Whether you are starting your own printing business or decided to sell custom t-shirts, you need to know the different techniques of printing t-shirts. Some printing techniques must be right or wrong for you, based on the printing process or availability of resources.
T-shirt Printing Methods
1. Screen printing
Screen printing is a well-known t-shirt printing methods. This method was also popular before modern-day technology. Now, this method can be performed manually as well as automatically with machines.
The screen/films are used to transfer the design to the t-shirt. Then waterproof material is used to block the area of your t-shirt on which the design is to be printed. In this blocked area ink is to be poured. However, the wooden squeegee is used to work the color through the screen to the fabric.
2. Direct To Garment (DTG) printing
Direct to Garment printing is able to print high quality, photographic prints on to the t-shirts. It’s based on Ink-jet technology. This process lets you print directly on the fabric from the computer. By DTG you can print the number of t-shirts at a single time. Its rapidness makes the DTG method favorite for t-shirt printing, especially for making samples.
3. Heat Transfer Printing
Heat Transfer Printing involves laying of the sheet on the top of garments and then by heat press custom graphics can be applied on the garments.
Firstly the designs are to printed on the desired paper and then the heat press is applied.
There are different types of Heat Transfer Printing methods, we have discussed below.
4. Dye-sublimation printing
Dye-sublimation printing is one of the most popular variants of heat transfer printing.
Designs are engraved on the heated thermal papers, these papers are known as dye sublimation paper. The heat and pressure are applied to the paper and t-shirt when passed from the machine, so that design can be transferred to the t-shirt.
Sublimation is popular for overall printing. The quality of the t-shirt will be like untouched like it was before printing.
5. CAD – Cut Heat Transfer Vinyl Printing
CAD (Computer-aided design) – Cut Printing is another method of heat-transferring. This t-shirt printing process is used for printing, the number, names, and logos on to the vinyl material and then applied on sports t-shirt and jerseys by heat pressure.
For creating the names, numbers, and designs machine is used. Then with the heat press, each vinyl is transferred to the t-shirt.
6. Plastisol Transfer printing
In Plastisol Transfer printing the artwork is to be printed the paper, this paper is known as plastisol transfer paper. The heat press will be used to imprint the design of the paper on to the t-shirt.
