Custom silk-screened t-shirts are commonly sold on the Internet.
Silk screening is a hobby that can turn into a flourishing business. Entrepreneur.com reports that the start-up cost for a silk-screening business is under $2,000. Silk screening can be done at home since it doesn’t require complex equipment or large spaces. Silk screening can be used to design shirts, bags and other novelty items.
T-shirts
T-shirts are a commonly silk-screened garment. A hobbyist can show off his own designs by wearing silk screened t-shirts, and a business owner can profit from selling t-shirts with designs that reflect her business.
Choose a plain shirt of good quality. That is, the fabric should not be too thin. Otherwise, the print may bleed to the other side of the shirt, or it may not absorb the ink properly. You can opt to buy a ready-made silk screen or make your own.
Mouse Pads
Create mouse pads by silk screening the fabric. Purchase blank mouse pads and decorate them with different designs and colors. If you want to sell silk-screened mouse pads, ask your target clients what designs they want to see. You can also take design requests, though this may be more expensive than mass producing a single design. This is because for every design, you need to create a different silk screen pattern, or at the very least, you will need different colors. Using a single pattern with a single batch of colors is more cost-effective.
Tote Bags
In a similar way to printing t-shirts, you can use a silk screen to print on tote bags. Canvas can easily absorb paint and is versatile in terms of shape, size and color. If you intend to sell silk-screened tote bags, look for a bag supplier with high-quality and durable bags.
Think of a niche market for your prints. For example, you can create tote bags with eco-friendly themes. To attract more buyers, print limited numbers of each kind of pattern or design. Although this can be expensive in terms of upfront cost, you can raise the selling price since these items are "limited edition."
