How to Start a Screen Printing Business: Equipment, Costs and Customers
How to start a screen printing or silk screen printing business
In this article
To start a screen printing business, learn the process, buy a press, screens, an exposure unit, a flash or conveyor dryer and inks, set up a ventilated workspace, register the business, set pricing by quantity and colours, and sell to local businesses, schools, teams, bands and brands. A small manual setup costs about $3,000 to $15,000; a full shop is $25,000 to $100,000+.
What you need
| Item | Rough cost |
|---|---|
| Manual press (4–6 colour) | $500 – $5,000 |
| Screens and frames | $200 – $1,000 |
| Exposure unit | $300 – $3,000 |
| Flash dryer | $300 – $1,500 |
| Conveyor dryer | $2,000 – $10,000 |
| Washout booth and pressure washer | $500 – $2,000 |
| Inks (plastisol, water-based) | $300 – $1,000 |
| Emulsion, squeegees, tape, chemicals | $200 – $500 |
| Film printer or film | $200 – $1,500 |
| Automatic press (later) | $15,000 – $80,000+ |
Step 1: Learn the process
- Prepare artwork and separate colours
- Print films
- Coat screens with emulsion and expose them
- Register screens on the press
- Print, flash and cure
- Reclaim screens
Practise on cheap shirts before taking orders.
Step 2: Workspace
A garage or small unit with water, drainage for washout, ventilation and power for dryers. Check zoning if working from home.
Step 3: Register and insure
Business licence, sales tax permit and liability insurance.
Step 4: Pricing
Price per piece based on quantity, number of colours and print locations, plus screen set-up fees for small orders. See How much does screen printing cost?.
Step 5: Start lean
You can start as a broker, outsourcing printing to a contract printer while you build customers, then bring printing in-house.
Step 6: Get customers
Local businesses, schools, sports teams, churches, events, bands and clothing brands. Marketing tips: How to market a screen printing business.
Related: How to start a t-shirt business, How to start a small embroidery business and How to get into screen printing.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a screen printing business?
Learn the process, buy equipment, set up a ventilated workspace, register and sell to local groups and businesses.
What do I need to start a screen printing business?
A press, screens, exposure unit, dryer, inks, washout area and supplies.
How much does it cost to start screen printing?
About $3,000 to $15,000 for a small manual setup.
Can I screen print from home?
Yes, with ventilation, water access and allowed zoning.
Is screen printing profitable?
Yes, especially on bulk orders.
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Start a conversationWritten by Sachin Rawat
AI & automation engineer · websites, apps and motion design
I build AI agents, automations, websites, apps and motion design for businesses. These guides answer the questions people actually search, written from hands-on experience building them.
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