Beginners Guide to Custom Printing

What is printing? Basically, printing is the process in which dyes, pigments or other material are used on a fabric. There are different types of printing.

Which method is best for printing?

Two of the most common methods are screen printing and heat press. If you have no experience in apparel printing, it's best to test different methods to know see which ones your customers prefer. Here are 4 different methods of printing that you can use to make your final decision:

Screen printing:

It is the most popular way and stands out from other printing methods due to its ink vibrancy. This method is done through the help of stencils. There will be waterproof material blocking the negative space which allows the dye to penetrate through a particular part. This method is more suitable for bold and graphic designs rather than multi-complex colored ones.

Direct to Garment (DTG):

This process is also  a highly popular printing method. It is as simple as its name that means that printing is done directly onto the apparel. DTG utilizes a garment printer which prints directly to a t-shirt. The procedure is similar to paper printing. You just have to put the design in the computer which will transfer it on to the apparel. Printing ink insert through the ink-jet in DTG. However, DTG is not much durable as the designs usually fade over a year, but it can print multi-complex images. Final results in this process is proper and professional.

Dye Sublimation:

This method of dye sublimation involves the printing of ink on the whole surface of the fabric. Due to the method, it works best on lightweight shirts like polyester and polyester blend materials. It can work on cotton and other fabrics too but the part of fabric on which printing has been done will take a particular form. The finished product makes the printing vibrant and beautiful.

Heat Press Printing:

It is the time-saving method. This method involve the printing on the transfer paper of sublimation paper before it is transferred to a shirt. This method is kind of similar to dye sublimation but it differs in that for the heat printing press, we print on a shirt or finished product. However, in dye sublimation, the print is transferred to one piece cloth and shaped later. Basically, heat press printing is about sticking the design and shirt together with the help of heat press machine. If you want complex design with shadow and gradients, then this method is definitely the ideal one.

As we have defined all the procedure, now you can make the right decision.