Do you want to start a t-shirt brand, but you are confused to decide where to start? Here are the solutions to all your troubles. Today, we will share all the details about t-shirt fabrics and the better printing techniques to create their brand. Before printing, the first thing is to choose the best quality fabric because a poor quality material can ruin all our efforts to make high-quality t-shirts. T-shirt printing consists of a wide range of styles and procedures you need to know before starting your brand. Here is all about printing types and design procedures.

History of T-Shirt Printing

The history of t-shirt printing goes back to the 1960s. The journey started from silk screen printing to screen printing and digital printing. Screen printing is the most popular form of printing t-shirts for all-purpose. Whether it is for music bands’ shirts, sports uniforms, or streetwear, t-shirt printing is the ideal way of designing.

Various T-Shirt Printing Techniques

The primary three forms of t-shirt printing are screen printing, DTG, and heat transfer printing. These techniques are suitable for cotton and streetwear fabrics. There are other ways, but these three are the most popular ones. There are many advantages of each of these types of printing. You can choose the one according to your requirements. Here are a few details of these printing techniques to guide you.

Screen Printing

Screen printing is one of the fantastic techniques of t-shirt printing, which has been used for ages till today due to its credibility. It is a process of transferring designs on a flat surface by using stencils. This process uses a mesh screen and ink to print on surfaces like wood, glass, paper, fabric, and metal. Any start-up t-shirt brand can use it for their business to produce a quality garment.

PROS
• Suitable for more extensive and two-color designs.
• Ideal for printing on cotton fabric
• Screen-printed clothes are machine washable and can be quickly ironed.
• It is less expensive if ordered in bulk.
• The ink used in screen printing is brighter than the standard ink color.
• There is no size limit in screen printing.

CONS
• Screen printing is not ideal for small orders.
• The use of separate color inks makes it expensive.
• Not suitable for multi-colored designs.
• It is time-consuming as after every setup, cleaning is required.

Supacolour Transfers

It is a two-step process in which design is transferred on fabric. First, the plan is printed on wax paper using special ink. In the second process, the design made on paper is printed on the material using a heat press. The heat helps this special ink to create adhesive on the opposite side of wax paper. It makes the ink stick to the fabric and transfers the design. Any start-up business with minimum order can use this technology as it is ideal for small orders and faster turnaround.

PROS
• High-quality prints are closer to screen printing.
• Small quantity makes the order delivery faster.
• It is ideal to use various colors on garments at the same time.
• Durable and does not fade after many washes.

CONS
• Not ideal for large runs, which cost more money and time
• The prints make the fabric firm.
• These prints appear good only on light-colored fabric.

Direct To Garment Printing

Direct to garment is the new technology in garment printing than screen printing. DTG printing uses a modified inkjet printer to apply ink directly to the garments, dried within hours by an attached tunnel dryer. DTG printing is still in the process of improvement and is ideal for businesses that want to deliver high-quality printing on garments. It is perfect for those who are starting their new t-shirt brand and have a minimal budget. DTG will cost them the lowest price.

PROS
• It has no minimum order quantity; you can order as per your need.
• Easily print full-color images.
• Much quicker than any other printing method and complete the printing order within a few hours.
• Suitable for both light and dark colored fabrics.
• Direct to garment printing is ideal for printing t-shirts for all occasions.
• Suitable for designs that require multiple color printing.

CONS
• It is not ideal for mass orders
• Pretreatment during the process can ruin the garment by causing permanent stains.
• Print is not durable and starts getting fade after a few washes.
• It has color limitations and cannot deliver specific colors like gold and silver.

Choosing The Right Fabric For T-Shirts

Choosing the suitable fabric for your brand is as important as selecting the print methods. There are two types of materials ideal for t-shirts making; carded cotton and combed ring-spun cotton.

Carded Cotton

Carding is the method used for spinning cotton into yarn. Carding removes the debris and makes the fabric soft for easy spinning. Without carding, the material will be coarse. It is the cheaper way of turning cotton into yarn. This fabric is suitable for streetwear t-shirts and is cost-effective. If you want to start your t-shirt brand with less budget, this is a great chance.

Combed Ring-Spun Cotton

Combed cotton is created after eliminating the short strands. The fibers are straightened with the help of fine brushes to make the fabric smooth. Combed cotton is the more potent form of cotton and good material for printing t-shirts. It is a qualitative t-shirt fabric for your new business.

Bottom Line

To start a new t-shirt business is not an easy task. One has to do proper research and gain information about all the aspects. Everything has to be done with a good understanding, from choosing fabric to deciding designs and printing technologies. Cotton is the most common fabric used for making t-shirts. It is comfortable and can easily fit into any printing method. To establish a brand, one cannot compromise on a single aspect. To fulfill your customer’s demands, you need to know everything about all printing techniques and design specifications.