Here, We have covered information on various T-shirt printing methods with their pros and cons, including screen printing, sublimation, vinyl and Direct To Garment. The mentioned printing techniques help to choose right T-shirt print solutions for small to large and startup to huge established T-shirt business. Find out which is best for you.

1. By Brush Your Ideas
T-shirt Printing Methods
with Pros and Cons

2. Overview
There are many commonly followed ways of printing t-shirts. All the methods have their benefits
and pitfalls.
So the success of production depends on the amount of time you are willing to spend on the
production and the printing method you use.
Let us study the 6 popular T-shirt printing techniques in detail along with their benefits and
drawbacks.
1.Screen Printing
2.Heat Press/INKJET/Laser Transfers
3.Direct-To-Garment (DTG) Printing
4.Embroidered Printing
5.Cad Cut Vinyl Printing
6.Dye Sublimation Printing

3. Screen Printing
Screen Printing is the most effective t-shirt printing technique when it comes to bulk production.
When there are more than four or five colours involved, it gets a little complicated for
screen printing machines. So in such a scenario, it might take more time to print.
Pros:
●
It is also relatively inexpensive for bulk orders.
●
Exact colour matching with Pantones is possible.
Cons:
●
Can prove to be expensive for printing multiple colours
●
Takes more time with complicated designs

4. Heat Press/Inkjet/Laser Transfers
Heat transfer printing has been around for several years. Photocopy machines and laser printers work
really well on the heat transfer phenomenon. It involves printing designs from your PC and
transferring them with iron. Heat transfer might prove to be a traditional method for handing a t-shirt
printing business. This is because you have to print fast and in larger quantities.
Pros:
●
Fairly simple and it can produce high quality, complex design.
●
It is also one of the best techniques for full-colour printing.
●
Inexpensive for smaller runs.
Cons:
●
Asks for a lot of time and undivided attention from the printer
●
Less durable as compared to screen printing
●
Needs a lot of investment

5. Direct-To-Garment (DTG) Printing
DTG printing works like an ink jet printer and that is why there are no additional costs involved. It
can print multiple coloured images directly on the t-shirts with perfection. The results
obtained from direct-to-garment printing are as good as the ones obtained from screen
printing. Needless to say, it is way better than the quality produced by heat transfers.
Pros:
●
Allows for printing in full colour, allowing accurate reproduction of images or complex
graphics.
●
Easily customisable designs.
●
No minimum order quantity and no setup costs involved
Cons:
●
Not advisable for bulk production
●
Not possible to give volume discounts

6. Embroidered Printing
It is an ancient printing technique whose origins go back to 5th century BC. Embroidered printing is one of
the most unconventional ways of printing. This is because unlike other printing methods, it uses a
sewing machine that sews the design in the t-shirt. Lots of polo t-shirts are printed using this method.
Embroidery printing is also used to create corporate t-shirts.
Pros:
●
Very professional looking.
●
Long lasting method.
Cons:
●
Printing these kinds of t-shirts asks for a special skill
and might takes years to learn. You also might have
to spend a lot on labour for doing it on a bigger scale.
●
It is difficult to implement the embroidery of intricate
and minute designs.

7. Cad Cut Vinyl Printing
It is considered a printing technique there is no printing involved. A state of the art machine cuts a high-
quality vinyl paper into the shape of the design. One of the most common uses for this technique is the
sports kit, mainly football kits.
Pros:
●
No setup costs and gives bold
and vibrant colour images.
●
More viable printing locations such as
shoulders, sleeve, and collar.
●
Can also be used on polyester and nylon.
Cons:
●
When completing more than 25 units a screen print will likely offer better value.
●
Not suitable for oversized designs as the print can seem bulky.
●
Exact colour matching is not possible as vinyl materials are premanufactured.

8. Dye Sublimation Printing
Dye Sublimation Printing is great for full color designs on white or light colored garments. It has no feel to the
design but is a little trickier to master than inkjet heat transfers. Also, it tends to be a bit more expensive.
You can also use this process on non textile products such as mugs, mousepads, tile, puzzles, coasters,
key chains, etc. Dye sub is used only on man made fabrics like polyester (with various results on blends
and pre-treated fabrics). You cannot print on 100% cotton t-shirts with dye sub.
Pros:
●
Maximum detail for complicated designs
●
Sublimation dye will not crack, peel or fade
●
Can’t feel the print on the garment
Cons:
●
Not suitable for all garments – must be a polyester or poly blend
●
Must print on white or light colored garment (white is recommended for best color results)
●
Will have some imperfections when printing near edges, seams and collars
●
Can’t PMS color match

9. Final Thoughts
We have covered here the most popular t-shirt printing techniques, but there are many ways of
printing your t-shirt and each one has their own unique benefits and drawbacks.
As depends on your t-shirt business requirements, Here are the best coverage of various t-shirt
printing methods to running or startup t-shirt printing business at home or a more
professional setup.
For any queries regarding t-shirt printing techniques, Please comment or like below.

10. Thank You
Website: https://www.brushyourideas.com
E-mail: sales@brushyourideas.com