Clothing printing is the process of using inks and printing machines to print designs on a fabric or garment. It is a popular and fun way to personalize your clothes with unique designs, and it can be very affordable.
Screen printing is the most common method of t-shirt printing. It involves creating stencils for each design and then applying layers of ink or other materials onto the shirt.
Direct-to-garment digital printing uses a specialised fabric printer, similar to an inkjet computer printer, to transfer designs directly to the fabric. This is a good option for complex or very colourful designs.
Dye sublimation is another popular option, but it can be expensive and requires pre-treatment of the fabric (especially for polyester t-shirts). It can also cause a lot of mess on light colored shirts and is not suitable for dark garments.
Vinyl printing is a great choice for simple designs. This is a process that transfers images to t-shirts using a heat press. The tape used is usually a glossy surface and the design must be printed on it before it is pressed on to the fabric.
Discharge inks are a different type of reverse printing that bleaches the t-shirt rather than putting a color on top of it. It’s effective on natural fabrics like cotton and can give a distressed look.
Suede ink is a milky coloured additive that can be added to plastisol inks to create a suede feel on the fabric.