How To Start A T-Shirt Printing Business Philippines

How To Start A T-Shirt Printing Business Philippines: Starting a T-shirt printing business in the Philippines can be an excellent idea. However, just like every type of small business, certain ingredients are needed to build a successful T-Shirt printing business in the Philippines. Profitability, costs, customer demand, and the current market are important factors.

Therefore today, we will be diving into a full guide on how to start a T-shirt printing business in the Philippines by exploring; buying a printing machine, the cost to start a printing business in the Philippines, and finally asking the ultimate question of is a T-shirt printing business profitable in the Philippines.

Table of Contents

How To Start A T-Shirt Printing Business Philippines

1. Research The T-Shirt, Clothing, And Fashion Markets

One of the essential elements for creating a successful T-shirt printing business in the Philippines is market research. The fashion industry is huge, and there are several niches within the fashion industry. Most brands focus on their targeted customers, but market research is essential before deciding who your target customers are.

You may wish to investigate a few key elements when starting a small T-Shirt printing business in the Philippines.

Global Events That Can Impact Material Costs
Industry Changes
Local And National Laws

Opportunities Within The Market
Pricing Wars And Pricing Competition
Supply And Demand In Domestic Markets

Naturally, there may be more or fewer areas to investigate depending on the direction of your T-shirt printing business. However, the reality is many business owners do not do this important step. Therefore if you research and take the time to understand the current market, you will already be one step ahead of the competition. This advantage is crucial in the fashion industry in the Philippines.

2. Decide On Your Niche And USP

Later on, we will be speaking about is a T-shirt printing business profitable in the Philippines. But one area that may impact the profitability of your business is your niche. As we now know, the fashion industry is huge. Therefore focusing on a specific niche is often a good idea to start a small printing business in the Philippines.

a USP (unique selling point) is slightly different from a niche but equally important. This is something different about your printing business than your competition. However, even the smallest niches have competition; creating something desirable and innovative is an important stage for a successful T-shirt printing business in the Philippines.

During your research, it is likely that you will come across many opportunities and important statistics. This research can help you create your unique selling point and guide you in choosing the best niche for a T-shirt printing business in the Philippines.

3. Create A Financial, Business, And Strategy Plan

Is creating a business plan necessary if you start a new T-shirt printing business in the Philippines? Absolutely. But how can you find or build a business plan, and what areas need to be focused on?

Recently we explored how you can create your business plan for a small business in the Philippines. Additionally, we have financial, business, and marketing templates that can be downloaded for free by clicking the link above.

The previous two stages can help entrepreneurs create a robust business plan for a T-shirt printing business in the Philippines. However, this is nothing to stress about. Changes can be made, and adaptions of business operations are common in the early days. But it’s always essential to have some plan and strategy when opening a small business, such as T-shirt printing in the Philippines.

4. Find Machines, Tools, Resources, And Fabrics.

The fourth stage is one of the most challenging for entrepreneurs starting a small business in this industry. There is a great deal of information regarding printing machines, equipment needed, different types of fabrics, and other essential resources.

Naturally, as this business has evolved, there are several different T-shirt business methods. Some require machinery that can be expensive but saves plenty of time. Others are more traditional, but the printing time is much longer. Therefore you may wish to decide which option is best for you and your business goals.

You may wish to start with a good tool for beginners, the heat press. However, you may wish to expand into other printing options, such as direct to garment printing (DGP), when your business has grown. Still, the material is another key ingredient in creating a successful T-shirt printing business in the Philippines.

In the Philippines, we have several options. We can obtain T-shirts in lower quantities (5,10,15) domestically. Alternatively, we can order in bulk (50,100,1000). Alibaba is the best option to find wholesalers globally. You will be able to find several suppliers outside of the Philippines that can provide all resources needed to start a T-shirt printing business.

This stage can take a considerable amount of time. Additionally, costs are an important factor. Therefore, it’s a great idea to spend time on this stage before making any financial decisions.

5. Create Small Samples Of Tshirt Designs

This is the fun stage for those creative entrepreneurs. Creating small samples is a recommended step, but it’s not mandatory. In the early days of starting a T-shirt printing business in the Philippines, you will likely need to test the market several times. As the old saying goes… it’s best not to put all your eggs in one basket.

You may find that some designs work with one type of customer but not with the other. Therefore, to avoid wasted resources, it is best to start creating small samples and then slowly build your inventory as you grow.

It’s important at this stage to get feedback on your T-shirt designs; you may find that some designs are more popular and take less time to create than others. This is also an important factor to consider when looking at one of the biggest questions: Is T-shirt printing profitable in the Philippines.

6. Build Positive Social Proofing

Social proofing is one of the most important psychological influencing factors if you plan to sell your T-shirts online in the Philippines. As buyers, we like to see reviews and testimonies on products. These reviews greatly influence our decisions, which is why corporations globally have spent billions of pesos building their social proof.

Working with influencers, gaining feedback, and customers’ stories are all forms of social proofing. Have you ever looked at a restaurant on Google Maps and decided not to visit it because of the poor reviews? Creating a strategy to build social proofing is wise for online sellers.

Creating competitions, giveaways, and asking friends and family is a great way to get initial feedback. But if you are to build social proofing… the customer must always come first. This includes using suitable materials for the clothing, providing fast delivery, and offering customer support.

7. Start Selling Your T-Shirt Products In The Philippines

Before looking at how much it costs to start a printing business in the Philippines, one area, you may wish to consider is… where you will be selling. This is because the WHERE can affect your cost price and overall profitability. For example, Lazada has a fantastic platform where you can sell T-shirts in the Philippines.

However, Lazada is a cheap platform where customers can find bargains and promotions. Additionally, Lazada also takes a cut. All these areas will impact your profitability, so careful consideration should be made when deciding where to sell your T-shirts in the Philippines.

I started selling Green Tea many years ago, but I had to think differently as a new business owner with little money. So, I teamed up with influencers and affiliate marketers. Unfortunately, due to other commitments, I decided to stop the business. However, in the early days, using influential affiliate marketers allowed me to sell large amounts of tea without any marketing costs.

8. Monitor, Change And Grow Your T-Shirt Business

The final stage on how to start a T-shirt printing business in the Philippines is monitoring, changing, and growing the business. When starting a T-shirt business at home or in an office, there will likely be many things you wish to change. Perhaps introducing new products, changing business operations, or expanding to a larger location.

These decisions are the foundations of your business. The reality is in the business world; success is thousands of small things done right. But, of course, there will be hurdles, decisions, and setbacks along the way. But this is all part of the process of creating a successful T-shirt printing business in the Philippines. Now let’s look at some other questions about starting a T-shirt printing business.

How To Start A Printing Business At Home In The Philippines

In the scenario of starting a printing business in the Philippines at home, the entrepreneur will likely sell online, and business operations are conducted at home. This is a great option if you want to save costs when starting a printing business. The above steps apply in this scenario. However, there is some additional information.

It is a good idea to create an environment for your business. This includes some spare space in your house that you can devote to growing your printing business. You may find that as you grow, your house becomes more full, and therefore, a plan and strategy to grow into a small office or warehouse might be a good decision.

It is also a great idea to work with the local community in your area. You can sponsor events using your business name or tell the neighborhood you have started selling. Many successful entrepreneurs have grown businesses from their homes which shows us that it’s entirely possible to start a printing business at home in the Philippines and be successful.

Where To Buy A T-Shirt Printing Machine For Small Business Philippines

From experience and research, two of the best places to buy T-shirt printing machines in the Philippines are Alibaba & AliExpress. Even though these two websites are based in China, machine suppliers and sellers operate globally. Prices can range depending on the type, size, and quality.

Lazada is also another option if you are looking for a T-shirt printing machine in the Philippines. Here are a few of our favorite T-shirt printing machines.

Quaff Heat Press Machine A4 15×15 Green

When starting a printing business in the Philippines, it is often best to start small. Some T-shirt printing machinery can cost a lot of money. Therefore you may wish to postpone purchasing high-quality machinery until you have grown the business and seen indicators for financial success.

How Much Does It Cost To Start A Printing Business In The Philippines

The total price to start a printing business at home will depend on several factors: machinery, equipment, materials/fabrics, registration fees, website fees, etc.

Nevertheless, considering all areas, the total cost to start a printing business is between 50,000 Pesos to 150,000 Pesos. The total price needed will heavily depend on the scale of the business and the type of products (Tshirts, Hats, cars, etc.).

Today we are focusing on how to start a T-shirt printing business in the Philippines, so you may be wondering whether you need as much as 50,000 pesos to get started. Purchasing a hard press machine, clothing, and other tools can be done for slightly less than 50K, but this will be fairly challenging. The more the business grows, the higher the cost will be, and this is why starting small is key.

For example, in the early stages, you may be able to start a T-shirt printing business in the Philippines for a very low amount, such as 30,000 Pesos. However, once you register the business, create your website and market your products, the total cost will likely be much more. If you are starting a large-scale operation, prices can be anywhere between 300,000 Pesos or more.

Is T-Shirt Printing Profitable In The Philippines

A T-shirt printing business can be profitable in the Philippines if certain conditions are met. High demand for the stock is key. This is why many entrepreneurs spend a great deal of time building their brand. Branding can be incredibly profitable.

Many businesses in the Philippines can take months and even years to become profitable. This is completely natural and is common all across the world. For example, in the United Kingdom, a recent study stated that, on average, it took businesses two years before they finally became profitable. Nevertheless, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s often recommended that T-shirt business owners focus on doing the numbers. Some important questions to ask are how many units do you need to sell to break even, how many T-shirts do you need to sell in the next 12 months to reach the target, and finally, how many units sold will it take for the business to become profitable.