Always searching for additional revenue sources, about six months ago Iowa State University Printing & Copy Services in Ames added t-shirt printing to our services.
After several weeks of researching and talking with other university printers, commercial enterprises, and printer dealers at a garment printing trade show, we put together a business plan for our Vice-President of Business Services. After a couple of weeks which included a review by ISU's Non-Compete Committee, we gained approval.
Looking to get into the business with a fairly modest investment, we sent out an RFQ for a digital ink-jet garment printer. The low bid was for a DTG Viper printer, a pre-treater, and a drier -- all for less than $28,000.
Training, conducted by the dealer, was quick and easy. So far four staff members have been trained to use the equipment. We use a t-shirt supplier recommended by our printer dealer and have good luck using the materials they recommended.
Currently we are concentrating on producing fairly small quantities of t-shirts ranging from 1 to 100. Larger quantities are produced by one of our commercial partners. We have three pricing levels ranging from $19.95 to $8.25 each. Our t-shirts, which are not sold to the public, have generated a lot of interest from student groups and service departments at the university. Although initial sales have been slower than expected, inquiries are increasing and we expect this business to grow as the university community becomes more aware. We are anticipating an increase in business this August at the beginning of the school year.
Tips for In-Plants Considering T-Shirt Production
· Cleaning the machine after use and even during extended idle periods is very important. A cleaning schedule is a must.
· Before we were able to produce a product for sale, we had to become licensed through ISU's Trademark Office which turned out to be the most time-consuming part of the process. I would advise looking into the licensing requirements early and consider that in your decision making. Recordkeeping and product marking can be very strict for trademarked garments.
If you have additional questions, Steve Weigel can be contacted at weigel@iastate.edu
