Customized T-shirts - Types of Tshirt Printing

Customized T-shirts – Types of Tshirt Printing

By Brian Hawthorn, on November 1st, 2011

If you are looking to have customized t-shirts made then there are a number of different tshirt printing choices available. Some of these methods you can produce yourself. Others must be done by professional tshirt printing companies using professional equipment.

These different tshirt printing systems have strengths as well as limitations. The following information should give you some ideas as to what is available to make your customized t-shirts.

Of course, any experienced printer will be able to tell you simply by looking at your artwork and the number of customized t-shirts that you require, which process will give you the best results.

Customized T-shirts Using T-shirt Transfers

Hotronix Heat Press Customized T shirts Types of Tshirt Printing

An Automated Commercial Heat Press is Used for Tshirt Printing Your Customized T-shirts with Transfers

We’ll start with tshirt printing using t-shirt transfer paper. Printing customized t-shirts with transfers is separated into different types, each requiring its own specialized transfer papers.

The first variation of this paper is designed for tshirt printing on white and light colour shirts with an ink jet or laser printer. Any white areas that are in the design are transparent so when printed onto the shirt these parts of the drawing will be the colour of the shirt.

For example, customized t-shirts with the Canadian flag printed on a yellow shirt would be red and yellow instead of red and white.

We specialize in this method of customized t-shirts.

For more info on this style of tshirt printing please go to custom tshirts on white and light colours.

If your customized t-shirts project requires darker colour shirts then there is a paper specifically designed for that. The difference is that this paper is opaque so the fabric colour won’t show through and it is also coated with white ink. This paper is available for ink jet and laser printers.

Click on the hyperlink for more information on tshirt printing on dark t-shirts.

New T-shirt Transfer Papers for Customized T-shirts

The transfer paper technology has made some significant advances recently.

There are now transfer papers that will print white text and images on dark colour customized t-shirts.

There is another transfer paper that will allow colour tshirt printing on dark shirts. If the ink colours are strong this paper works very well on colour shirts.

Another type of customized t-shirts transfer paper that is being used frequently by tshirt printing companies is referred to as self weeding.

One of the downsides to printing with transfer papers is that if the paper is not trimmed properly you can see the polymer coating that was on the transfer paper in the areas where there was no ink.

These new self weeding papers transfer the ink only. We have an excellent self weeding paper that gives a screen printing look.

Finally the other major issue with tshirt printing using transfer paper was durability. Many of the new papers when printed properly and washed according to the instructions will have your customized t-shirts stand up to 20 or more washes before fading.

Sublimation Tshirt Printing

Customized t-shirts using sublimation tshirt printing (dye sublimation) uses a special transfer paper designed for printers that use sublimation inks. When these transfers are applied to the t-shirt using a heat press the inks are converted into a gas and have the ability to bond with polyesters or acrylics. This method permanently “tattoos” your image to the t-shirt. Sublimation printing has a smooth touch and can reproduce photo quality designs and images.

Screen Printing

Screen printing, which is also referred to as silk screening is the tshirt printing method of using screens (a screen is like a stencil) that only allow one colour at a time to be printed onto the shirt. If your customized t-shirts project has two colours, you will need to have two different screens; three colours, three screens, etc.

For example, the famous shirts I (heart) NY would require two screens. One for the black text (I NY) and one for the red heart.

Tshirt Printing Using the Split Screen Transfer

A variant of screen printing is the split screen transfer. We also specialize in this type of customized t-shirts. This method is also used by other tshirt printing companies. The design is outsourced to a company that specializes in taking the image and printing it onto paper, creating a transfer using the same ink formula that is used in regular screen printing. These transfers are then heat pressed onto the shirts. You can use one ink colour or a few. These transfers can be printed on any colour of shirt.

Click on the hyperlink for more information on customized t-shirts using screen printing

Customized T-shirts with Full Colour Screen Printing

It is also possible to do full colour screen printing. This printing process uses the same four ink colours found in colour printers (CMYK – cyan, magenta, yellow and black). This method for printing customized t-shirts is quite expensive to set up so it is ideally suited for large orders.

Tshirt Printing with Cad-cut Vinyl

Cad-cut vinyl letters, numbers and patterns. This customized t-shirts tshirt printing system uses different types of materials that are cut out using a cutting plotter. It can cut out a number of shapes such as stars, hearts etc. as well as names and numbers for team t-shirts.

Cad-cut Digital Customized T-shirts

Another form of customized t-shirts printing is cad-cut digital printing. This tshirt printing system prints your design in full colour including white and then trims away the non-printed areas again using a plotter. This is one of the more recent procedures that is gaining popularity.

Embroidery

Embroidery can be done by hand but if you are printing a quantity of customized t-shirts specialized sewing machines are used. The yarn or thread is sewn onto the material to create a design. One or many colours of thread can be used to create text, logos or other graphics. Printing on t-shirts is normally restricted to smaller images, logos and embellishments since larger images using this for of tshirt printing can pucker the fabric.

DTG – Direct to Garment Tshirt Printing

DTG – Direct to Garment printing uses specialized tshirt printing printers where the shirt is drawn through the printer and the printer prints right onto the tee shirt. These printers also include a white ink cartridge so they can print on any colour of t-shirt.

Hand Painting or Airbrushing

Hand Painting or Airbrushing tshirt printing is another method of decorating your customized t-shirts. If you have an artistic flair the t-shirt can be your canvas. There are also a number of people who specialize in air brushing and can create your customized t-shirts.

Patches & Appliques

Patches & Appliques can be used to embellish your customized tshirts. These are iron on or sew on snowflakes, stars etc. that you can purchase at your local craft store for your do-it-yourself tshirt printing. You can also purchase iron-on letters and numbers as a do-it-yourself alternative to screen printing. Appliques are frequently embroidered and they can include rhinestones, metal studs and other enhancing materials.

In conclusion you can see that there are several tshirt printing methods that’ll enable you to create your customized t-shirts.