A heat press business has one of the lower barriers to entry in the custom apparel world. You don't need a massive investment or a commercial facility to get started. What you do need is the right equipment, a reliable supply chain, and — from day one — a system for keeping track of your inventory.
Here's what it actually takes to get a heat press operation off the ground.
The Equipment You Need
The Heat Press
Your press is the centerpiece of the whole operation. For beginners, a quality clamshell or swing-away press in the 15x15" size is the standard starting point. It handles the most common garment sizes and gives you room to grow. Expect to spend $200–$600 for a reliable entry-level press. Don't cheap out here — inconsistent temperature and pressure are the root of most print quality problems.
A Heat-Resistant Work Surface
You need a solid, flat, heat-resistant surface to press on. A dedicated pressing table or a sturdy folding table with a silicone mat works well. Avoid anything that can warp under sustained heat.
Supplies
Stock up on Teflon sheets or parchment paper for protecting transfers during pressing, and keep a heat gun or infrared thermometer handy to verify your actual platen temperature. These are small costs that prevent big mistakes.
Sourcing Your Blanks
Blank garments are the foundation of every order. The most common suppliers for heat press businesses are wholesale distributors like S&S Activewear, SanMar, and Alpha Broder. You typically need a business account to order, but setup is usually free and straightforward.
Start with a core lineup rather than stocking everything. A reliable 100% cotton tee in a range of colors, a 50/50 blend, and a basic hoodie covers most orders. Add styles as demand requires.
Sourcing Your Transfers
Unless you're printing your own transfers, you'll be ordering from a transfer supplier. There are plenty of reputable DTF and plastisol transfer suppliers that handle small quantities — no minimum order requirements and fast turnaround. Search for DTF transfer suppliers or plastisol gang sheet printers and compare pricing, turnaround, and quality for your specific designs.
As you scale, you'll likely consolidate to one or two suppliers you trust and start ordering in larger quantities to bring your per-unit cost down.
Setting Up Your Sales Channels
Where you sell depends on your model. Common starting points for heat press businesses include:
- Etsy — great for custom orders and reaching buyers already looking for printed apparel
- Instagram & Facebook — direct to local customers, events, and community groups
- Local markets and events — high-margin, cash sales with immediate feedback
- Direct referrals — word of mouth from your first few satisfied customers
You don't need all of these at once. Pick one or two channels and do them well before expanding.
Build Your Inventory System From Day One
This is the part most new pressers skip until it becomes a problem. When you're pressing 10 shirts a week it feels like you can keep track in your head. At 50 shirts a week you can't. At 100 you're losing money from disorganization.
The smart move is to build good inventory habits from the start — before the volume forces you to. That means:
- Logging every blank you receive into your inventory system
- Tracking transfers by design and type separately
- Recording completed press runs so you know what's ready to sell
- Setting low stock thresholds so you reorder before you run out
The time you invest in tracking early pays back every time you don't run out of a key blank mid-order or oversell something you don't have in stock.
Your Startup Checklist
- Heat press (15x15" clamshell or swing-away recommended)
- Heat-resistant work surface and pressing mat
- Teflon sheets or parchment paper
- Infrared thermometer to verify platen temperature
- Core blank garment lineup (tee, hoodie, blend)
- Transfer supplier identified and first order placed
- Sales channel set up (Etsy, Instagram, local)
- Inventory tracking system in place before first order ships