What method of printing is best for t-shirts?
When looking for the best custom t-shirt printing method the first thing to look at is how many t-shirt are going to be purchased. There are two popular styles of t-shirt printing and one is geared towards higher quantities, while the other is geared towards lower quantities.
When seeking custom t-shirts in high quantities such as six to 1000+ pieces for instance, the best method of printing is screen printing. This process involves a multi-station machine and a screen with a stencil on it where the ink can flow through the open areas to create a sharp-edged image, that is known for its quality prints and durability.
When seeking custom t-shirts in low quantities such as one to five pieces, the best method of printing is digital shirt printing which is also known as direct to garment or DTG. This process involves a single printer that works on the same principles and ideas as a paper printer, and it is known for its low piece minimum and its durability.
The screen printing method produces a higher quality print than the digital printing; however, it is not generally affordable for smaller orders. That is because screen printing is based on the number of shirts ordered as well as the number of ink colors per location being printed. That means that for smaller order quantities screen printing will be a lot more expensive than on larger order quantities. Conversely, digital printing will be a flat rate and will generally be much more economical for smaller orders of about one to five pieces, but for larger orders screen printing is usually much more economical as well as producing higher quality results. You can also print on a wider range of items with screen printing, such as hoodies, sweatshirts, tote bags, aprons, and more.
Another thing to keep in mind is that we are only able to do digital printing on lighter colored shirts with darker ink colors. That means that if you want a dark colored shirt like black or navy blue then the only option is screen printing with a six piece minimum. With a little bit of extra knowledge it is easy to make the best decision for your printing project!
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