If you are here, you may already know that there are different methods/techniques used for t-shirt printing, custom or wholesale.
But exactly which method is best suited for the job at hand, meaning the fabric you will work on, the volume of the job, the design(s) to be printed on, and so on. There are a number of variables to take account of. However, worry not, read on and you’ll know what printing techniques to use under differing circumstances.
The Most Common T-Shirt Printing Techniques
1. Screen-Printing
Screen-printing is by far the most commonly used method for printing t-shirts. The technique comes with a long history, although these days screen-printing can be performed both manually and by machines.
The secret of screen printing’s popularity lies in its high quality ink. The thick and dense screen printing ink is able to produce vibrant, true-to-life colors and is also highly durable (meaning the print is not going wash or fade away anytime soon!). This method is also compatible with pretty much all types of fabrics, given you are using the right mix of screens and inks.
Finally, it is a cost-efficient method when we are talking high-volume orders. To give you an idea, you can print anywhere between 300 and 500 t-shirts (depending on ink quality, mesh count, number of strokes, amount of squeegee pressure applied, and the size of the design printed) with a single gallon of screen printing ink.
2. DTG Printing
DTG or Direct-to-Garment Printing uses an inkjet printer to quickly produce t-shirts with full-color, high-quality, photographic prints. The most telling advantage of this method is that DTG technique comes with a huge color-mixing potential and prints highly complex designs in a flash (no multi-step processing or steep learning curve, etc. as in screen printing).
However, there are certain drawbacks to these methods as well. These include:
• Highly expensive setup (the machines are insanely expensive plus high maintenance)
• Limited opportunity regarding artwork placement
• Colors tend to fade out quickly compared to other printing methods
• Works only on 100% cotton fabrics
3. Heat Transfer Printing
This technique practically involves heat pressing a sheet or sheets of transfer material on to the garment so the graphics is applied permanently on to the fabric. Now, there are different heat transfer methods used for printing t-shirts and other garments and these different techniques go by different names.
However, there is no need to get confused since we are breaking them down here, so that you not only know the names but also what kind of heat transfer printing is best suited for what type of job.
a) Dye-Sublimation Printing
This is the most popular and widely used of all heat transfer printing methods. It works like this: using a dye-based solvent ink, you digitally print the graphics on a special heat transfer paper and then heat press the design on to the t-shirt.
The heat and pressure turns the dye into gas which then turns into solid again, therefore meshing right into the material. The result is that the design becomes an integral part of the fabric and not simply a layer on top. Another distinct advantage of this technique is that dye-sublimation is able to handle all-over printing, something that cannot be performed either by DTG or screen printing. So, next time you see someone sporting one of those all-over print t-shirts, you know what kind of printing technique has gone into the making of the garment.
Take note however that dye-sublimation is only good for polyester-based fabrics.
b) CAD-Cut Vinyl Printing
In the CAD or Computer-Aided Design method, the designs (commonly names, numbers, logos, etc.) are cut digitally on pieces of colored vinyl and each piece is then individually heat-pressed and transferred on to the t-shirts. This technique is normally used for printing sports jerseys or t-shirts and can handle 1-4 colors in small quantities.
c) Plastisol Transfer Printing
In this process, the design is printed on a Plastisol transfer paper using inkjet technology and then you heat press the paper to print the graphics on the t-shirt. The process is in many ways similar to screen-printing and is normally used for testing purposes.
Commonly, once a design has been finalized using this method, t-shirtpreneurs will move to screen printing for bulk orders.