T-shirt Printing Techniques: A Guide

T-shirt Printing Techniques: A Guide

T-shirt printing is one of the ways you can express yourself by creating your own design and bring it to life, especially with today’s technology.  Printing on T-shirts started in the early 1980s, but now you can personalise your own T-shirts for special occasions and anything you can think of.  Two of the techniques used to print on to T-shirts are called heat transfer and screen printing.

Heat Transfer

T-shirt printing using heat transfer is the most common way that The London Printing Company prints T-shirts for clients.  This is due to the fact that it’s very easy and cost effective.  Heat transfer printing is brilliant because you can provide a design or designs which will then be created for you.  By using heat transfer printing it enables you, depending on your design, to cut out letters and shapes and also print pictures straight on to the t-shirt.  Once the design has been confirmed then the magic can begin and your idea will be created within minutes.

Screen Printing

The most common form of commercial T-shirt printing is screen-printing.  In screen-printing, a design is separated into individual colours.  In most commercial T-shirt printing, the specific colours in the design are used, but due to the high start-up costs small quantities are not economical to produce.  Full colour is more difficult to produce because screen printing uses a mesh hard to use with very fine designs.  Most customers will opt for heat transfer due to cost.

Both techniques will bring your customised design to life.  Do you have any special occasions approaching?  Why not contact us to discuss your requirements and sign-up to our newsletter using the box on the sidebar for our latest printing news and special offers.