Before you order your next set of custom t-shirts, you may want to think about which printing method to use. Your go to resource for decoration methods. There are so many different printing and decoration techniques for apparel, and each produces a different look and feel. Learning more about the types of prints will help you make awesome apparel for your brand. There are a wide range of printing styles to get vintage, distressed, 3D and even UV activated prints on apparel – this primer covers the basics, but feel free to ask an account manager how to get the look you want.
GUIDE TO BRANDED APPAREL
• DECORATION EBOOK
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
Get the scoop on decoration methods for your branded apparel and merchandise. Before you order your next set of t-shirts, you may want to think about which decoration method to use. There are so many different print techniques and appli - cations for apparel, and each produces a different look and feel. Learning more about the types of prints will help you make awesome apparel. There are a wide range of printing styles to get vintage, distressed, 3D and even UV activated prints on apparel – this primer covers the basics, but feel free to ask an account manager how to get the look you want. BRANDED APPAREL
CONTENTS
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Pad Printing
Screen Printing
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Deboss
Screen Printing with Plastisol Ink
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Laser Etching
Screen Printing with Soft Hand Plastisol Ink
Embroidery
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Screen Printing with Water Based Ink
Patches
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Discharge Printing
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Upgrade to a Retail Feel
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Direct to Garment Printing
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Tips and Tricks
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Heat Transfer Printing
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Dye Sublimation Printing
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
SCREEN PRINTING
Screen printing (silk-screening) is the most commonly used print technique for t-shirts. Screens are cut to make a stencil for the design to be printed.
To create screens, your artwork is burned into a fine mesh that has been coated with an impermeable solution so that ink only goes through the screen where it’s supposed to. Using a squeegee, ink is pushed across the screen and is transferred to the fabric in the areas it can get through on the screens. Only one colour can be applied at a time, so a new screen must be made for each colour and lined up to create the multi-color print. Once the screens have been created, screen printing is very quick and efficient, that is why you see cost savings on larger orders. Screen prints are vibrant and remain bright and smooth for a long time. There are a few different inks that can be used in screen printing, each described below, some are standard, and others are considered ‘specialty inks’ – your account manager can let you know if there are any upcharges for special prints.
SCREEN PRINTING IN ACTION
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
SCREEN PRINTING WITH PLATISOL INK
The most common ink used is plastisol. We try to specify plastisol inks that are phthalate free to reduce their environmental impact. Plastisol ink sits ‘on top’ of the fabric and you can generally feel the print on the t-shirt.
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SCREEN PRINTING WITH SOFT HAND PLATISOL INK
Soft hand plastisol printing also uses phthalate free plastisol ink, but before your product goes to print, the ink is chemically reduced to create a softer feel. Because the ink won’t have as thick of a coverage as the standard plastisol print, it’s best used on light colored garments to ensure the ink shows up true to colour. These prints have a nicer touch to the hand and don’t feel as heavy. If you need bright colours but don’t want a heavy print, this style is a good option.
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
SCREEN PRINTING WITH WATER BASED INK
This is the print technique most often used at Fairware. We’re fans of water based inks not only because they’re better for the environment, but also because they’re more breathable and they’re longer lasting than a traditional plastisol print. Water based inks are soaked into the fabric, creating a softer print that won’t be as likely to crack over time. They generally have an added cost and are best used on 100% cotton fabrics. Because of how water based inks work, they’re best used on light colored garments.
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
DISCHARGE PRINTING Discharge printing is the best technique for producing a buttery soft print on dark fabrics. It removes the dye from the shirt where your artwork will be printed and replaces it with a water based ink in one fell swoop.
The print will be softer because once the fabric is discharged, it creates a nice white surface for your colour to sit on without having to add an extra layer of ink.
The catch? You have to print on 100% cotton to use a discharge print, and Pantone colours can’t be guaranteed as the colour of the shirt can affect the final print result. There is usually an added cost for discharge prints.
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DIRECT TO GARMENT PRINTING
Direct to Garment printing is a digital technique that is best used when your artwork is too complex for traditional printing techniques. Think: full colour logos or images with gradients. Basically, direct to garment printing works like an office printer, but uses fabric instead of paper. DTG printers can recreate gradients, colours, and small details that other printers may have trouble achieving. Fabric must be a light colour made from 100% cotton, images must be high quality 300 dpi and colours are printed in CMYK. The print may fade over time, so this is an ideal print method for creating a vintage look.
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
HEAT TRANSFER PRINTING Heat transfers use a combination of heat and pressure to add your design to a garment. First, your graphic is digitally printed on heat transfer paper using a solvent ink, which is then transferred from the paper to the item being printed. Because heat transfers are printed digitally, they have the capability to print high quality, full colour images. Setup time is quick for heat transfers, so this can be a more cost-effective option for printing smaller quantities. Heat transfers can also be done on a wide range of materials and are most widely recommended for printing on outerwear.
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
DYE SUBLIMATION Dye Sublimation is a printing process that uses extreme heat and pressure to bond designs into fabric. Man-made materials such as nylon and polyester fabrics contain polymers that, when heated, enable the bonding of ink. This method of printing yields beautiful and permanent colors that are embedded in the substrate or fabric, rather than printed on the surface. This means that the prints won’t fade or crack even after multiple washings. Images on fabric won’t fade or crack even after multiple washings. Images on hard substrates will not chip, peel or scratch. There are some limitations to dye sublimation as not all 100% polyester is sublimation friendly. Blends can be used but the ink will only adhere to the polyester and the colors of the image will appear faded. Most any color can be sublimated as long as the ink is darker than the fabric color, but it may not produce the crisp results you require. In general, light colours work well, but white is best. There is no white ink for sublimation so white cannot be printed on a colored garment.
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
PAD PRINTING Pad printing uses a soft silicone pad to transfer an image taken from a plate etched with a reversed logo, similar to a rubber stamp. Images can be very small and detailed and can be up to 5½ inches in diameter. Pad printers are capable of printing up to six colors, however most industry printers use one to two colors at most when printing on apparel.
Pad printing is a popular trend for tagless label printing in the inside nape of apparel pieces. The prints are soft, durable and capable of high and low volume production.
Pad printing is great for sling bags, totes and other items that are difficult to decorate, as well as styles that are heat sensitive.
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DEBOSS Debossing uses a metal-engraved die along with a combination of time and temperature to create a design that will not fade or wash away. An debossed logo is made when the logo is pressed into the fabric. This method works well on cotton, polyester, leather, pleather, fleece and polar fleece fabrics.
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
LASER ETCHING Laser etching is a decorating process that burns a pattern into the top layer of fabric, giving it a subtle tone-on-tone appearance. The image the etching creates has an upscale look that is usually the same color but several shades darker than the original fabric’s color. It works well with both big or small logos, and detail can be achieved with this method.
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EMBROIDERY Embroidery is the art of embellishing a piece of apparel with a needle and thread. This is achieved by converting logos in a digitizing software and using various stitch patterns, angles, density and stitch types to create depth, movement and detail. Option to puff the emboidery for extra dimension. Thread can be made from many materials. The most commonly used threads are polyester and rayon. There are also options such as metallic, cotton, nylon, silk and even Nomex thread for fire resistance.
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WHAT [EMBR
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
T IT LOOKS LIKE ROIDERED PATCH]
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE [LEATHER PATCH]
PATCHES Using custom patches to decorate your product is a great way to set your brand apart from others. They can be used on any kind of fabric and are available in a variety of options, including embroidered patches, woven patches, chenille patches, leather patches and sublimated patches.
For a full guide to the basics see our Patches and Labels E Book.
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Branded Apparel | Decoration methods
UPGRADE TO A RETAIL FEEL
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Use woven pinch labels for a subtle brand hit Create a custom neck label with your branding Merchandise your t-shirts Print hang tags to help tell your brand story
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TIPS & TRICKS
• Order more, pay less! • When screen printing, fewer colours equals lower cost. • Avoid rush fees by ordering early. • Printing on light fabrics is cheaper than printing on dark fabrics. • If budget is an issue, use white shirts! • Fabrics containing polyester may have an upcharge for printing.
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1.866.606.3247 | contact@fairware.com | 178 W 3rd Ave, Vancouver BC V5Y 1E9 | fairware.com
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