Common T-SHIRT PRINTING METHODS

1. Common T-SHIRT PRINTING METHODS

2. Index • T SHIRT PRINTING METHODS • Screen printing • Screen printing PROS and CONS • DTG Printing • DTG Printing PROS and CONS • Sublimation Printing • Sublimation Printing PROS and CONS

3. If you're starting your own custom printing business or only starting to sell custom t-shirts, you need to know the difference between the various methods / techniques of t-shirt printing. • Some printing techniques are best suited for particular fabrics and at the same time, depending on the volume of the work, a certain printing technique may be better suited for a job. • In addition, the printing process that you end up using would also be affected by how many colours you intend to print in the template. • Choosing a printing technique gets hard with too many variables!

4. T SHIRT PRINTING METHODS • Screenprinting • DTG Printing • Heat Transfer Printing Techniques -Sublimation Printing -Heat Transfer Vinyl

5. Screen-Printing • Screen-Printing is the most well-known type of t-shirt printing methods. • Since well before you and I were born, people used screen printing. • Screenprinting is now performed by both computers and manual. • Let's decipher what makes screen printing so popular. • The screen printing inks used are a part of the magic of screen printing. • Screen printing inks are thicker than the inks used in the other methods of t-shirt printing which allow them to last longer and produce vivid colours that are true to life.

6. Make sure you use high-quality inks, or your screen printer, this is so critical! Low-quality inks will fade away easily, and will also feel odd. • Screen printing is better suited for larger orders. Depending on the size of the template, the consistency of the ink, how much squeegee pressure is applied, the number of strokes and the mesh count, you can print 200-500 t-shirts with a gallon of screen-printing ink anywhere, making it super-cost effective. • Right, if you want to find out how cost-effective a screen printing is, these are all the variables to remember.

7. Screen printing PROS • Screen printing ink gets very deeply absorbed, giving you clear, vibrant colours and full longevity. • When set up, hundreds of t-shirts of the same design can be created at blazing rapid pace. • It is compatible with most fabrics by using the proper combination of inks and screens for the fabric on which you are going to work.

8. Screen printing CONS • If you're going to do it at home, you should remember this: when screen printing, it gets messy. Bear in mind that you are going to deal with ink and there will be spillage. • You need considerable space to set up a proper work area for screen printing. • To help conserve screens and ink, the room you need should be dust-free and cool. • Steep curve of learning. • Minimal placement of artwork.

9. DTG Printing • DTG (Direct-to-Garment) Printing is an ink jet technique that can print photographic prints directly onto a t-shirt of very high quality, full-colour. • DTG Printing is better suited for designs or artworks considered too complicated for other printing methods, such as, for example, screen printing, which is best suited for low-color designs. • DTG printing machines have a huge potential for colour mixing which allows them to print even the smallest information.

10. DTG Printing PROS • Could print as many colors • Compared to screen printing, set-up times are short. You will have a printed t-shirt in under 30 minutes. • DTG printing machines aren't that large, enabling your company to be more mobile. • Ink cartridges shouldn't make a mess in your space compared to screen printing inks. • Since DTG printing machines inject ink directly into the fabric, you won't feel the 'print' on the fabric when you touch it.

11. DTG Printing CONS • The best option for DTG Printers is to print only on 100% cotton t-shirts (or high-cotton fabrics on them). • The more cotton the t-shirt has, the more colourful the print will become. • Robots can be costly and insane. • Over time, the colours begin to fade out. • Minimal placement of artwork. • Maintenance will be needed for your DTG printing machine.

12. Sublimation Printing • Sublimation Printing is one of the most common heat transfer printing variants. • The way it works is by digitally printing graphics and then heating them onto t-shirts to move the dye. • Dye-sublimation printing works with dye-based ink that transforms into a gas when heated, in contrast to the other heat transfer printing techniques. • Heat, strain, and time cause dye-based inks to move from solid to gas, then back to solid. • It's very unprecedented because the gas is entering the polyester, being part of the substance and not a layer on top.

13. PROS Sublimation Printing • The ink becomes part of the fabric of the t-shirt that makes the print last long. • It feels smooth and breathable on the side. • Prints are not going to fade, crack, peel or decay.

14. CONS Sublimation Printing • folds and creases may remain undyed. • Fits only with polyblend-based t-shirts. • Printing with dye-sublimation isn't inexpensive.