Starting Your Own Garment Printing Business

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Written by Aaron Burton on May 26th 2025

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If you’re seriously considering starting your own garment printing business, this guide should help. Prior to developments in digital technology, printed t shirts were mainly produced by conventional screen print methods. This meant a screen needed to be assembled for every colour featured in the design, making it very time consuming for the printer to organise in respect of set-up and production, and costly.

Today it’s much more cost effective for companies to use a direct to film printing machines, and is also why we have spent the last 3 years creating our own brand, SABTEX, aiming to keep up with this steep change in the industry, so we can bring you cost effective, high quality machines for every size of business. With the ability to produce artwork which would have previously been very complicated to create. Direct to film printing enables the digital transfer of high quality images straight onto film ready to press onto an item of clothing, straight off the machine. Plus with a strong adhesive bond, the design sits on top of garments and is able to withstand even the harshest of washes, meaning the images are soft to the touch and do not fade or lose colour.

There’s also no need for industrial preparation, as the technology uses popular digital formats such as Tiff, PDF, EPS and PSD files to digitally print the creative design on to the transfer paper. Compared to the traditional screen print process, direct to film printing has a considerably shorter turnaround time. So it’s an ideal solution if a customer requires their printed garments in a hurry. Plus if you have any environmental concerns, this method saves a HUGE amount of water compared to conventional screen print production.

Why choose SABTEX DTF printing?

It’s simple – SABTEX DTF Printers reduce the time it takes to print on textiles, and give you brilliant colours and perfect results. Not just exceptional print quality, but print delivered quickly and with low running costs. Quite simply, you’ll be even more competitive with DTF and can offer your customers a more vibrant, creative design option, at a fraction of traditional screen printing costs. Plus, with features such as no weeding, you’ll save on maintenance costs too!

How do you transfer the design on to your garment?

After the SABTEX DTF Printer has printed your design onto the transfer film and it has been cured through the dryer, the film is ready for application. You simply place the printed film on top of the garment, position it where required, and then use a high-quality heat press to transfer the design. Once pressed, the film is peeled away, leaving a vibrant, durable print directly on the fabric.

With SABTEX’s full DTF solution—including printers, dryers, extraction units, heat presses, and consumables—you have everything you could ever need, making it the perfect all-in-one package for DTF printing.

What are the costs to print?

One of the most common questions we receive is, “What does it cost to print a shirt?”

Well, printing a white Leavers Hoodie with a design measuring 26cm by 41cm typically uses about 0.73ml of ink, and with labour and energy consumption included, you’re looking at around £0.50 a print. There’s no need for any screen setup – just load your image, press the button, and you’re ready to go. It really is that simple, and the vibrant colours and soft feel of the print speak for themselves.

What’s the most popular item to print on?

We’ve found that the most popular items to be printed on are T-shirts and hoodies, for every purpose from fashion to workwear and corporate uniform, they are a staple piece that will never go out of style. However, that doesn’t mean it has to stop there, DTF printing can be applied to a wide range or fabrics and materials from bulky hoodies to caps, bags, ties and much more. The result? Crisp clean design transfers ready to ship out or sell directly to the customer yourself. Don’t believe us? Get in contact today and we’ll send out sample box’s filled with example prints and information to help you grow your business, and feel safe for investing in SABTEX.

What could increase the cost of production?

DTF doesn’t cost much in general, and so prices won’t vary much at all. The only cost difference will be from printing between coloured, black and white heavy designs, and even so, the price difference will be negligible in the long run. SABTEX DTF inks are engineered to produce premium, vibrant results at the cheapest price point, helping to keep your production costs even further down.

Deciding on your  target audience

Are you looking to sell to B2B, B2C or both? With the rise of brand awareness and experiential marketing activities, printed items of clothing have fast become a business staple. From team uniforms to branded apparel for trade shows and seminars. Organisation’s now source printed garments for a number of activities.

For the consumer market, printed items of clothing are regularly required by sports teams and schools, to individuals just wanting an exclusive design or cheeky slogan to promote their stag party or birthday party celebrations.

Choosing the right location for your business

While you are getting your direct to film printing established, working from a home office or a suitable garage will keep costs down, especially if you are looking to sell your products via your own e-commerce site or through a digital affiliate. Alternatively if you’ve secured suitable funding, consider a premises which is easy to reach via public transport for both you, your staff (even if you don’t have any yet) and your customers. Plus double check the property has suitable parking and loading facilities for large orders.

Why you should think about the quality of your clothing

Invest in a solution that puts you first, so you can put your customers first. SABTEX DTF has been engineered to follow the most up-to-date features in textile printing and bring them to you at an affordable price. And with a reputation known to be first for service and best for business – we really are proud of our reputation.

Consumers will most likely want to wash and wear their printed garments again. So stock quality garments which will meet their high expectations and be honest about the anticipated results. Plus with the way the public engages with social media, every one is a critic, so you don’t want your business being affected by disgruntled customers, returned items or surplus supplies.

Securing the best shipping deal for your printed clothing

Research shipping companies and negotiate not only the best rate but the best service. By securing a special deal with a shipping company, despatching and tracking your produced items will be much easier for you and your customers. Especially in the event of any problem or issue.

 

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