Do I need special software to design custom t shirts?

No, you do not need to buy expensive software. Free tools cover almost everything a new shirt maker needs, from basic text to full vector art for cutting machines.

• Canva handles text layouts and basic graphics with no learning curve.
• Inkscape (free) creates vector designs that scale to any size without going blurry.
• Design Space (Cricut) and Silhouette Studio ship with those cutters and include basic design tools.

Save flat art as a PNG with a transparent background, and save cut files as SVG so your cutting machine can read the paths cleanly.