How to Set Up Your Own Apparel and Novelty Item Business for Free

Do you have an opinion on a hot topic like abortion, Harry Potter, gays in the military, President Bush, gay marriage, Hillary Clinton, or the Sopranos? Well, say it with a t-shirt! Even better, you can get your message out there and get paid for it. Before the digital revolution, printing your own t-shirt designs involved outrageous set up and printing costs.

Thanks to advances in print-on-demand equipment and internet companies like Zazzle.com, you can get your business set up for free in a matter of minutes!

The first stumbling block that people worry about most is: "I'm not an artist. How can I create graphics for my items?" Well, it's a lot simpler than you think. Some ideas can be expressed well enough with words, a good color design, and the right font. For example, one of my products is a tight-fitting baby doll t-shirt that's all black with the words: "If you can read this, you're invading my space." in tiny cursive lettering (see Example A). I just had the text in my head and Zazzle.com supplied the rest. In about ten minutes, I made a fun and sassy t-shirt for ladies who like go out to dance but don't wanted to be attacked by the wolfhounds.