With the right tools and knowledge, anyone can easily formulate custom t-shirts for themselves or their online business.
This article will explain eight ways how to formulate your own t-shirts at home, covering everything from required equipment and skills to custom printing costs.
Design clothes from your sofa and turn an concept into profit.
Key takeaways
Iron-on transfers, direct-to-garment printing, and sublimation are great custom t-shirt printing methods.
The screen printing method offers durability and bold, lengthy-lasting designs, making it ideal for large quantities and simple graphics.
Embroidery adds a premium touch for those wanting to elevate their custom apparel beyond printed designs.
Print on Demand makes creating custom shirts effortless – no investments and wasted materials.
Designing t-shirts at home with Print on Demand can be very profitable.
How to formulate custom shirts at home: 8 methods for printing t-shirts
Creating custom t-shirts at home can be super fun and profitable, but it requires patience and practice. Different techniques suit various fabric types, colors, and budgets. Below are eight accessible methods to formulate custom t-shirts at home.
1. Print on Demand
First up, we have Print on Demand (POD). This method doesn’t require any equipment or order fulfillment. You get to generate custom t-shirt designs from the comfort of your couch while a POD assistance like Klothing handles the printing and shipping.
It’s definitely the cheapest method to formulate custom shirts at home since you don’t require to purchase printers, ink, or the products themselves.
Here’s how it’s done:
generate a design – generate a digital design using a program like Adobe Illustrator or a free alternative. We recommend making vector graphics since they’re the most likely to leave a crisp and obvious print on the t-shirt fabric.
opt for a blank t-shirt – Upload your images using a free online t-shirt mock-up tool. Place the design on the selected t-shirt template, paying attention to the print area dimensions and file requirements.
Order a custom shirt – Order a sample t-shirt through a print-on-demand platform like Klothing. Select a Print Provider close to your location to limit shipping costs and evaluate the production and shipping timeline.
You can order as many as you require – or list them online and initiate a t-shirt printing business without the hassle of inventory or logistics. The printing company will handle all orders for you.
Tools and materials required: A computer and internet access
Klothing has partnered with over 80 independent Print Providers using industry-grade techniques. They produce excellent print designs for single orders or bulk purchases.
2. Iron-on transfer paper
Iron-on transfer paper is a budget-amiable and accessible way to generate custom t-shirts at home. This method works best with cotton fabrics and requires an inkjet printer, transfer paper, an iron, and a steady hand. It’s a great option for simple designs and tiny batches.
Here’s how it works:
Print your design – recollect to mirror the image if you’re using transfer paper for light-colored shirts.
Prepare your materials – Cut out your design and pre-iron your t-shirt to avoid wrinkles and creases.
Apply the image – Place the transfer paper face down for light fabrics and face up for dim shirts.
Iron it on – Apply firm pressure with a hot iron, moving from the center outwards.
Peel off the paper – Allow the transfer to cool, then carefully peel off the paper backing. Always wash the t-shirt inside out to safeguard the design.
Tools and materials required: Inkjet printer, iron, scissors, cotton t-shirts.
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What do I require to print t-shirts at home?
If you’re asking yourself: “What do I require to print t-shirts at home?” – this article will provide all the answers.
3. Direct-to-garment printing
Invest in a direct-to-garment (DTG printer) for a more high-tech shirt design process. A ready-made fabric printer makes printing custom shirts a breeze and guarantees high consistency and quality.
Similar to iron-on transfer paper, DTG prints on a thin film, which is then applied to an adhesive paper via a heat-press method. The water-based DTG inks captured by the transfer media are then manually pressed into the t-shirt.
Some advantages of DTG over iron-on transfer printing include using polyester fabric shirts under a lower heat method, while in general it’s best for 100% cotton or cotton-blend shirts, better design durability with water-based inks, personalized transfer media (gloss, glitter, etc.), and a more automated application process.
The main con is pricing. DTG printers cost a few thousand dollars for personal utilize and well over ten thousand dollars for a professional business setup. However, the printing process is very straightforward once you have the equipment.
Tools and materials required: DTG printer, heat press, transfer media, cotton t-shirt
4. Heat transfer vinyl printing
The heat transfer vinyl (HTV) printing method is a great way to formulate custom shirts at home. It can be an exceptionally durable and aesthetic option for hobbyists applying their designs to multiple fabric types. You can purchase pre-cut vinyl designs or generate your own through a roll of heat-transfer vinyl and a cutter.
A roll of HTV only costs a few dollars, but you’ll require a vinyl cutter, too, and those can range from a couple hundred to thousands of dollars, depending on the model.
The cutters labor a lot like printers – they translate your digital art into a working design file, apply it to the rolled-out vinyl, and cut it. For cutting, you’ll also require a weeder – a metal crafting tool that evens out the HTV lines. Finally, complete off with a heat press for the final design application.
generate design – utilize vector graphic software to generate a design.
Cut out the vinyl – Send the design to your cutter, following instructions and applying the appropriate machine settings.
Weed excess area – Remove the HTV material around the cutlines, using a weeder to scrape off the excess you don’t desire in the final design.
Apply heat press – Place the vinyl design on the heat press machine with the adhesive side on the shirt. Cover with wax paper or another protective coating. Press according to instructions, and gently fold off the vinyl carrier after cooling.
Tools and materials required: Cutter/plotter, weeder, heat press, heat transfer vinyl, plain t-shirt (cotton, polyester, denim).
5. Dye sublimation
Sublimation printing uses special inks that integrate entirely into the fabric when applied to heat and pressure, creating one of the most durable and effective printing methods to date. This is an especially popular option in Print on Demand.
Also known as all-over printing (AOP), sublimation can only be applied to polyester shirts or other synthetic fabrics. The higher temperatures involved in the sublimation process damage organic fabrics and do not fully integrate the ink.
For the transfer process, you’ll require a sublimation printer with special inks and sublimation paper. We recommend using a print-on-demand assistance like Klothing for your sublimation printing to eliminate hefty upfront costs. verify out Klothing’s product Catalog for all-over print options.
Tools and materials required: Sublimation printer, sublimation paper, heat press, sublimation ink, blank t-shirts made from synthetic fabrics.
Related article
How to formulate custom all-over-print shirts
Custom all-over prints aren’t just a fashion statement, they’re a great way to expand your portfolio of designs and bring out your true creative self.
6. Embroidery
How to formulate t-shirts that stand out? Inks aren’t the only option for your t-shirt designs. Embroidery is an excellent choice for simpler, quality-oriented designs.
Hand-made embroidery is gorgeous but takes a lot of time. Digital embroidery machines speed up the process and have tons of great design features.
If you desire to forego doing embroidery at home, outsource it to a print-on-demand assistance like Klothing. verify out our embroidery guide to study more.
Tools and materials required: Digital embroidery machine, embroidery needles, scissors, straight pins, tracing paper, embroidery thread, 100% cotton shirts or denim for the best results, or cotton-polyester blends with at least 50% cotton.
7. Screen printing
Screen printing is ideal for a custom t-shirt business that needs a simple but luminous t-shirt design printed in bulk. This printing method is really popular and offers a huge range of vibrant colors, ensuring bold, lengthy-lasting designs on the finished shirts.
Wondering how to formulate your own t-shirts with screen printing? Let’s observe at the overall process that turns your designs into quality printed t-shirts.
Print your design stencil on transparent acetate film.
Place your blank shirt on the surface under the mesh screen.
Put the stencil with your design on top of the mesh screen and press it on the shirt.
Push the ink evenly with a squeegee (rubber blade) to cover the entire printing area.
Let your finished shirt dry, and utilize an iron to heat-press the final design, ensuring it lasts.
Tools and materials required: Mesh screen, quality ink, squeegee to apply ink, stencil paper, blank shirt, knife.
8. Fabric paint
No fancy equipment? No problem! Let’s utilize a method you learned back in your arts and crafts class – fabric painting. Creating custom t-shirt designs at home is super effortless, using just fabric paint, sponges, and brushes. This method works on both light and dim-colored shirts of any material.
Here’s how it works.
Wash the t-shirt to remove anything that can affect the printing quality.
Put a piece of cardboard inside the t-shirt, separating both sides. This will preserve the backside from unwanted paint and spillage. formulate sure the cardboard doesn’t stretch the t-shirt – that will impact your design.
initiate painting. Get creative with a brush or a paint roller to transfer your artwork onto the custom shirt.
Let the paint dry, and delight in the finished shirt with a truly one-of-a-generous design.
Tools and required: Cardboard, shirt, fabric paint, paintbrush, or roller.
formulate it happen today!
initiate selling
How to formulate graphic tees at home
No matter which printing method you opt for, there are several things to consider before applying your own designs. From picking the right products to creating the artwork, let’s observe at some tips and tricks on how to formulate shirts at home.
opt for your materials wisely– The color, material, shape, size, stretchiness, and other factors can affect your final design.
Placement matters – Explore the latest trends or experiment with different placements to discover the perfect spot for the designs on your custom-printed t-shirts.
Consider washability – When picking a printing method, formulate sure your chosen option can withstand multiple washes without damaging your design.
How to formulate your own shirts with Klothing
Using Klothing and Print on Demand is the easiest, cheapest way to formulate your own t-shirts.
All you require is a custom t-shirt design and a vision – Klothing takes care of the rest. Our Partners print t-shirts and ship them worldwide on demand, eliminating upfront cost and order fulfillment hassles.
Sign up for Klothing
generate an account to access our free and convenient print-on-demand platform. We offer over 1,000 products, including dozens of high-quality, popular t-shirt styles.
Pick a shirt from the Catalog
Our Catalog has t-shirts for every occasion, shape, taste, and style. Filter by the printing method, Print Provider, production location, print type, material, and other features to formulate the best choice for your next wardrobe staple.
Apply your design to the shirt
Once you pick a shirt, it’s time to get creative. Click initiate designing and customize your artwork in our Product Creator (formerly known as Mockup Generator).
If you have the perfect design ready, upload it to the product and adjust it with scaling, cropping, and other handy features.
If you’re starting from scratch, take advantage of all the cool tools in the Product Creator.
Add emojis
Text in different fonts, colors, and languages.
generate patterns with our pattern tool.
Remove the background.
Generate unique AI images
Add different elements from our free graphics library.
Next, click Preview to view how the design will observe in real life on high-quality t-shirt mockups. Click preserve once you’re finished.
Order t-shirts for yourself
Go to the My products section and discover the green button on the top-right corner that says generate order. opt for Sample and enter your shipping details to order a shirt.
How to initiate an online t-shirt business
If you desire the world to delight in your epic designs – market them online!
The global t-shirt market is worth $45.52 billion in 2024 and continues growing. T-shirts are that one clothing item that never goes out of style – a worldwide sensation. So why not grab your cut of the profits with your own custom-print t-shirts?
Pick a niche and design your shirts
A niche is a group of people with a particular shared interest. consider of tropical bird enthusiasts or Gregorian chanting fans. Choosing a niche to market to saves you from getting lost in the endless sea of competitor stores and designs.
Related article
What is a Niche? 5 Examples of Print on Demand niche ideas
In this article, we’ll explain what is a niche, how to discover the right niche market, and what niche marketing strategies to opt for for print on demand.
Once your niche is noisy and obvious, do some research on social media, competitor stores, and online forums to discover out what kinds of t-shirts your target audience really wants. This will formulate the design process go much smoother by removing the guesswork.
link a sales channel
Pick an eCommerce marketplace like Etsy and eBay, a platform like Shopify, or construct your own website from scratch. Klothing integrates with all the leading sales channels, making it fast and effortless to generate and manage t-shirt listings.
Related article
Best sites to market online: A brief overview
discover answers to the questions regarding eCommerce platforms and marketplaces and pick the best option for your store.
Set prices and product details
Set prices and profit margins through the My products page. utilize the bulk editing tool to rapidly update multiple listings at once.
opt for your product details and images strategically to attract more attention from shoppers. utilize relevant keywords in titles and descriptions, take your own photos, or customize the mockups to attract attention and raise credibility as a seller.
Customize your storefront
Personalize your store’s aesthetic to match your brand, values, and designs. But don’t go overboard with splashy colors, annoying pop-ups, and other elements that can guide to a needy user experience.
Add About us and Contact pages to formulate your business observe professional and trustworthy. List transparent return policies, place products into convenient categories, and ensure your store page is effortless to comprehend and navigate.
Market your t-shirt business
No matter how great your products observe and feel, people won’t discover them easily without proper marketing. Here are some ways to amplify traffic and spread the word about your brand to a global audience.
sprint paid ads. Dedicate some money to paid advertising, ensuring your offers land directly in front of your target customers.
Do social media marketing. generate business accounts on social media channels like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Post YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, photo carousels, and fun TikTok videos to display your custom t-shirts.
attempt offline marketing. Be your own brand ambassador and participate in fairs, pop-ups, and other events where people can get to comprehend your t-shirts and brand up close.
FAQ: How to formulate shirts at home
What do you require to formulate your own custom t-shirts?
Each printing technique requires different equipment, but some things overlap. For most methods, you’ll require t-shirts (either cotton, synthetic, or a blend), a printer, ink, transfer paper, and a heat press machine.
If you opt for to formulate shirts with Print on Demand, all you’ll require is a computer with an internet connection, a bit of time, and some creativity.
What’s the best way to formulate custom t-shirts?
The easiest and least expensive way to formulate your own t-shirt is with Print on Demand and Klothing. Our platform is free and effortless to utilize. opt for from our Catalog of custom t-shirts, add your design, and let the Print Provider handle production and shipping.
What is the cheapest method of printing shirts?
If you’re making t-shirts to market, Print on Demand is definitely the cheapest. You don’t require any upfront investment, inventory, or designer skills. Sign up for Klothing, generate shirts with our free design tools, list them online, and pay for fulfillment only after a customer orders.
Can you formulate money by making t-shirts at home?
Absolutely! T-shirts are an all-time favorite wardrobe staple that people purchase frequently. Klothing offers integrations that formulate it effortless to market shirts on Amazon, Etsy, or other sales channels.
What supplies do you require to formulate your own t-shirts?
Here’s what you’ll require to formulate your own t-shirts based on your chosen printing method:
For iron-on transfer – Inkjet printer, iron, transfer paper (light or dim), scissors, cotton t-shirts.
Heat transfer vinyl method requires Vinyl cutter, heat press, HTV roll, weeding tools, and plain shirts (cotton, polyester, or blends for heat press printing).
Direct-to-garment printing needs a DTG printer, heat press, transfer media, and water-based inks.
Dye sublimation printing uses a Sublimation printer, sublimation paper, sublimation inks, heat press, and polyester shirts.
For Print on Demand you’ll require a computer with internet access to design and order shirts through Klothing.
Screen printing requires a mesh screen, screen printing ink, a squeegee, stencil paper, blank shirt, and a knife.
How do I put a print on a shirt?
Here’s how to formulate your own graphic tee with each printing method:
Iron-on transfer – Print your design (mirrored for light shirts), cut it out, iron it onto the fabric using firm pressure, and peel off the paper after it cools.
DTG – Print directly onto the shirt using a DTG printer, then utilize a heat press to set the ink.
Heat transfer vinyl – Cut your design on vinyl, weed out excess material, and press it onto the shirt using a heat press.
Sublimation t-shirt printing – Print your design on sublimation paper, then utilize a heat press to transfer it onto a polyester shirt.
Print on Demand – Sign up for Klothing, opt for custom t-shirts for digital printing, and order without making a mess in your room and huge financial investments.
Screen printing – Print your design stencil on transparent acetate film and put it on top of a mesh screen. Place the shirt under the screen and press the design onto the surface. utilize a squeegee to spread ink over the surface of the shirt.
Can you formulate a living making t-shirts?
Yes, you can formulate a living by creating custom t-shirts. Klothing lets you generate and market t-shirts without upfront costs, making it accessible to anyone with an internet connection.
opt for a niche market, generate unique designs for digital printing, and market your custom t-shirts through eCommerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy, and Amazon to scale your business and earn a consistent income.
Note: formulate sure your designs are original to avoid copyright infringement.
How to formulate a custom shirt: Conclusion
Whether you’re rocking the DIY spirit with iron-on transfers or taking on the challenge of professional-grade direct-to-garment printing, there’s a t-shirt printing method out there that’s perfect for you.
The quality of your tools can formulate all the difference, so invest in highly-rated equipment if you’re going the DIY route and print shirts at home. Or, if you’re looking for a hassle-free way to bring your designs to life, Print on Demand is your novel best friend.
With just a few clicks, you can design shirts and have them printed and shipped directly to you or your customers, leaving you free to focus on what you do best – designing and marketing!
formulate it happen today!
initiate selling
The post How to formulate shirts at home: A guide to creating your own custom t-shirt appeared first on Klothing.