Top 5 Different Types of T-Shirt Printing Methods in 2021

3. Vinyl cutting

This is an interesting method of putting designs on T-shirts involving the use of a specially designed cloth that is cut into the desired shape and placed onto the t-shirt. This is then pressed using a heat application tool. The heat application component is similar to that of heat press printing. It is preferred because:

• The fact that cloth is used to make the ‘print’ puts it above others in terms of durability; no fading or running of colors.

• It is can create complex designs using multiple layers of fabric using a vinyl cutting machine.

• Different shapes and designs can be made by cutting the fabric into the so desired shape.

It is however limited to only particular letter designs and can be difficult creating certain shapes and designs.

4. Direct to garments or DTG

This is a relatively non-labor-intensive process that uses a fabric printer to print a design right from your computer screen. The printer uses special fabric ink and NOT the common paper ink used every day with normal printers.

Advantages:

• It is the easiest way to create the most complex design using a computer graphics application on the computer.

• It is a tidy affair; there is absolutely no handling of the product by hand during the process.

• It is relatively costing less than other automated methods to set up and operate

5. Dye sublimation

This technique is very different as it uses dye that is transferred onto your t-shirt using a heat application method that converts the state of dye from solid to gas.

It then opens the pores of your fabric and lets in the gaseous form of dye before lowering the temperatures and locking the dye into the fabric. The design is created on a computer screen after which a special dye-sublimation printer is used to complete the process.

It is used by many because:

• The ink and process used does not mess up the fabric by leaks as the dye does not go through the liquid stage. It therefore does not leave any stains behind.

• It has a long-lasting property because the print is not merely laid on top of the fabric but is ‘infused’ into it by the sublimation process.

• You can create complex designs on your computer for this kind of print.

These are common methods to use when printing a design on your t-shirt given each one’s pros and cons it is important to research on what method you may want to use which will be influenced by:

• Your level of expertise in a particular field of print.

• Available resources.

• The kind of fabric being used.

• The function of the t-shirt that will be the end product.

• Suited for commercial or small-scale printing.

https://www.jpl-print.com/jumbo-roll-sublimation-paper/