Custom T-shirt printing is a fun and affordable way to add some flare to your wardrobe. There are four main methods of custom t-shirt printing that you can choose from: screen printing, heat press, Direct-to-Garment (DTG), or Digital T-Shirt Printing (DTGP). Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, but which one is the best for you? In this blog post we’ll go over when each type of custom t-shirt printing is most appropriate so that you can make an informed decision on how best to get your shirts printed!
Screen Printing
Screen printing is the most popular form of custom t shirt printing hong kong. It’s used for large orders and it can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Screen printing allows for a very high level of detail, but it does require that you have access to equipment and supplies (including screen-printing screens) to get started.
Heat Press
Heat Press is the most common method of printing t-shirts and the most affordable option for small to medium runs. Heat Press is used on cotton and polyester, and it allows you to print full color designs with a high level of detail. The process involves laying your design on the shirt, placing paper between the platen (the bottom part of the press) and your shirt, then pressing down firmly for about 15 seconds. Your design will be transferred onto your shirt in about 20 seconds at 300 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. This process works well for sports team apparel because it enables you to transfer detailed logos or mascots onto shirts quickly and easily.
How to know which method is best for you
The first step to deciding which method is best for you is to consider the purpose of your custom t-shirt printing. Are you simply looking to sell shirts at a festival or event? Or do you want to use these shirts as a marketing tool for your business? It’s also important to consider what budget and time frame are available for your project, as well as how many shirts need printing.
Are you wanting heavy ink coverage or a soft hand feel?
Soft hand feel, also known as matte ink, is a printing process that creates a soft and thin layer of ink on the shirt. This can be used to create color gradients or subtle designs with more detail. The downside is that since there is only one layer of lighter color over the dark base of the shirt, it’s prone to bleeding and fading if not washed properly.
Heavy ink coverage refers to a thicker application of ink so that there are no white areas on your t shirt printing. If you have an image with lots of detail, this would be preferable because it will prevent any bleeding or fading in those areas where there are lots of dark colors next to each other (e.g., black text).
What’s your budget?
The cost of screen printing and heat press varies greatly, depending on the design and quantity. The price per shirt depends on the type of blank (American Apparel, Gildan, Bella Canvas) and your choice of garment color.
Printing costs include:
- Screen printing – $0-1/shirt (depends on number of colors & amount of detail)
- Heat press – $0-1/shirt (depends on number of colors & amount of detail)
Ink costs vary by brand but are usually around $0.25-$1 per shirt for a single color print job. If you have multi-color designs, it can be more expensive depending on how many different inks you need to use. Shirts themselves range from $6 to $12 each depending on their quality level (basic tees start at ~$6).
Understand the different methods of custom t-shirt printing
- Screen Printing (also known as silk screen printing) is the most popular method of custom t-shirt printing. In this process ink is forced onto your shirt by a mesh screen which contains an image that has been burned into it. When you have a large number of screens that create multiple colors, this process can be very efficient and economical. It also gives you freedom in what type of shirts you can use for your project because they don’t have to have special treatments or finishes applied to them like heat press shirts do in order to make them printable on them.
- Heat Pressing is another popular way to get custom printed t-shirts done but it has its limitations compared to other processes such as screen printing because they require special treatments so they don’t melt or burn at high temperatures during production which means there are some limitations when choosing what type of material/fabrications will work well with this method depending on how much money you want spend on these types clothing items too! This method uses pressure from heated platens pressed down onto top surface layers within each garment so ink does not penetrate through holes made by needle punches like some other techniques might cause due its pressure being applied evenly across entire surface area rather than just one side only (like screen printers do).
Conclusion
We hope this post has helped you better understand the different methods of custom t-shirt printing. It’s a big world out there, so take your time and make sure you’re doing what works best for you and your budget. We wish you all the best!