Customised t-shirts are not only popular for personal use but are also a favourite marketing and promotional item for many companies. T-shirts are not only practical and economical but are also useful. T-shirt printing techniques have come a long way, and many printing companies offer clients a variety of options depending on their design preference and budget. Below are the printing methods available today.
Screen printing using a machine
Most companies that offer clothing printing in London use machines to screen-print t-shirts. This method is the simplest and considered the most common technique used for printing textiles. The process begins by creating a template held together by a nylon mesh screen. Some of the benefits of screen printing include high-quality results and production speed. If you intend to mass-produce shirts for an event, for example, screen printing is your best choice.
Printing direct to garment
Printing directly on the garment is a relatively new technique. The process involves using a printer and feeding the clothing directly into it as the design gets printed. If you want to offer this technique, you will need a special DTG printer. This option is not ideal for personal use because the printer tends to be expensive, but it is excellent for companies that specialise in textile printing. Direct to garment printing results in a soft finish with full colours. The per-piece cost is also low, which means this method is perfect for small quantities.
Sublimation garment printing
If you have seen a shirt printed all-over in a particular design, it is likely that sublimation printing was the method used to achieve it. This method allows you to use as many graphics, colours, and styles as you want. But the limitation of this technique is that it only works with garments made from 100% polyester.
Vinyl printing using a CAD cutter
This method of garment printing uses a soft material cut into the desired design using a CAD cutter. The material is then placed on the garment and printed using a heat press. This method is ideal if you are dealing with custom designs or longer prints. You also have the option to layer vinyl, which results in vibrant, unique, and colourful designs. The resulting print also does not crack or fade and works well with small words, graphics, and company slogans.
Transfer paper printing method
The process involves printing the design on transfer paper; then a heat press machine is used to transfer the design to clothing. This method was initially developed to decorate ceramics. Nowadays, this technique is widely used in textile printing because of the high-quality designs you can produce. The method is also straightforward and does not involve complex procedures.
Conclusion
These methods of garment printing have distinct advantages and disadvantages. Choosing a method to use depends on your needs. The printing company will typically determine which way is most suitable according to the design, the number of t-shirts that need to be printed, as well as the garment material you are using.