Print on Demand - Jumbled Thoughts
I’ve been putting off selling TShirts and other products for a while now. I was doing research back in 2022. Fresh into a job that payed a bit, but not enough to invest heavily in life.
My road block at the time was the trap of the “perfect product.” One with decent working conditions for all the laborers involved, where I’d have decent margins, and could focus on what I thought I did pretty well - the design and marketing stuff. I believe this to be fairly possible. But it felt like it required a much higher initial investment - one that is hard to make without guarantees.
Print on Demand allows me to:
Not have to hold and monitor inventory (boxes of shirts in my apartment - or a workspace I’d have to rent)
Not ship each product personally (I currently work in shipping - it is something I am looking to do less of.)
Not do that much customer service (I’m great at customer service - it’s a huge time-sink.)
I can afford to do it right now (This website is my main cost currently - the Print On Demand services cost 0$ - charging per sale - and more if I upgrade for better margins down the road.)
I’m aware of how rotten the apparel industry is. There are ways to limit your personal involvement (buying used, repairing & prolonging the use of items purchased, choosing items that will last, and not buying too many of them.) I’d recommend doing all of those. I’ve done many, and will continue to do so.
If you’re looking for newish - heavily discounted - made in America w/ some checks on working conditions clothing:
https://www.depop.com/losangelesapparelsamples/
But I want to sell shirts with my shit on them. I really like graphic T-Shirts. I’ve been wearing meme shirts since my consciousness kicked in, and I can offer lots of them this way. Lots of different designs at prices I can somewhat justify to my broke ass friends. I couldn’t do that if I had to purchase and hold inventory for each new design - that would require a team. A team I could build, but again the money and time thing. I can offer print on demand products with no overhead. I can use the time I’d otherwise spend printing, shipping, and everything else on making more.
Down the road I’d like to offer more personal things. Higher quality products, really ethical cool stuff for those who can afford it. But if I can offer 60-70% of that and focus on having things to offer. Allowing people who want things to have them I’m going to do it.
Everyone deserves better working conditions, it’s something worth fighting for. It’s been on my mind before I got here. It’ll continue to be on my mind after.
I try to value the things I chose to get, even if made in non-ideal conditions (most everything.)
It’s hard being broke and wanting stuff.
I hope you like the stuff. The posters and paper things are likely the best bets for most “ethical.”
Thanks.
Ben
