T-Shirt Business Manufacturing T-shirts is big business, and a craft vinyl plotter is one of the key pieces of equipment needed to start your own T-shirt company. A combination printer/cutter is preferable if you plan to make multicolored T-shirt designs. In addition to your craft vinyl and computer, you'll also need a heat press. Once the vinyl design has been cut, a heat press is used to permanently apply the design to the front of T-shirts, jackets or jerseys. Vinyl Lettering Using a printer/ cutter plotter to make custom lettering that can be easily applied to indoor walls, signs, vehicles and more. If you plan to put your craft vinyl machine to such a task, attract customers by offering a variety of fonts and sizes. You can use your vinyl cutter and computer to make individual letters that can be compiled by a customer, or custom-made signs. You'll need to purchase self-adhesive vinyl on which to print your cr...