I have been doing graphics for over 10 years.  There are alot of basic graphic programs that do nice work such as Gimp (Free Online &  Corel Draw.  I then did months of research.  Ok.... I will get straight to the point so you will not have to research waste the time I did.  Get you a Epson 1400 Printer ($300-$400) which allows you to print big sizes such as 11x17's.  This printer is nice plus it print on DVDs!  Ok back on the topic lol!  Get you a CIS (Continous Ink System) which will allow you to save loads of cash on ink.  You can order the all these devices on Amazon.com they have nice prices!  Just search the product names.  Order you a 15x15 heat press or bigger they can run you from $300 up to $1,000s.  Order some heat transfers sample and from there once all of your equipment come....  Google "Heat Transfers" search around for a few companies that send out free sample packets, fill out the deliver info. so they can mail the samples to you at no charge to you.  You will then be able to learn from trial and error.  Really You Tube can teach you how to do it all.  I am steady upgrade my services for customers and getting new machine. Go on You Tube and search "Print Transfers" you will see enough tutorials there to get it all down pack.  I have a tshirt business I started in May of this year.  I am now loaded with business I had to make returns to customers and an temporary close because I need to reorganize my business more due to being a one man business.  I didn't expect the love I am receiving.  This is a nice business I love it all!  To see my work you guys can just Google "Sold Out Creations" you will see my sites all over da place!

I hope you get an answer, because I would like to know too.  I'd also like to know information on T-shirt wholesalers and fabric selection.   However , I think this might be the wrong place for us to get these answers.  When you think of the U.S. Government link to business answers and solutions - I think you're going to find more questions dealing with finances, taxes and the legalities and laws associated with setting up, growing and managing a business.  Which will probaly be the same regardless of whether we're selling T-shirts, dog collars or business advice.   Good luck to you!

I sold t-shirts online for a few years so I'm glad I stumbled in here. A few things you'll need to sell t-shirts online are a website with shopping cart, a heat press, a method to print the transfers for the shirts such as a dye-sublimation printer, the transfers and a nearby t-shirt wholesaler.

Lots of input from the community! Sandralewis, did you find these suggestions helpful? Please keep posted on your progress!

here is a resource that may help, he has a t-shirt press machine on the video, it seems like an inexpensive way to get started: http://www.tshirtriches.com/ Carl Message Edited by BobK on 04-15-2009 02:08 PM Message Edited by NicoleD on 11-14-2009 02:14 PM

Along these same lines (I, too, am starting my own business), how would I be able to order t-shirts with movie quotes and / or references? Is that a hard process to go through in order to be able to do that?

Contact local uniform companies. They have invested and purchase all the machines, you can order from them wholesale and sell retail. My friend owned a dance studios and she purchased her t-shirts for about $7 a piece and sold them for $15 to her students. That's pretty good considering the uniform company did all the work.

I would suggest you try SCORE (score.org). Search for a counselor that has a lot of experience in the t-shirt and retail business. This way you can get one-on-one advice for all the questions you will have. SCORE is free. Regarding doing it at home or as an affiliate - it is really up to you and what you want to spend your energy on. Affiliate programs can be great - you don't really create the t-shirts - but market them to potential customers - which can be cheaper. Or, do it yourself - if you are more interested in actually creating the shirt and designs. Both can be very rewarding - both offer different benefits and require different resources. May want to try one then expand into the other.

With dye sub printing you can start your own home business and the quality is on par with screenprinting. There is more profit in this than buying and reselling someone else's t-shirts.   This is also a longer road as you have to brand your product and market like there is no tomorrow and its a very competitive field.