T-shirt printing methods

Many people want to print t-shirts with their own designs – whether you need to create team t-shirts or just one for you, to be made individually. Sure, it’s a great idea but you need to know something about printing. It’s not rocket science and some information will surely help you out.

The Top Two T-shirt Printing Methods You Need to Know About

So here we reveal two common methods used to print t-shirts.

Method 1 – Screen Printing Method

Screen printing is best for simple designs with limited colours.

A woven mesh stencil is created out of nylon and used to imprint the design on the t-shirt. Ink is poured on the stencil which moves out of the opening and reaches the fabric. A squeegee or fill blade is used to even out the ink over the mesh and push it out on the t-shirt.

Note

The technique of screen printing allows only one colour to be applied at one time. For each colour, you must use a different stencil. You can use this method to print simple designs of same nature. Any screen printer can carry out the job and it is the most common method used in the industry.

Method 2 – Heat Transfer Method

Digital heat transfer methods use a transfer paper on which the design is printed. It is then placed on the t-shirt and pressure is applied with a heat press machine. The dye in the paper reaches the fibre and settles down. The paper is then peeled off to leave the design behind. It is a cost-effective method best for small batches of order.

Another heat transfer method can be performed using coloured vinyl. Designs are printed on the vinyl and then heat pressed on the material.

What’s more Common?

These days, you would find people going in for to the digital heat transfer method due to its convenience. It costs less, gets done quicker and while not as durable as the screen printing method, does serve the purpose fine – well, most of the times!