Start A Print Business in 2025

Starting a t-shirt printing business in 2025 could be a highly profitable venture for several reasons. While many industries are shifting to digital products and services, the custom apparel market (particularly t-shirts) continues to grow. Here’s why 2025 is a great time to jump into the t-shirt printing game:

1. Growing Demand for Personalized & Custom Apparel - As consumers increasingly seek personalized and unique products, custom t-shirts are a go-to. Whether it’s for expressing individuality, supporting causes, or showcasing interests, the demand for unique, customized apparel is strong.
Corporate and Team Orders: Companies, sports teams, schools, and events often require branded t-shirts. By offering bulk order options, you can capture large contracts from corporate clients looking for promotional merchandise or uniforms.

2. Rise of Print-on-Demand (POD) Business Models - Print-on-demand eliminates the need for large upfront investments in inventory. With POD, you only print t-shirts when an order is placed, reducing waste and financial risk.

3. Niche Market Opportunities - The key to success in t-shirt printing is identifying niche markets (e.g., pet lovers, gamers, yoga enthusiasts, or hobbyists) and creating designs that appeal to them. Niche designs reduce competition and improve profit margins.
Creating custom t-shirts for local communities, regional pride, or specific events (e.g., festivals, rallies, or charity runs) can help you tap into smaller, dedicated markets.

4. Recurring Revenue from Corporate Clients & Events - Companies increasingly use branded apparel for marketing, giveaways, and employee engagement. By offering corporate services with a focus on bulk orders, you can secure long-term contracts.

As in-person events like concerts, marathons, conferences, and festivals return, there will be a renewed demand for event-specific t-shirts. Offering fast turnarounds and customization can give you a competitive edge.

5. Scalable and Flexible Business Model - Once your t-shirt printing business is up and running, it can be scaled quickly by adding new designs, expanding to other apparel (hoodies, tote bags, etc.), or partnering with other brands. A t-shirt printing business can be operated from virtually anywhere, especially if you leverage POD or drop-shipping models. This flexibility allows you to manage your business without a physical storefront.

You can meet the need for custom T-shirts and apparel by starting your own printing business. We’ve broken it down for you into actionable and realistic stages for you.

Join Molly and Hagen in the below video for an in-depth guide on everything you need to start your journey to success in the UK and Europe!

During this live session, they broke down the essentials. Including finding your market, locating those first sales, choosing the right heat press equipment, understanding market trends in the apparel industry, and much more. Watch the video in full by clicking the image below.

So what do you need to start a print business in 2025?

Starting a t-shirt business is a great way to launch your own clothing brand and earn extra income from the comfort of your own home.
All you need to do this a Heat Press, some Heat Transfers, and blank garments!

What is a Heat Press?
A heat press is a machine used to print a variety of heat transfers onto substrates like T-shirts, bags, jerseys, and more.

Hotronix® heat presses feature the world’s most innovative technology. Stahls' UK is home to largest UK stock of these Heat Presses.

What are heat transfers?

Heat Transfers are your designs printed in ink onto a carrier that can be applied to any textile/ fabric that can take heat. They are an easy and affordable way to decorate garments and make a profit. Heat transfers are used to get a soft finish, that feels like part of the garment. And to get vibrant colours, neons, and metallic finishes from your designs.
All you have to do is upload your artwork online, we'll manufacture it and ship it out to your door ready for you to apply with a heat press. No weeding required!

Planning & Research

Before you start, it’s important to do some research and planning. It’s tempting to quickly drop money on supplies, get up and running, and learn as you go, but it’s smarter to look around and make decisions about your business with forethought.

Youtube

The Stahls' UK Youtube channel has a video for every heat printing query. From how to get started to how to troubleshoot any issues you might experience.

We'll pop a few videos below to help with getting started but you can find all the rest here

The most cost effecient way to get started.

At Stahls' UK our mission is to help our customers start, run and grow their business as well as providing them with the highest quality materials and machines.

Our latest bundles contain everything you need to start your clothing business, all for a reduced cost. We have bundles ranging from start-up to business, there really is something for everyone no matter which stage you're at.