Cheap Custom T-Shirts may not be so cheap anymore.

We have been preaching the gloom and doom story about custom t-shirt price increases over the past six months. We have been met by resounding resistance to the facts that we have based our information on. We will boldly predict 3 more price increases by the end of the first quarter of 2011.

The custom tee shirt sector is a multi-billion dollar segment of the world economy. In-fact the industry has out-performed many manufacturing sectors for growth and stability over the last decade. The growth we refer to is the actual manufacture of t-shirts, not the printing of custom t-shirts.

With regard to the printed t-shirt market, many of the commercial apparel decorators who seemed poised to go onto bigger things are long gone. They leave behind a trail of lessons in unconstrained growth, bad management and a wavering from the general conservative business philosophies that make for long term success.

Over the years as a custom tee shirt printer I have met many people in this industry who have succumbed to the latest and greatest fads of decorating. I can remember 20 years ago, two very successful New Jersey companies whose factories I frequently visited.

One company, located in Cape May Court House, was a major player in the all-over custom tee shirt business with additional factories in Pennsylvania. I remember visiting these factories and wondering what they would do if the market place dried up for this type of decorating. A single machine cost about $250,000.00 at the time and their building was loaded with gear. The market dried up and this major custom tee shirt maker was out of business. They misread the market.

Tee shirt printers who are not tuned into this current cotton crisis will suffer dramatically. Service is about to become the number one asset that we can offer customers to offset the coming sticker shock. Value is never represented by low price. A sign in our offices says, “ Pick two of the following – Price, Service or Quality. “ Price may not be an option anymore!

09/23/2010
Little Falls, New Jersey 07424