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T-Shirt Printing

If you have the desire to print your own designs, photographs, or artwork on a T-shirt, there are many ways you can go about it. The level of difficulty in making a final product can go from a simple iron-on transfer created from an Inkjet printer on a home computer to an elaborate four-color transfer printed in a silkscreen shop.

There are three basic types of transferring images for T-shirt printing. Digital printing is a technique reserved for large-scale companies that requires a significant initial purchase for a print machine. Heat transfer, sometimes called direct-to-garment, takes an image from transfer paper and applies it to the fabric using a heat source. The most common and widely-used of the three is screen-printing, which offers the longest-lasting transfer, but requires a significant amount of clean-up and set-up.

Each of these three printing techniques has their own unique requirements, strengths, and weaknesses. For instance, digital printing really works best with white or light-colored fabrics, and the printed design tends to fade a little after the first wash. This technique is usually reserved for transfer images that have many colors or when blending is required. Also, these types of shirts usually cannot be ironed.

For do-it-yourself projects from home, the simplest thing to do is to grab a white shirt, print your own design or photo from a computer, purchase some transfer paper, and using an iron and a pillowcase, make your own design.
Screen printing allows the largest variety of design possibilities, and the process itself is pretty quickly done. Set-up fees are usually necessary for large runs, since there is quite a bit of preparation involved.

What this means is that at least three stations need to be prepared; a darkroom with a light source to expose the design, a washing area to clean the screens, and a drying stage with a heat source to dry the shirts after they’ve been colored and exposed. The extensive clean-up involved is what companies charge a little extra for. This is also the reason most companies who do screen-print shirts require a minimum order.

One last disadvantage regarding a screen-print is that photographic images do not transfer well. Since each color is printed separately, the final transfer will not match the resolution and the subtle changes recorded in the original photo.
Smaller companies often choose the heat transfer method for t-shirt printing, especially for small orders and new businesses that don’t have much capital to invest in more expensive equipment. An industrial-size iron or heat press is one of the few things required. Heat transfer designs, however, are only recommended for white shirts, since some colors don’t transfer well onto colored fabrics. The design also has a tendency to crack or peel, making the transfer less durable than screen prints.
All of the methods mentioned here have their advocates, and new technologies, like stain imaging and laser cut embroidery, are researched all the time. In general, the size of the print run necessary will determine the best method for individual jobs.