T-shirts

[Brian Foley]

I'm looking to start selling t-shirts after my ren faire shows. Can anybody recommend a printer/silkscreener/whatever they're called to put my image on shirts? Thanks. If I end up going with a company that someone suggests, I'll give you a free shirt. Oh Boy!!!

[Andy]

Yes, indeed! I'd be more than happy to recommend a great t-shirt designer/screen printer.

My brother-in-law is in that field and has done a lot of work for me in the past. The company he works for does screen printing and embroidery for sports teams, specialty shops, and more.

Call Randy Hayward at Saxer's Screen Printing & Embroidery. 608-755-1250 or toll free 800-SAXERS-0 (729-3770)

If Randy Hayward (my brother in law) isn't there just ask for Randy Geitner (his partner). Be sure to mention my name (Andy Martello) and you might get a better price!

E-mail: rgeitner@aol.com

Let me know how it goes!

[checkerhead]

T-shirts good! If you're using them for promo and for give aways... If you're planning on making a lot of money from t-shirts, think again... By the time you add up all of the costs of getting them made (design, set up charges, printing) then getting them to the gig (shipping, wear and tear on you, time spent flogging them at the end of your show) then really (once all is said and done) you'll be lucky to break even...

It's very cool to see someone wearing your t-shirt...I've been doing it for years and love seeing people come back to shows wearing my shirts, but it's a lot of work for very little pay off money wise...

If you're looking to make good coin of merch sales, your mark up needs to be a good 50% over what you spent making the product and even then it's only marginally worth it if we're talking a couple of hundred shirts a year...

Just a few thoughts...

Cheers,

d. - checkerhead

[Thom]

Brian,

Just to point out: Everything else in the world is better profit than a T-shirt! It's a generalization, but you get the point.

Paper sticker are 18 cents, Vinyl are around 30 cents, necklaces, pencils, bumper stickers all have an easy 200% markup. Markup = money.

Once you have all of that, then go with T-shirts. Or just give the things away.

You wanted sources, I love this guy: www.contagiousgraphics.com (http://www.contagiousgraphics.com)

I've ordered two VERY different designs and both looked great and arrived in 2 weeks. Beat that! Oh yeah, and his prices are good.

Thom
www.thombritain.com (http://www.thombritain.com)

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

My partner Ned and I took a loss on our ren faire t shirts a few years ago. Here's a line never to use:

" At twenty bucks, Its a definite way to say 'I have way too much money on my hands'."