An Exclusive Guide On T-shirt Printing Methods

Rewind to 1800s; t-shirts were designed to be an undergarment, fast forward 2019, more than 3billion t-shirts are purchased every day worldwide. The demand for t-shirt printing is rising in an upward trajectory, and the day may come when you will design your unique clothes all by yourself by using cheap printing services Singapore. This might sound like an exaggeration but trust us; millennials are already demanding design and printing of t-shirts in their swag and style over shirts. 

Well, this demand comes with specific considerations. Let’s explore first, which factors play a role in t-shirt printing and second, various types of printing methods. Keep reading further. 

The fabric type of t-shirts:

Every printing method comes with fabric preference. This is because of the quality, and the final printing varies from method to method. A cotton shirt may not go with the dye sublimation method. Hence, check this in priority.

Speed of production:

Depending on the method you pick, the time of production differs. So, if you are going for bulk production and want them as soon as possible, never go for a slow method. Check with the printing service provider which method you should pick up for your specified time-frame. 

Total Budget:

If you have a budget constraint, you should always consider the printing cost involved with the method of your choice. When you go for mass printing, the price definitely reduces, but it is better to have a precise figure for the printing cost. 

Now let’s shift our focus to the various types of t-shirt printing methods available. By the end of this write-up, you would be able to pick up the best method on the job’s volume. The decision shall have a significant influence of the number of colors you are planning to have and the printing design. 

Screen printing: 

Did you ever get a chance to wear the printed shirt of your grandpa? We hope you are lucky enough to have the opportunity. And to add on to the surprise, screen printing has been in existence ever since then. Hands, as well as machines, did the printing. It creates magic with the use of stencils and a mesh. You are free to choose vibrant colors in screen printing inks. The inks are thicker than other inks and last longer than the rest. The method gives a clean and identical design. 

Advantages:

  • Screen printing method provides the highest durability;
  • You have the liberty to choose popping and vibrant colors;
  • Once your template and mesh are ready, you can print design in just a snap of a finger;
  • This method is adaptable to any fabric type.

Disadvantages:

  • It is not suitable for small quantities;
  • Screen printing doesn’t go for complex designs;
  • The learning curve is steep. 

Direct To Garment Printing:

DTG is for the ones who are highly creative with the designs & colors and want to experiment with printing. This method gives you high-quality and colorful output is exactly the same as you would have expected. If you are opting for this method, you are free to choose complex designs and artworks. The method beautifully blends the color and prints, even the minutest detail of the design. The printing method is suitable for printing less quantity of t-shirts as it doesn’t involve any setup process.  You just need the right supplies such as the Epson F3070 ink to produce high-quality prints.

Advantages:

  • It offers no restriction on the number of colors;
  • The method offers the lowest turn around time of less than 30 minutes;
  • You can easily switch between the designs.
  • The printed design is soft and doesn’t give you a feel of a print when touched.

Disadvantages:

  • The method can turn out to be a costly affair because of the printing machines;
  • Printed colors don’t last long;
  • Printing machines will require maintenance;
  • DTG is not suitable for large quantities. 

Heat Transfer Printing:

This method is all about laying sheets of the transfer material on the top of the t-shirts and heat pressing for making a permanent print. The prospective design is first digitally printed on a special heat transfer paper. The solvent ink is used to spread it, and once the design is transferred, it is pressed with a heat press machine. The boon of this method is that it works beautifully over different materials and fabrics. It needs minimum maintenance as compared to other printing methods. The method allows creating a replica of the selected design. 

Advantages:

  • It is a cost-effective method for small quantity printing;
  • The method has an easy learning curve;

Disadvantages:

  • The method doesn’t go well with the darker materials;
  • It is not suitable for fabrics that are heat sensitive;
  • It has a bit higher turnaround time

Vinyl Cutting Printing:

Do you which printing method is used to print the number 7 on Cristiano Ronaldo and MS Dhoni’s jerseys? It is the result of the Vinyl cutting printing method. The design is first cut down into pieces and then applied to the fabric afterwards. This method is mainly used in the sports industry or for designing brand logos or symbols. Customization is possible with this method using a CAD cutter. 

Advantages:

  • This method is suitable for both small and bulk printing quantities;
  • You get the freedom to choose from a wide spectrum of colors;
  • The design doesn’t crack even after years and is highly durable;

Disadvantages:

  • You need to have a CAD cutter at your service;
  • It is suitable for small designs only. Large designs may get truncated if not printed by an expert;

Hand and Spray printing, Airbrushing:

Do you remember the old-school method of printing with a spray? Once considered as a hobby has now become a mainstream method for t-shirt printing. Well, you need an expert hand to get a well-defined output. Get a design or stencils and spray the color you want to have. Ensure that the paint color you choose is of high quality so that it doesn’t fade away and stays for a longer duration of time. This method is generally used by artists who want to try innovative and creative designs of their imagination. 

Advantages:

  • You can try this method over as many designs as you want;
  • This is a highly cost-effective method;

Disadvantages:

  • The results are less durable as compared to other methods;
  • This method is not suitable for large quantities of designs;

No matter which modern technology you choose, ensure that you have the best Singapore shirt printing services at your help. The methods should be able to produce a high quality of reproductive designs and should facilitate you to print the creative design of your choice. Consider the factors mentioned above that may affect the outcome while selecting the printing method of your choice. All the best and enjoy the results. 

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