The T-shirt industry is witnessing a boom because of a steady shift in customer preference for wearing custom-designed clothing. Also, an increasing number of businesses are making them a part of their brand promotion strategy. According to a study conducted by Grand View Research, the market for T-shirts is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.7% in the period of 2021-2028. It means that there is huge market potential in custom T-shirts for budding entrepreneurs to exploit.
If you are thinking of setting up a custom T-shirt printing business, you will need to know the different printing methods. Some are better suited to certain kinds of fabrics, and some are more economical than others depending on the volume. The complexities of the printing like the number of colors and the composition of the graphics are also important factors in the printing process. With so many variables involved, it can be difficult to decide the printing method unless you know the details of each.
Screen Printing
One of the oldest methods of printing, screen printing was originally done by hand but can be now done with machines. The inks used in this process are thicker than those used in other printing processes, which makes them not only more vibrant but also more durable, provided; of course, the quality of the inks is good. This method is ideal for high-volume orders in the wholesale t shirt printing business. Depending on the design and other factors, you can even print up to 500 T-shirts with just one gallon of ink, making it very economical.
The advantage of screen printing is that the inks are absorbed into the fabric deeply and yield bright colors and durability. Once the setup is done the same design can be printed very fast, and when the right mix of inks is used, the process is suitable for most fabrics. However, the process is liable to be messy because of ink spillage, and it can take a lot of space to set up the work area, which also needs to be dust-free and dark to aid the preservation of the inks and the screens. The technique can take time and effort to learn.
Direct-to-Garment (DTG) Printing
A modern inkjet technology, DTG allows you to print very graphics and images in full color and with photographic quality directly onto the T-shirt using a DTG printing machine. The method is ideal when you want to print only a few T-shirts but the artwork is too complex for other printing methods. DTG printing machines are extremely sophisticated and allow you to have a clean and uncomplicated print with the potential of a very large color palette and reproduction of the tiniest of details.
The principal advantage of DTG printing is that there is no limit to the number of colors and the setup time is very low. The machines are compact, which means you don’t need a large area and you can even carry it around to provide on-the-spot printing services. However, the prints can only be done on T-shirts made from cotton, the colors tend to fade over time, and the placement of the artwork is limited. DTG machines are expensive to buy and maintain.
Heat Transfer Printing
This method involves placing sheets of the transfer material on the top of the T-shirts and applying heat and pressure for the permanent application of the design. The required graphic is first printed digitally using solvent inks on special heat transfer paper which is then applied to the T-shirt with a heat press machine. The process is clean and complication-free, requires minimal maintenance, and works well on different kinds of fabrics.
Dye-sublimation printing is another kind of heat transfer printing method in which the dye-based ink is heated to turn it into gas, and after application on the T-shirt; it reverts to its solid state. Because of this, the gas becomes integrated with the material and does not form an additional layer on top, which extends its life. The process allows designers to create designs for all-over printing that is not possible with other printing methods. The pros of the method include a print that is durable because the ink becomes part of the fabric; the printed area remains breathable and feels soft to the touch. The prints do not crack, peel, fade, or deteriorate in any way. However, folds and creases remain unprinted, the process is relatively expensive, and you get the best effect on polyester-based fabrics.
Conclusion
There are pros and cons of each of the different kinds of printing methods. Some methods are ideal for low volumes while others permit you to churn out large numbers very fast. The kind of fabric is also a limiting factor in most of the methods for printing high-quality graphics. The method you choose will depend on the target market you identify and the kind of setup and costs you can afford.