How can I tell how a t-shirt ordered online will be printed?
April 27, 2017 3:06 PM Subscribe
I need help identifying what method of custom t-shirt printing I want to use.
Occasionally, I like to order custom t-shirts online, or purchase t-shirts designed by others from websites that do custom creation (like customink.com or redbubble.com). These shirts are often printed in a way so that the area containing the custom graphic/lettering is heavier and stiffer than the rest of the shirt. This is not ideal for me, it makes the shirt warmer and less comfortable. I'd prefer the type of t-shirt where the design is printed on the shirt and doesn't impact the weight of the shirt where it's printed.
I'm not really describing this well, but I'd like to learn what the different styles of t-shirt printing means--is this heat press vs. screen printing? If so, is it possible to have things screen printed in small (even 1) batches?
Occasionally, I like to order custom t-shirts online, or purchase t-shirts designed by others from websites that do custom creation (like customink.com or redbubble.com). These shirts are often printed in a way so that the area containing the custom graphic/lettering is heavier and stiffer than the rest of the shirt. This is not ideal for me, it makes the shirt warmer and less comfortable. I'd prefer the type of t-shirt where the design is printed on the shirt and doesn't impact the weight of the shirt where it's printed.
I'm not really describing this well, but I'd like to learn what the different styles of t-shirt printing means--is this heat press vs. screen printing? If so, is it possible to have things screen printed in small (even 1) batches?
Best answer: I'm no expert in the shirt design industry, but my wife does have a small side business doing small-batch silkscreen printing, and this technique matches what you are describing. The ink is pressed through a fine screen directly onto the cloth. It does add slightly to the heaviness, but not nearly as much as decals or transfers do.
As for batch size, once you have a finished design burned onto a screen, you can pull as many prints as you want, just like any other printmaking technique. But the amount of work/materials involved in getting to a burned screen is enough that no one ever really just does a single print. For example, my wife charges a one-time $25 setup fee per image (and this is one-color printing!) If someone were to order only a few t-shirts, it could be done, but the final per-shirt cost would be much higher than most people are usually willing to pay for a tshirt.
posted by see_change at 6:29 PM on April 27, 2017
As for batch size, once you have a finished design burned onto a screen, you can pull as many prints as you want, just like any other printmaking technique. But the amount of work/materials involved in getting to a burned screen is enough that no one ever really just does a single print. For example, my wife charges a one-time $25 setup fee per image (and this is one-color printing!) If someone were to order only a few t-shirts, it could be done, but the final per-shirt cost would be much higher than most people are usually willing to pay for a tshirt.
posted by see_change at 6:29 PM on April 27, 2017
Best answer: This is often an artifact of the inks used. Plastisol inks can be heavy. Water based and discharge inks don't add weight in the same way. You'll want to ask what kind of inks are used to find out how the print is going to turn out.
posted by Jairus at 8:32 PM on April 27, 2017
posted by Jairus at 8:32 PM on April 27, 2017
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posted by Cuke at 4:11 PM on April 27, 2017