Fundamentals about starting up your own screen printing business, and tips to help you succeed in the garment printing industry.
How much money can you make in a screen printing business in 2025?
At least an estimated $100,000 a year.
With an automatic t-shirt printer like the Trooper, you can print at least 180 shirts per hour—including 180 six-color shirts.
Potential Earnings Per Order
- A one-color print on a 100% cotton t-shirt typically sells for $5.50 to $9.00, depending on order size.
- A six-color print allows you to charge even more per shirt.
For example, an order of 72 shirts at $8.00 per shirt for a six-color print:
$8.00 × 72 shirts = $576.00 in revenue
Cost Breakdown
- Blank shirts: $144.00 (at $2.00 each when purchased by the dozen)
- Screen making materials: $21.00 ($3.50 per screen)
- Ink cost: $3.60 (at $0.05 per shirt)
- Electricity & overhead: $1.00
- Total cost: $169.60
Profit & Income Potential
- Revenue: $576.00
- Minus materials cost: $169.60
- Your earnings: $402.40 for a job that takes less than 2 hours
Just one job like this per day can put you on track to make over $100,000 per year.
How much does it cost to start a screen printing business?
The short answer: about $10 per day or just $212 per month.
Investing in a T-Shirt Printing Machine
Wondering how much a screen printing machine costs? For the price of an average car payment, a screen printing press actually makes you money when you run it!
A $10,000 bank loan at 10% interest over 5 years costs just $212.47 per month—far less than hiring an employee.
For only $10 per day, you’ll have the power to print at least 100 six-color shirts per hour.
The Smart Business Move
Even if you only print 212 shirts per month and profit just $1 per shirt, investing in an automatic t-shirt printing press still makes sense.
What are you waiting for? Your banker will see the strong return on investment—and so will you!
What is the average cost of running a screen printing business?
T-Shirts
Wholesale cost for shirts is about $24.00 per doz. for 100% heavy weight white cotton t-shirts. Price varies depending on how many you buy at a time.
Silk Screen Making
You will use about $1.50 worth of screen printing supplies to make a screen. Screen making goes faster if you prepare them ahead of time so they are ready-to-expose when a suprise job arrives. The most time consuming part of making mesh screen frames are waiting for them to dry.
Business Utilities
Your electricity, shop space, lighting, and heating costs should be factored into your budget. Choosing the right location is essential—not just for foot traffic, but to ensure your silk screen equipment operates in the best conditions.
Silk Screens
- Pre-stretched mesh screens cost around $25 each.
- Reusable—you can change designs and reuse a screen over 20 times, making them a cost-effective investment.
Screen Printing Ink
- A gallon of plastisol ink yields thousands of prints, but a good rule of thumb is to calculate ink costs at $0.05 per shirt.
- Tip: Choosing ink solely based on price can lead to higher costs in the long run. Low-cost inks may require extra labor and ink modifiers, increasing your expenses. Invest in high-quality t-shirt ink to save time and money.
Time & Labor
- Screen preparation and printing take time. Streamlining your process improves productivity.
- If you pre-clean, reclaim, and coat multiple screens at once, you can expose and prepare a screen for printing in under an hour.
By understanding these average costs, you can better plan your expenses and maximize your profits in the screen printing business.
What are the benefits of owning a screen printing business?
Starting a screen printing business comes with high profit potential, low startup costs, and flexible work opportunities. Here’s why it’s a great business to own:
1. High Demand – Everyone Loves T-Shirts
Custom t-shirts, hoodies, and apparel are always in demand. Small businesses, sports teams, schools, events, and brands all need custom printing—and many prefer working with local print shops over big companies.
2. High Profit Potential
With the right setup, you can earn hundreds of dollars per hour, even from a small workspace at home. A low cost per print means high profit margins, especially on bulk orders.
3. Low Inventory – Order Only What You Need
As a screen printing middleman, you only order and print what the customer requests—no need to stockpile blank shirts. Many local distributors deliver blank shirts within a day, allowing for quick turnaround times.
4. Low Startup Costs & Scalability
Unlike many businesses, starting a screen printing business doesn’t require a huge upfront investment. You can begin with a small manual press and upgrade to an automatic press as demand grows.
5. Brand Name Shirts Help You Sell More
Offering popular brand-name t-shirts like Bella+Canvas, Gildan, or Next Level adds credibility and quality to your services, helping you attract more customers.
6. Tax Benefits
Running your own business allows for tax deductions on equipment, supplies, home office space, and other expenses—reducing your overall tax burden.
7. Be Your Own Boss & Enjoy Work Flexibility
One of the biggest perks—you control your schedule, pricing, and workload. Whether you want to keep it as a side hustle or grow into a full-time business, you have the freedom to work when and how you want.
8. Expand into Other Markets
Once you master t-shirt printing, you can expand into hoodies, tote bags, hats, promotional products, and even direct-to-garment (DTG) or embroidery services. This allows for multiple income streams.
9. Community & Networking Opportunities
Owning a screen printing business connects you with local businesses, artists, schools, and organizations, creating long-term business relationships and repeat customers.
10. Creative Freedom
If you love design, fashion, or entrepreneurship, screen printing gives you the freedom to create unique products, launch your own brand, or help others bring their ideas to life.
Start Your Screen Printing Business Today!
With low startup costs, high profits, and unlimited creative potential, owning a screen printing business is a smart and rewarding investment. What are you waiting for?
How to market a screen printing business?
Marketing your screen printing business effectively is key to attracting customers, standing out from competitors, and increasing sales. Here are some powerful marketing strategies to grow your business:
1. Everyone You Meet is a Potential Customer
Custom apparel is in high demand! Small businesses, schools, sports teams, events, influencers, and brands all need custom t-shirts and merch. Talk about your business everywhere you go—networking can lead to repeat customers and referrals.
2. Reach Your Target Audience & Convert Them into Buyers
You need to get in front of potential customers and convince them to buy. Use a mix of digital and offline marketing strategies:
- Create a professional website showcasing your services and pricing.
- Use social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn) to share your work, post behind-the-scenes content, and engage with potential buyers.
- Offer promotions—such as a discount on first orders or bundle deals for bulk printing.
- Attend local events, trade shows, and pop-up markets to meet customers in person.
3. Identify Your Competitors & Stand Out
Find out who else is selling custom screen printing services in your area or niche. Analyze their pricing, turnaround times, and customer reviews to identify ways to differentiate your business.
4. Offer Exceptional Service & Unique Value
To win over customers, you need to offer more than just printed shirts:
- Faster turnaround times than competitors.
- Free design consultations to help customers create the perfect print.
- High-quality materials and eco-friendly inks for better results.
- Loyalty programs or bulk discounts for repeat customers.
5. Leverage Online Reviews & Customer Testimonials
Happy customers are your best advertisers! Encourage them to leave Google and Facebook reviews, post about their orders on social media, and tag your business. Positive reviews build trust and attract new clients.
6. Don’t Worry About Uniqueness—Customers Are Actively Looking for Screen Printers
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. There is already strong demand for custom t-shirt printing, and businesses, schools, and event organizers need reliable printers. Focus on quality, service, and marketing, and you’ll attract plenty of business.
7. Offer Custom Merchandise for Local Businesses & Influencers
Partner with local businesses, bands, gyms, and content creators to provide branded merchandise. Offer dropshipping or fulfillment services so they can sell apparel without handling inventory.
8. Run Paid Ads for Faster Growth
- Google Ads can help you target people searching for “custom t-shirt printing near me.”
- Facebook & Instagram ads allow you to promote your services to local customers.
- TikTok & YouTube Shorts showcasing your printing process can go viral and attract clients.
Start Marketing Your Screen Printing Business Today!
With strong branding, great customer service, and strategic marketing, your screen printing business can thrive. Start networking, go digital, and let people know what you offer!
Every person in town needs to know that you can print on:
GARMENTS
- T-Shirts
- Fleece
- Jackets
- Golf Shirts
- Uniforms
- Aprons
- Caps
- Heat Transfers
- Bandanas
- Sweatbands
UNUSUAL MATERIALS
- Athletic Bags
- Can wraps
- Horse blankets
- Seat Cushions
- Ties
- Tote Bags
- Towels
- Umbrellas
FLAT MATERIALS
- Binders
- Bumper Stickers
- Corrugated Boxes
- Frisbees
- Key Chains
- Mugs
- Mirrors
- Name tags
- Notebooks
- Pens
- Political Posters
- Real Estate Signs
Get out a calendar and list EVERY event and holiday you can think of - so you can be ready and ahead of time to sell and take orders for screen printing. Get your shirt and design ideas ready to sell.
SPECIAL EVENTS
- Church Functions
- Class Trips
- Concerts
- Conventions
- Craft Fairs
- Ethnic Festivals
- Flea Markets
- Fund-Raisers
- Open House
- Parades
- Parties
- Picnics
- Political Campaigns
- Radio & TV Promotions
- Running Marathons
HOLIDAYS
- Cinco de Mayo
- Company Anniversaries
- Earth Day
- Father's Day
- Flag Day
- Fourth of July
- Halloween
- Landmark Birthdays
- Mother's Day
- Saint Patrick's Day
- Thanksgiving
- Valentines Day
- Veterans Day
- Wedding Anniversaries
- Xmas
List every sporting season that will need uniforms and team support items like t-shirt, caps and pennants. Sports teams always wait until the last minute and have trouble organizing sizes, printed images and how team members will pay. You organize it ahead of time, deliver on time and you will get the order now and in years to come.
SPORTS TEAMS
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Bowling
- Cheerleaders
- Double Dutch
- Football
- Gymnastics
- Intramural Teams
- Little League
- School Sports
- Soccer
- Softball
- Volleyball
CLUBS
- Boys Clubs
- Car clubs
- Churches
- Country Clubs
- Kawanis Clubs
- Lions Clubs
- Marching Band
- Motorcycle clubs
- Rotary Clubs
- Sailing Clubs
- School Clubs
- Scouts
- Ski Clubs
BUSINESSES
- Car Dealers
- Cycling Shops
- Fire Depts.
- Freight
- Gift Shops
- Hotels/Motels
- Lawn Maintenance
- Military
- Musical Groups
- Restaurants
- Retailers
- Home Improvement
- Unions
- Utilities
Hand tag every shirt with a business card that guarantees quality. That card will eventually get into the hands of buyers.
Are you in the St. Louis, MO or Atlanta, GA area? We train you how to screen print! Check out our Textile Tech Screen Printing classes today.
