.st0{fill:#FFFFFF;}

What is a T-shirt Heat Press and How Do You Print T-shirts With Them? 

By  Cartess Ross

If you’ve never seen a t-shirt heat press in action, then you’re in for a real treat… Watch the video below to see how you can effortlessly print t-shirt after t-shirt with a t shirt press machine, blank t-shirts and custom screen printed heat transfers.

As you can see, no messy inks and hazardous fumes being inhaled into your lungs. The t-shirt heat press machine I’m using will allow you to get the same quality print as you would from a screen printer…

Click the Play Button Below to Start Video…

If you’re buying a new heat press, expect to pay anywhere from$750 – $1,800. BUT… if you’re strapped for cash and you’re just trying to get started, I’d recommend you buy used. You can find these on Craigslist.com for about $300 – $500.00. If you look hard enough, you might get lucky and find one for about $200 bucks!

We also carry a Gecko brand heat press machine that is cheaper and works well to get you started… Start here, then upgrade if you feel the need too. I’ve used these machines quite successfully and quite frankly, you can apply the savings towards getting your t-shirt designs made and put onto transfers.

If you’re serious about getting off to a successful start in the t-shirt business, check out our t-shirt business course by clicking here!

Cartess Ross


I will guide you through this process and provide you with proven strategies to help you build a t-shirt company. As one of the original pioneers to start selling t-shirts online 20 years ago, I've sold millions of dollars in t shirts to people all over the world. I founded TshirtRiches in 2007 to teach others how to turn their t-shirt ideas into a business. So if you're ready, hop onboard and let's make this money!

Cartess Ross

  • what is name of this machine??????

  • Amz_boy23 says:

    what kind of trasfer paper you use>?

  • Sultannns says:

    Do you have a service in which your team can actually build a website in regards to selling T-shirts. The only thing i know to get started is that i need to  create a domain name and that’s about it.

  • Hello Carter.  I really loved your website and I’m learning a lot from it.  You’re such a good man sharing all your knowledge regarding this business.

    I have one question for you.  Does Gecko Heat Press will do a similar job as your Hotronix Heat Press? If I purchase Gecko Heat Press, can I use that to start my home based business?  Hoping to hear from you.  Thanks! armirose

  • Absolutely. It’s a great machine to get you going immediately. Check out craigslist first. You could likely find a GREAT deal for cheaper. There’s nothing wrong with buying a used machine. My first machine was purchased used and I used it for several years.

  • Not sure I understand your question about ‘pro spray’? Yes — any shirt that’s 100% cotton or blended with cotton/polyester (50/50) will work fine.

  • DavidET1000 says:

    Hello Cartess. Good tutorial but about the design paper, how can I make the design and how can I mass produce the same design for example, if I want to make 500 shirts with the same design?

    • If you’re not already familiar with graphic design software, you’ll need to hire a freelance designer (we cover this in detail in our online course and point you to affordable designers).

      The designers will take your ideas and bring them to life –you’ll then take that artwork and send it to vendors who specialize in custom screen printed transfers – at which time you can order your 500 quantity and print from home with your heat press.

      Let me know if u have additional questions!

  • Any color printer will do as far as printing the design.
    If you are not familiar with the process of creating designs to print. I would suggest hiring a graphic artists.

  • Hello Cartess,
    Once I’m done hot pressing my t-shirt, there is this “visible square leftover from the transfer paper” around my design.
    Is there any way I can get rid of it?
    Is it the transfer paper that I’m using, where am I going wrong with this?
    Thank you very much!

  • In which t-shirt materials can we transfer heat

  • hi carter just want to know. What is the effective of this business and its efficient?

    • All the information we have provided on our website is extremely beneficial and extremely effective. The question is….Are you willing to apply the information that’s been giving to you on silver platter towards starting your business? We’ve had many individuals to take the FREE information on the site, apply it to their new tshirt business and are quite successful businesses.

  • Beck Lievenbruck says:

    Hi, would I be able to heat press the screen printed transfers onto 100% polyester and other materials that burn easy.

    • HI Beck,

      We recommend 50-50, or 100% cotton shirts. Unless, you plan to offer sublimation printing. Sublimation printing allows you to print on non-cotton items.

  • Mikhaela Frazier says:

    So there is no way possible to just some how print on transfer paper from home? How do I find people who will print on transfer paper?

  • I see that you have to buy the transfer paper. Can I use my own printer or do I have to buy another printer using special ink?

    Thank you for your website. It’s an amazing help!

    • Hi Wayne,

      we highly recommend screen printed transfers. Printing from a printer will not provide you the same results as screen printed designs and will not last as longer. The transfers we have are better than the transfer paper sold in stores. Again, this method can not replace or compare to screen printed transfers.

      We have a source list available for purchase. The source list includes various companies to purchase custom, and pre-made transfers from a list of transfer vendors as well as vendors to purchase blank shirts.

      The price for custom transfers will be determined by the amount of colors you have in your design. If you are on a tight budget then I would recommend no more than 2 colors in the design. The more colors in the design the more it will cost to have the designs screen printed onto the release paper.

      If you would, please click the link below to purchase the source list.
      https://www.tshirtriches.com/where-to-get-custom-t-shirt-transfers/

      We recommend the Epson WF-70-10 printer.
      If you wish to print your own designs from your printer…please click the link below.

      https://www.tshirtriches.com/buy-transfer-paper/
      We do not recommend using the inks that come with the printer.

      https://www.tshirtriches.com/?s=Tim+braun

      • OK. So I send in my designs to a vendor and they print it on the transfer paper and send it back to me. Is that correct? If I buy the Epson you are talking about, what kind of inks would I need to buy?

        Sorry if my questions seem a little dense. You have a lot of information on your site and I’m trying to cut through to exactly what I need to make a good plan.

        Thank you.

        • Hi Wayne,

          We realize there’s a lot of information on our website. 🙂 However, every single piece of information is extremely important and essential to starting a successful tshirt business. Everything you need to know is listed on the website. we highly recommend screen printed transfers. Printing from a printer will not provide you the same results as screen printed designs and will not last as longer. The transfers we have are better than the transfer paper sold in stores. Again, this method can not replace or compare to screen printed transfers.

          We have a source list available for purchase. The source list includes various companies to purchase custom, and pre-made transfers from a list of transfer vendors as well as vendors to purchase blank shirts.

          The price for custom transfers will be determined by the amount of colors you have in your design. If you are on a tight budget then I would recommend no more than 2 colors in the design. The more colors in the design the more it will cost to have the designs screen printed onto the release paper.

          If you would, please click the link below to purchase the source list.
          https://www.tshirtriches.com/where-to-get-custom-t-shirt-transfers/

          We recommend the Epson WF-70-10 printer.
          If you wish to print your own designs from your printer…please click the link below.

          https://www.tshirtriches.com/buy-transfer-paper/
          We do not recommend using the inks that come with the printer.

          https://www.tshirtriches.com/?s=Tim+braun

  • Hi, I was just wondering if normal printer ink was sufficent for heat pressing and what kind of materials could I use, is cotton and polyester the only thing you can use?

    • We recommend materials that are 50-50 or 100% cotton if you’re printing on shirts only.

      We recommend screen printed transfers. We do not recommend printing from a printer just for the sake of quality. You want to be in business selling products that will allow people to buy from you over and over again; as well as refer others to you. Sadly, printing from a printer will not allow you to do so.

      Once you have your designs created; you can send the digital files of the designs to transfer companies. They can take your design and screen printed directly onto the special release paper. There are no printers involved in this process. All the designs are printed by screen printing equipment. Once the designs have been screen printed onto the special release paper instead of directly on shirts. They’ll send you the transfers; which you’ll press directly onto the shirts using the heat press machine you’ve purchased.

      The cost of having designs printed will vary; it depends on the amount of colors you have in the design. The more colors you have in the design the more it will cost. If you’re starting with a limited budget; we recommend no more than 2 colors.
      Another fact in cost of getting the designs screen printed will be determined by the amount of transfers you have printed. The less you have printed the more you’ll pay. The more you have printed the cost to have the transfers printed, cost drops.

      We have a source list available for purchase. The source list includes various companies to purchase custom, and pre-made transfers from a list of transfer vendors as well as vendors to purchase blank shirts.

      The price for custom transfers will be determined by the amount of colors you have in your design. If you are on a tight budget then I would recommend no more than 2 colors in the design. The more colors in the design the more it will cost to have the designs screen printed onto the release paper.

      If you would, please click the link below to purchase the source list.
      https://www.tshirtriches.com/where-to-get-custom-t-shirt-transfers/

      Or you can locate a local screen printer in your area to screen printed directly onto blank shirts you supply the screen printer to print on. It’s actually cheaper to purchase your own shirts and give to the screen printer. The price once again will be determined by the amount of colors in the design and how many shirts you have printed. You’ll need to locate a local screen printer in your area to determine prices.

      We have created a training course that will walk you through the entire process from beginning to end. We’ve done all the hard work for you. All you have to do is take advantage of the blueprint we’ll provide, learn the material and apply it towards your business. This isn’t an easy task, this isn’t some get rich quick scam and it will require a lot of hard work if you expect to receive any type of results. Honestly, your results depend on you.

      Please click the link to check out the program we have created along with the pricing information.
      http://tshirtriches.com/protege300

      http://tshirtriches.com/training

  • Giselle Hicks says:

    I need instructions on how to use my T-shirt Heat Press machine…It has ink to go with it and I am unsure how to use the ink to make shirts

    • Cartess Ross says:

      We don’t fool with inks to press shirts. Contact the company you purchased the inks from.

  • {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
    >