How I'd Start a Shirt Business Today
In 2020 I was on unemployment with a $600 printer my mom bought me for Christmas and a notepad full of orders. Two months in, I was doing $10,000 a month. A few years later, one shirt pulled 5.8 million views and I had weeks as big as $82,000, all from home.
If I had to start over today, this is exactly what I'd do.
1. Test demand before you spend real money
Before I bought anything big, I tested what people actually wanted with Etsy sublimation sheets. Don't buy 200 blanks for an idea. Post the design, see if anyone bites, then print.
2. Pick a niche you actually know
My brand blew up on horror and spooky season because I knew that audience. Generic shirts compete with everyone. A niche gives people a reason to pick you.
3. Sell with video before you build a fancy website
My first big months came from TikTok, not ads. My videos took off because they were funny, not because they were polished. Show the shirt, show your personality, and post every day.
4. Don't sit on inventory
Print as orders come in. Transfers let you keep a stack of designs ready and only press what sells, so your cash isn't stuck in boxes of shirts nobody bought.
5. Color sells on camera
If your shirt looks dull on a phone screen, it won't sell. Bright, saturated prints stop the scroll. That's why I'm obsessed with color.
6. Make it easy to buy again
Your second sale is easier than your first. Drops, restocks and seasonal designs keep people coming back.
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