print on demand products?

Your print on demand product prices will depend largely on how well you market your brand. When pricing your products, look at what the market is charging as a baseline. You can charge higher prices for print on demand products with customizations. Otherwise, you can price the products similarly to your competitors as a safer bet if you want to cover a larger target market and make a profit.

Sell custom print, embroidery, and engraving merchandise in just a few clicks. No need to worry about equipment, storage, or upfront costs. With Printful, you can easily create stunning designs, add them to any of our high-quality products, and sell them on your Shopify store. POD services like Printfull will print, pack, and ship your orders on demand, under your brand. Plus, it’s free to get started—you only pay Printful when a customer buys from you!

With a Shopify POD app, you get:

No upfront costs: A print on demand service like Printful allows you to start a new business or expand an existing one with virtually no investment and inventory.

Control over your profit: You decide how much you’ll make from each sale. We charge you to cover production—you set your retail price, and what’s left is your profit.

High-quality products: Choose from a variety of premium products ranging from apparel and accessories to home and living products.

Built-in tools: Create stunning designs, product mockups, and even build your brand logo—all in just a few clicks. No design skills necessary!

Product personalization: With Printful, you can offer your customers designs they can personalize directly on your store.

A more sustainable choice: With print on demand production, each item is printed only when a customer buys from you, which eliminates dead stock. We’re also taking steps to reduce waste and carbon emission and offer more eco-friendly products and packaging.

Warehousing & Fulfillment: Store your entire inventory at our warehouses, and we’ll fulfill all your orders, globally.

Discounted samples: Order product samples with 20% off + free shipping to select destinations.

Here’s how a POD’s dropshipping services work:

1. You connect your Shopify store with POD app and add your products

2. A customer then orders a product from your store

3. That order is then automatically imported for fulfillment to one of POD services’s in-house or partner facilities

4. POD services fulfills your order and sends it out to your customer, all under your brand

 

Connecting POD services with your Shopify store is easy:

1. Create your POD services and Shopify accounts

2. Click the “Add app” button at the top of this page and follow the steps

3. Add and sync your Printful products

4. Set up your billing and shipping, and you’re done!

 

Top POD services is Printfull, Printify...

Selling a set of specific products is a good way to have consistency across your store and offerings. However, sometimes clients want to have more freedom with their product and they want to build their own bundle or product. This could be anything from customizing their t-shirt using Print-on-demand software to combining features/products to create their custom product. There are many apps for these, which are often referred to as Shopify product designer apps.

 This app is used to Design or Personalized any products on your store. From the App back-end section you can select which products can be personalized by the customer. There you can mention additional customized price for a product. By this Application customer can Design Products as per their need such as: add arts from the list added by you, or upload his own arts and add to the Product, add any Text with various font and design. Customer can “Add to Cart” products with custom price. Design or personalize products by this App is very easy. You can also save a customized design for a product which customer can edit (if needed) and order.

 Key Features of Shopify Product Designer App

- Customizing product with logo, text, images, etc.

- Can set up Design Template for any product individually in the app backend. This will load the design panel with that template

- Change product Color in the design panel

- Set up custom font

- Get the customer's design details in app backend

- Download the SVG File of customer's design

What Can Shopify Product Designer Apps Do?

There are many different tasks that Shopify product designer apps can do for your business. For one, you can give customers the chance to customize t-shirts by adding their own logos, text and images to them. These can then be printed, as needed. This technology can also be used for other items of clothing, mugs, plates and other items.

You can also build a business where a product can be customized to the specific needs of the customer. For instance, computers. The customer could choose their own RAM, video graphics card, etc. during the purchase to customize their machine.

There are Shopify product designer apps for all of these things but not all of them will do all the jobs. So, TeePro using Printcart Shopify Designer App

At the top of the Shopify template customization window, you'll find a drop-down for choosing a page template. This allows you to change customize individual page templates that are used throughout your store. The preview will change to show whatever template you currently have selected.

Don’t fret if you don’t spot a theme that speaks to you in the Shopify Theme Store. CMSmart offers themes designed specifically for T-shirt Business Shopify users.

Sites like Theme Forest feature Shopify themes created by 3rd party developers. In marketplaces like these, themes are generally peer-reviewed so you can sort based on popularity and rating. You can see our highly rated products on Themeforest. So you can have complete confidence in the quality of our products and support services.

And just like the themes available in Shopify, any theme can be customized once you acquire it and load it into your store.

Lastly, if you really want a completely custom theme for your Shopify store you can always work with CMSmart. Keep in mind this approach will be far more costly than customizing an existing theme. Even so, high prices are signals of excellent product quality.

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