Print, Press, Profit: What No One Tells You About Starting a Custom Print Business

Jan 9, 2026

Print. Press. Profit.
Sounds easy, right?

Before you invest in a DTG or DTF printer and start counting future sales, it’s worth slowing down and asking yourself a few hard questions, and answering them honestly. A successful custom print business is built on far more than cool designs and social media hype.

Let’s break it down.

How Much Does It Really Cost to Start?

Starting a custom print business isn’t just the price of a printer.

You’ll need to consider:

The printer itself (DTG, DTF, dye-sub, UV — or a combination)
Inks, film, powder, pretreatment, paper and blanks (t-shirts and merch)
Heat presses or finishing equipment
Cleaning and maintenance supplies
Power, ventilation and space setup
Ongoing consumables and replacement parts

Upfront costs matter, but cash flow matters more. Many businesses struggle not because they chose the wrong printer, but because they underestimated running costs.

Loan or Cash? Know Your Financial Position

Can you access finance, or are you paying upfront, or starting small and scale?

Financing can help you start sooner, but it also means repayments, regardless of how many tees you sell that month. Paying upfront reduces pressure but requires more capital.

Neither option is “right” or “wrong”, but you must understand what your business can realistically support.

Who Are You Actually Selling To?

“Everyone” is not a target market.

Are you selling to:

Sports clubs?
Schools?
Local businesses?
Events and merch brands?
Online customers?
Influencers or creators?

Each market has different expectations around pricing, turnaround times, quality and consistency. Knowing who you’re selling to directly affects what equipment you need.

How Many Tees Do You Need to Sell Each Week?

This is one of the most important questions, and one most people skip.

Ask yourself:

What is your average profit per tee?
How many tees cover your weekly costs?
How many cover your repayments, rent and wages?
How many leave you with actual profit?

Thinking in production output and revenue, not just machine price, changes everything.

Do You Understand Design, Or Can You Pay Someone Who Does?

Custom printing lives and dies by artwork quality.

You should understand (or budget for someone who does):

CMYK vs sRGB vs Adobe RGB 1998
Colour gamut and colour accuracy
Print resolution vs screen resolution
Vector vs raster artwork
File preparation for DTG and DTF printing

If you don’t have these skills, a graphic designer isn’t a luxury, they’re a necessity. Bad artwork leads to reprints, unhappy customers and wasted ink.

Can You Print Images from the Internet or AI?

Short answer: no.

Long answer: copyright infringement is real, and “I found it online” isn’t a defence.

You need to understand:

What copyright infringement actually is
Why not everything online is free to use
The risks of printing unlicensed designs
How AI-generated content fits into commercial use

Getting this wrong can cost you far more than a printer ever will.

Are You Meticulous with Cleaning and Maintenance?

Printers reward consistency and punish neglect.

Regular maintenance:

Extends printhead life
Maintains colour accuracy
Prevents downtime
Protects your investment

If daily checks, nozzle tests and cleaning routines sound tedious, this might not be the business you think it is.

Where Will You Print?

Environment matters more than people realise.

You need to consider:

Temperature stability
Humidity control
Clean, dust-free space
Power supply and ventilation

A printer placed in the wrong environment will never perform at its best, no matter how good the machine is.

Have You Tested This as a Side Hustle?

Before going all-in, ask yourself:

Have you validated demand?
Have you sold real orders?
Do people come back?
Can you handle deadlines and pressure?

Starting small often reveals problems early, before they become expensive mistakes.

Choosing the Right Dealer Matters More Than You Think

The printer is only part of the equation.
The dealer you choose affects:

Setup and installation
Training and support
Ongoing advice
Access to consumables
Help when things go wrong (and they will)

A cheap deal without support usually ends up being the most expensive option.

Do You Have the People Skills to Keep Customers?

Printing is technical. Customers are emotional.

You’ll need:

Clear communication
Realistic timelines
Problem-solving skills
The ability to say no when needed

Keeping customers is often harder than winning them, but it’s where long-term profit lives.

Final Thought

Starting a custom print business is more than just printing cool tees.
It’s planning, discipline, learning and commitment.

If you’ve asked these questions and still feel confident, that’s a good sign.

When you’re ready and have a solid concept in mind, speak with Machines Plus.
We don’t just sell printers, we help businesses grow, because we grow when our customers do.