Knowing the different T-shirt printing techniques should help to choose the right one

Knowing the different T-shirt printing techniques should help to choose the right one

T-shirts printed with some brand promotional message is a staple choice for marketers because it is a low cost and high impacting method for advertising.  The trend started in the 1950s in the US when resorts in Miami started experimenting by advertising logos on T-shirts, and today it is a staple form for promoting brands for all types and sizes of business. Since it is pure advertising, a lot depends on the message displayed, the design and the quality of print which should be nothing less than the best like what you get from companies like Print Bar Brisbane that sell customized printed T-shirts. Therefore, it will not be wrong to say that the print quality can make or break marketing campaigns aimed at brand promotion.

Besides the quality of the T-shirt and its style, there are many other factors to consider that finally affects the finished product. From the quality of fabric to the colors used in the design to the number of T-shirts to be printed, everything decides which method of printing will be suitable. Here are some techniques for printing T-shirts that you can consider.

Screen printing

The method of screen printing uses a stencil pasted to a fine mesh screen of nylon or some other synthetic material coated with an impermeable solution and fitted tightly to a frame that rests on the media or T-shirt material on which you want to transfer the image. Applying ink to the screen and then spreading a thin film with the help of a squeeze pushes the ink through the screen and transfers the image to the substrate.  For multi-color printing, you must create separate screens for each color. For printing on colored fabric, it is necessary to create a white base in the print area first and then apply other colors on it.

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Transfer printing

This method of printing entails printing the design first on a non-textile material and then transferring it to the desired media.  Vinyl that acts as a sticker is the most preferred material for transferring the design to T-shirts that give a different look and a special feel to the print. Heat transfer by using CAD cut design is the most popular method of printing, and there are some other methods like sublimation, film and wet and melt. This kind of printing is most suitable for printing T-shirts for sports teams.

Direct to garment printing (DTG)

Direct to Garment or DTG printing is the latest printing technology used for printing T-shirts. The printing technique adapts the same technology used in office printers with the only difference that the ink injection happens on fabric and not on paper. Artwork that is too complex to print by using other techniques uses the high potential of color mixing of DTG to create high-quality prints. Smaller details with color gradient become alive with DTG that no other printing method can accomplish.

The ink used for T-shirt printing is special because it must have the quality of adhering to the fabric surface steadfastly by overcoming the susceptibility of fabric towards moisture and liquids.

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