T-shirts are one of the most widely used items in the promotional products industry. Not only is it suitable for all age groups, but it is also widely used in various promotions and exhibitions. Most importantly, it is easy to print logos and slogans on the surface in a variety of styles. In the following, I will explain the steps and various printing methods for printing on T-shirts. Next, I will list the 3 most common materials used to make T-shirts and explain in detail several ways to print logos on T-shirts.
The 3 most common materials for making T-shirts
100% cotton
The biggest advantage of cotton T-shirts is that they are made entirely of natural cotton, compared with other fabrics, cotton fabrics are almost harmless to the human body. Its main component is cellulose, containing a small amount of wax, nitrogen, pectin, does not contain any chemical substances. At the same time, the cotton fabric has excellent moisture-wicking properties, so it will be very comfortable to wear cotton T-shirts in summer. Accordingly, its drawbacks are also obvious. Not only is it more expensive to produce, but it also wrinkles easily.
100% polyester
For a 100% polyester T-shirt, the biggest advantage is the quick-drying. In addition to this, it holds shape and is not prone to shrinking or stretching with multiple washing. It is also because of these several advantages that polyester fabric T-shirts have become the first choice for some sports fans. Its disadvantage is that it has poor moisture absorption performance, especially in the summertime when wearing on the body will have a stifling feeling.
Poly-cotton blend
Poly-cotton blend combines the better of both worlds – natural and synthetic fabric. Also, it tends to be an affordable option for many and can be cheaper than 100% cotton fabrics. However, because the polyester fiber in the polyester-cotton fabric is a hydrophobic fiber, the affinity for oil is very strong, easy to absorb oil, and the wearing process is easy to generate static electricity.
There are a lot of factors that people consider when it comes to t-shirt fabrics. Each fabric has its various pros and cons, and no hard evidence seems to show that one is better than the other. You just need to choose a fabric that you think is best for you.
The 3 common T-Shirt Printing Methods
Screen printing
Screen printing is a t-shirt printing technique that is done with a stencil, and the creation of a stencil is the biggest cost of this printing method, although it is not suitable for complex and multi-color designs. However, because of its relatively low printing cost, it has become the preferred choice for printing large quantities of T-shirts. Although it is not suitable for complex and multi-color designs. If you’re looking to do mass printing where you’ll be mostly dealing with similar designs, say printing for Large-scale promotion or exhibition, then screen printing would be an excellent choice.
Heat transfers
Heat transfers are great for smaller print runs or jobs that involve many colors. If you’re just getting started with t-shirt printing and don’t have many or large orders, heat printing would be a very appropriate technique. You can use a special paper called transfer paper to create your design, and then transfer the designs to the t-shirt using heat and pressure. T-shirts using this method offer high-resolution images and are ideal for complex designs with many colors.
Offset printing
Offset printing, also known as lithography, is the most common printing method for T-shirts. This method utilizes water, ink, rubber rolls, and metal plates (one plate is made for each color) which transfer ink to rubber rolls. As the paper moves through the rolls, color is layered to produce the final image. Compared to other printing methods, offset printing is best suited for economically producing large volumes of high-quality prints in a manner that requires little maintenance. Compared to photogravure printing, the images printed by offset printing may be slightly blurred, but the quick and easy production of printing plates makes this printing method widely used.
