Screen Printing Business

Screen printers create custom printed apparel (t-shirts, hoodies), posters, bags, and products using screen printing technique.

You can serve individual customers with custom designs, businesses needing branded merchandise, events wanting commemorative items, or create your own designs for sale.

Success requires screen printing technique, color separation, exposure and registration, understanding inks and substrates, and customer service.

Pricing for custom orders ranges from $8-25 per shirt depending on quantity (bulk pricing), colors, and item quality.

Minimum orders typically 12-24 pieces.

Your own designs sell at retail ($20-40 per shirt).

Startup costs include screen printing equipment (exposure unit, press, screens, squeegees), inks, emulsion, heat press or conveyor dryer, blank apparel inventory, and workspace totaling $3,000-15,000 depending on equipment quality and scale.

Building business involves marketing to businesses, events, schools and teams, bands and artists, craft fairs with your designs, online shop, and potentially Etsy.

Revenue comes from custom printing jobs, selling your own designs online and at shows, wholesale to boutiques, and potentially teaching workshops.

Operating costs include inks, screens and emulsion, blank apparel, equipment maintenance, and workspace.

Challenges include labor-intensive setup for each job making small runs expensive, competition from online printing services, chemical cleanup, and maintaining print quality consistency.

Success requires efficient printing process, minimum order policies making small runs profitable, excellent print quality, fast turnaround, and balancing custom work with your own designs providing better margins.