Printing or embroidery is a choice. Small image or text is unable to embroider. In this case, printing is the best choice. But you must know well the characteristics of fabric and the difference of each printing technologies. Each kind of fabric will be only suitable with one or two printing technologies. And it’s not necessary with embroidery. At present, we have 5 printing technologies in common:
- Heat transfer paper: Print the image or text on special paper. Press at high temperature in a short time. The ink will be transferred from paper to fabric. The advantage is the lowest price, but the disadvantage is only suitable with bright colors (white color is the best) and polyester fiber. If you try on 100% cotton fabric, the image or text is still sharp after pressing. But only one time to wash, the image or text will fly away. And if you try on dark color fabric such as black fabric, you will unable to see anything.
- Vinyl pressing (Decal for t-shirt) : it’s a special kind of decal, a decal for fabric only. You can cut vinyl and press at high temperature in a short time or you can print directly on vinyl and cut, press also. The advantage is still sharp image or text with small size. The disadvantage is high price and rugged, especially with big image or text. Wearer will feel uncomfortable.
- Digital printing or direct on garment printing technology: it looks like an office printer, but it’s bigger. You can print directly on garment. The advantage is a comfortable printer and soft feeling, especially with complex image or text. The disadvantages are highest price, the best with 100% cotton fiber only, and low quality ( At present, there is only one or two manufacturers who supply better quality of screen printing, as my experience.)
- Silk screen printing: it’s a traditional printing technology and very easy to learn. The advantages are cheapest price, especially with big quantity and low investment, the best choice with all kinds of fabric and colors. The disadvantages are very expensive with small quantity orders, taking more time to prepare, using a lot of workers and space, the cause of environmental pollution and harmfulness to health of worker.
- Pet printing: We can say that is a mix technology between silk screen printing and digital printing. With pet printing, you will print on a material which looks like a nylon ( a thin plastic flat ). They call it: “pet”. After printing, we need to dry the ink and press on the t-shirt. At that time, screen printing will “lie on” fabric and you have a nice product. Fast – Sharp. A little bit high price, but it’s not very expensive for small quantity and you are able to control the fee if you apply for big amount: Change to big machines, instead of small one.
Questions: Which one is the best, which one “is the most selected”. The answers: There are no perfect technologies. They are only suitable with your material, suitable with color, suitable with total amount, purposes… Which one is the best quality: I haven’t compared the quality together before, because there are still good quality and bad quality in each technology. The screen printing is able to be peeled off because of: Fake ink – Ink is not suitable with material – Incorrect solution – An operator does not have enough skills and experience to realizes and performs their job… There are dozen of reasons to make mistakes you’re your goods. And here are our advices:
- Choose professional suppliers
- Tell them what you want and listen to them.
- Let them making decision their job, instead of making decision by yourselves. Surely, we can not do it better them.
With 5 most popular t-shirt printing technologies, you have basic knowledges in this field. Of course, you must spend more time to study. Only practicing can help you to become a master, if you don’t have a plan to become a master. Let find a professional to help you. By listening and watching what they are doing, you are able to realize who is a professional. I still have one message for you, before ending this article: Let find a professional in the field that you are not a professional, and entrust them. Tell what you want, instead of making decisions for them to avoid “disasters” ( if any ) that they don’t accept to have responsible for. Contact directly or message zalo/whatsapp: 0909506533 if you have any concerning matter. Have a nice day !
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