KENYA · GUIDE 0882 · EDITION 4.7
Custom T-shirt printing in Kenya: Startup Budget and Quotation Checklist
Editorial update: 28 October 2026 · Business planning reference · Review scope
Define what must be funded before the first order
Build a startup quotation schedule for Cotton blanks, Transfer film, Production consumables; separate setup, operating inputs and working cash.
This is a planning reference for custom t-shirt printing. The order below is an invented teaching case. It is not a completed customer job, an operating approval or a prediction of demand or earnings.
The example offer and its boundary
Fictional garment order: print twenty adult cotton T-shirts with one original single-colour 200 × 180 mm front graphic. Size roster: two S, eight M, eight L and two XL. Use a manufacturer-documented heat-transfer film suitable for the actual cotton fabric; purchase one extra same-lot shirt for testing. Scope excludes unlicensed logos, all-over sublimation on ordinary cotton and replacing undisclosed customer-supplied garments under an assumed warranty.
A quotation checklist for this business
| Resource | Exact request to price | Check before accepting the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton blanks | Twenty-one same-fabric shirts including a test piece; sale roster two S/eight M/eight L/two XL. | Inspect stitching and colour lot, verify shrink/care information and obtain exact size measurements. |
| Transfer film | Provisional 2.5 m of 500 mm-wide documented cotton-compatible film in one colour. | Confirm usable cutter width and application sheet; no substituted film is accepted without a new sample. |
| Production consumables | Suitable cutter blade, clean protective sheets, weeding tools and twenty care/packing labels. | Use the machine/material makers’ maintenance and replacement guidance; a dull blade can leave unweedable corners. |
Keep the budget categories separate
- Cotton blanks: Twenty-one same-fabric shirts including a test piece; sale roster two S/eight M/eight L/two XL. Confirm the quantity, landed quote and inspect stitching and colour lot, verify shrink/care information and obtain exact size measurements.
- Transfer film: Provisional 2.5 m of 500 mm-wide documented cotton-compatible film in one colour. Confirm the quantity, landed quote and confirm usable cutter width and application sheet; no substituted film is accepted without a new sample.
- Production consumables: Suitable cutter blade, clean protective sheets, weeding tools and twenty care/packing labels. Confirm the quantity, landed quote and use the machine/material makers’ maintenance and replacement guidance; a dull blade can leave unweedable corners.
- Record equipment acquisition OR an appropriate use allocation, plus the full stock/minimum-order cash requirement; do not count both as the same per-job expense.
- Obtain actual labour, premises, transport, energy/water, rework, payment and ongoing overhead amounts relevant to this activity. Identify deposits, receivables and payment dates separately.
- Resolve the guide-specific evidence gaps listed in section 10. Any activity-specific permission, testing or specialist costs require actual scope and quotations, not an invented allowance.
What the selected teaching bill includes
| Selected line | Example quantity | Assumed rate | Selected cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-shirt blanks including sample | 21 | KSh 450.00 | KSh 9,450.00 |
| 500 mm transfer film metres | 2.5 | KSh 900.00 | KSh 2,250.00 |
| Care labels and sleeves | 20 | KSh 30.00 | KSh 600.00 |
| Cutting, weeding and pressing hours | 8 | KSh 350.00 | KSh 2,800.00 |
| Artwork preparation hours | 2 | KSh 400.00 | KSh 800.00 |
These selected lines total KSh 15,900.00. They are a fictional operating example, not the full cash needed to start custom t-shirt printing. Batch cost = KSh 15900; allocated cost per sale unit = KSh 795.00; assumed revenue = 20 × KSh 1050 = KSh 21000; pre-tax scenario surplus = KSh 5100. Twenty accepted garments are sale units. Film quantity is based on the stated draft nesting, not a guaranteed yield. Rates are fictional; obtain exact fabric/film quotes and add machine wear, power, tax, delivery and any test spoilage. A complicated graphic with many small islands needs a timed weeding trial before accepting the same labour allowance.
Close the budget before spending
For each actual quotation, record the delivered quantity, specification, cash due date, hire/purchase option and quote expiry. Keep an unknown cost blank. Reusable equipment purchase, an appropriate use allocation and refundable deposits are different records; do not count the same item twice.
- The selected film, cutter/press setup, sample care result and actual garment dimensions are unverified.
- No observed Kenyan film or shirt price is included.
References and their limits
STAHLS: Avoid Dye Migration in Sublimated Garments
Manufacturer discussion of polyester decoration defects; obtain the actual transfer application sheet. Reference check recorded 2026-10-26.
Sawgrass: Sublimation Heat Press Settings
Manufacturer process-reference route; the actual blank/ink/press instructions and test sample govern the job. Reference check recorded 2026-10-26.
Recorded references support only the scope stated beside them. They do not prove current supplier stock, a local quotation, actual buyer demand, operator competence or the feasibility of this particular business. Later editorial changes do not refresh earlier source-check dates.
Prepared by Business Starter Guides using AI-assisted drafting and desk editorial checks. Independent operator trials and specialist certification are not claimed. See the editorial method for the review scope.
Editorial method and evidence limits