8 Reasons Why T-shirt Printing is Trending in 2022

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We can say that the T-shirt printing business will still trend in 2022. Every season there are new fashion trends. And of course, one of the inevitable clothing trends is ‘t-shirts’.

If you are learning about the T-shirt business then you will know that the customer t-shirt design trends have evolved a lot over the past few years. According to a new market report published by Credence Research, the global market for the custom t-shirt printing industry is expected to cross $ 10 billion by 2025. Rarecustom

If you are wondering if the T-shirt business is profitable for you, this article contains some top reasons why the t-shirt printing business will trend In 2022.

8 Reasons Why T-shirt Printing is Trending in 2022
How Much Does a T-shirt Printing Machine Cost?
Is T-shirt Printing Business Profitable?
What is The Best Online T-shirt Printing?
Which Printing is Best For T-shirt?
What is The Best T-shirt Printing Company?
What is The Cheapest T-shirt Printing Company?
How Much Does a T-shirt Printing Press Cost?
What Kind of Paper is Used For T-shirt Printing?
How do I Prepare my Art For T-shirt Printing?
What Are The Materials Used in T-shirt Printing?
Is There Money in T-shirt Printing?
What Are The Different Types of T-shirt Printing?
Which Ink is Best For T-shirt Printing?
What is The Softest T-shirt For Printing?
How Can I Promote my T-shirt Printing Business?

If you doubt the T-shirt printing business and its ability to bring you the desired sales and profit figures, we have compiled a list of the top 8 reasons why the T-shirt customized printing business will trend in 2022.

Here are the leading eight reasons why investing in the T-shirt customized printing business can confidently make high profits:

1. Branding

Do you know why car manufacturers put company logos on the front and back of cars? That is for the purpose of building a brand in the heart of the public. Because, to widely promote the company and increase brand awareness in the hearts of consumers, this can be considered a difficult challenge, especially for start-ups.

Therefore, many businesses have started to use custom t-shirt prints to attract attention.

By putting their logo and company name on the shirt, they can easily convey the brand’s message and draw attention. It can help convey brand messages in a more casual and friendly way. It can be worn anytime, anywhere, which increases brand coverage.

2. Fad For TV Series

Big Bang theory, Stranger Things, Avengers, Game of Thrones – It can be said that no matter where you go, you will always find fans of these series. Though these dramas are still going on, fans love to show off clothing related to these movies or their characters in order to express their love of the characters and the series.

If you want your customers to have the ability to create a design of their own choice, you should have a Tshirt Online design tool. With our T-shirt solution integrated with an online designer. They can choose from colors, images, fonts, etc. according to their preferences and style. Before proceeding with the final t-shirt printing, this tool must allow them to see what the design will look like on their t-shirt.

Some of highlight features of this t-shirt printing website template:

Ultimate Responsive
Fully Customizable
Ajax Search
One Page Checkout
Advanced Invoices
Live Chat
Online Designer
Order Upload
Price Matric
Shop By Brands Features
Crm (Customer Relationship Management)
Multi-vendor feature

3. Boosting Team Spirit

Over the past few years, companies have started realizing the importance of creating a strong company culture. Custom t-shirts are a great way of developing a strong emotional bond with the company. It unites internal teams, thus increases motivation and commitment among employees to achieve the company’s goals.

4. Customer Loyalty

In this highly competitive world, where competitors are just a few clicks away, it takes months or even years for companies to gain customer loyalty. Researchers have shown that customers are willing to stick around with those companies that have created a great experience for them.

Instead of just depending on websites or events, companies have started giving print t-shirts as a freebie on minimum purchase of any of their products. It is helping them in retaining old customers and making new customers feel special.

5. For Making Fashion Quotient

Swaggers are always ready to make style statements. In order to show off their sense of style, they always prefer to wear custom print shirts. They can flaunt their fashion quotient by wearing t-shirts that set them apart from others.

6. Off-The-Clock Marketing

Custom t-shirts are like a free off-the-clock marketing tool. Well-designed t-shirts encourage employees and customers to wear them anytime anywhere, thus helping companies in building brand identity.

7. Less Costly / Less Expensive

As compared to other forms of advertising like TV commerce, newspaper, billboards,… custom t-shirts is one of the most cost-effective ways to promote business. Online t-shirt maker tools have also made it easy for people to design shirts or t-shirts for any occasion.

In addition to this, a good quality t-shirt has a longer shelf life, helping the brand in gaining visibility for a longer period. This has increased the demand for t-shirts.

8. Promoting nature (Cause)

Nowadays, people have become more aware and concerned about the environment. It is making them use eco-friendly products. Not only do these t-shirts have quotes that motivate people to protect the planet, but they also use minimal energy and carbon. Why not consider setting up an environmentally friendly t-shirt printing company? After all, there is no planet B!

With the new design ideas and the right marketing strategies, they are definitely taking their business to the next level. Additionally, they never just stick to a single type of printing. They discover more options so that they can make a mark in the industry. The diversity of their business makes it profitable and with the right printing knowledge, they can certainly make the most of it.

How Much Does a T-shirt Printing Machine Cost?

Your choices for garment decoration are ever-expanding. Today’s options include traditional screen prints, embroidery, applique, transfers and the increasingly popular digital direct-to-garment (DTG) printing.

Since its inception, the number of manufacturers and models in the DTG market space has been in constant flux. Many well-marketed machines, once prevalent in discussions and trade show halls, have now nearly vanished.

However, over the last several years there have consistently been a handful of manufacturers leading the pack. Below, we’ve compared the top five DTG t-shirt printing machine models:

Epson F2100

At roughly 3’ by 5’, the Epson F2100’s footprint is more rectangular than the GTX from Brother. And at just over 1.5’ high, it’s certainly smaller. This is a table or bench top design and is not free standing, so you’ll need to plan on where it will be setup. Overall, the F2100 is a very quiet operating machine with a polished, put-together profile that works as easily in a home-based business as it does in a full production environment.

Pricing:

MSRP: $17,995
Est. Street Price: $15,995

Brother GTX

At 4.5’ by 4.25,’ the GTX is a little boxier and immediately conveys an industrial look with its predominately metal exterior. The GTX is a table or bench top unit, but with a custom stand available. This stand is recommended, as it allows users to take advantage of the open bottom design of the printer for humidification, which is often necessary for consistent operation.

Pricing:

MSRP: $22,500
Est. Street Price: $22,500

Col-Desi (DTG Digital) M2

Being the only dual platen printer of this group — meaning there are two platens to load t-shirts instead of just one — the natural thought would be that it has a much larger footprint. At about 4’ x 3,’ it occupies a similar space as the Brother, but with a much larger shadow as it’s nearly a complete rectangle.

A tabletop/bench top unit as well, the M2 will require proper arrangements. Quieter than the Brother GTX but not to the level of the Epson F2100, this unit can be an option for users that need an extra-large imaging area.

Pricing:

MSRP: $19,995
Est. Street Price: $19,995

Kornit Breeze

As the introductory machine from Kornit, the Breeze is the smallest in their line-up but one of the largest in this group. The 4’ x 5’ framework is the most modern-looking by far. As the only machine in the group with an integrated pre-treatment system, the overall footprint may be smaller. Kornit’s inks are typically cured with a gas dryer, which can serve as the base table for this printer.

Pricing:

MSRP: $65,000
Est. Street Price: $62,000

M&R M-Link-X

As the only free-standing unit in this group, the M-Link-X also has the distinction of being the largest at 4.5’ x 5.5.’ With a rugged steel frame and squared-off edging, the M-Link has the most industrial look and feel. Not the best option for home-based businesses, this unit is better suited for a production environment.

Pricing:

MSRP: $74,995
Est. Street Price: $70,995

Is T-shirt Printing Business Profitable?

T-shirts are a staple part of wardrobes across the globe. Furthermore, the global market for the custom T-shirt printing industry is expected to cross 10 billion USD by 2025.

everyone owns at least one T-shirt regardless of age, gender, and so on, which is exactly why a T-shirt business can become profitable in a very short amount of time. What’s more, is it can have low startup costs if you plan your business model correctly.

Bootstrapping your t-shirt business can be a great first step in getting the business off the ground. You can choose to take the dropshipping route or start a print-on-demand business.

What is The Best Online T-shirt Printing?

1. Designhill

Designhill is an ideal marketplace to source your custom T-shirt design Small business owners and individuals use this site to outsource a host of design solutions, including a wide range of t-shirts. The site gives you access to talented designers.

You need to launch your T-shirt design contest at this site. Dozens of designers respond to the contest by submitting as many design ideas to you. This is a cost-effective way to pick a winning design for your T-shirt marketing campaign.

Designing of the shirt in your own way is essential to convey the right brand message. This site helps you create unique and funny t-shirts online.

2. Custom Ink

Custom Ink is one of the leading platforms to design and print custom-T-shirts. You can place an order for all types of T-shirts including long sleeve, short sleeve, women’s, men’s soft tri-blend, and kids. The site offers you quality design software if you choose to create your own t-shirt design.

But what makes this site even more useful from a marketing point of view is that it helps you in fundraising. You can put the shirt or design up for sale. Then, raise money for a cause. The site has a unique feature for fundraising.

You get the delivery in 14 days under its free shipping offer.

3. Blu Yeti

Blu Yeti is another dependable site to source your custom -T-shirts online. It has some shirts that you can especially source for occasions like Mother’s day and Father’s day. Most designs are ready-made.

All you need to do is to customize the shirts with your name, age, date, etc. The quality of the screen T-shirt printing and the shirt design is top-notch.

The shipping will take 1-2 days.

4. Cafe Press

Cafe Press is the right platform to design your T-shirt on your own with your choice of colors, fonts, etc. The site has many customizable pre-designed T-shirt maker templates. This helps a lot in quickly experimenting with colors etc. You can have a preview of designs to find out which are best suited to the apparel. The site takes 6-13 days to deliver the order.

5. Zazzle

Zazzle has hundreds of options to customize your T-shirt for women, men, kids, and babies. You can design the apparel on your own as per your brand identity and then order the site to produce it for you. There is no restriction of minimum quantity. So, you can get just one or one hundred shirts designed and delivered. It takes 3-6 days to get the delivery.

6. Allied Shirts

Allied Shirts lets you design your shirt with its T-shirt maker tool for free if you place an order of no less than 12 T-shirts. If you have a shirt idea and need to convert it into a beautiful design, use the design tool or take help from an expert to create your own t-shirt.

The site is budget-friendly for small businesses and individuals. The order is fulfilled within ten days; however, you have the freedom to get it earlier by paying some extra charges.

Which Printing is Best For T-shirt?

Maybe it’s time for you to consider designing and printing your own shirts. It might be a bit complicated if you plan on doing just one shirt. However, if this is something that you want to pursue for a longer period of time, or to start a business, you should check out some of the main types of t-shirt printing methods.

1. Screen Printing

If you’ve had a printed shirt for years and it still looks amazing, it was probably made with screen printing. This method, known also as silkscreen printing, guarantees very good design replication. Many professionals rely on this method as it gives good results.

First of all, you need some kind of a stencil (or template) that you want to use. Second, you need a mesh that will hold your stencil.

The mesh is usually made of synthetic materials, such as nylon. Before the printing starts, the mesh has to go through a pre-process. The goal here is to get a clean area in the mesh that is identical to the design.

Afterward, you need to spill the ink all over the mesh and press it with a squeegee to make sure that the entire area is equally covered. This is the process that ensures that your design is replicated on the t-shirt. Don’t worry if there is some excess ink – you can wipe that away.

Finally, once you remove the screen and let it dry, you can enjoy your design.

2. Dye Sublimation

This method is great for big and complex designs. If you see a shirt that is covered in print, it was most likely produced using this method.

There is one important thing to note regarding the shirt material. Dye sublimation can only be used for light fabrics. It gives best results on polyester fabrics, for example. However, if you try to use it on a cotton shirt, the results will be terrible.

Although this is also a printing method that ensures high quality, you must be very knowledgeable to use it.

To begin with, you will need a special liquid type of dye. You should apply the dye on the transfer paper first. Once it dries completely, you can use heat and pressure for the sublimation.

This is different from screen-printing because you’re dying the fabric directly, not just printing on top of it. As a result, you can very clearly see the colors and the design, but you can’t feel it under your hand.

3. Direct to Garment (DTG) Technique

Here is another great method for those of you who are creative and want to experiment with your shirts. This method is somewhat new in the printing industry.

It gives very good results, especially with complex designs. There are no thick layers on the t-shirt and you can enjoy its soft touch.

DTG can be used at home, but you need to have the basic skills and necessary equipment.

It is very similar to the way paper printers work. You insert a paper and the printer then applies the ink on it and outputs the final result. It’s the same with shirts.

In order to use this method, you will need a DTG printer and ink. This type of printer can be expensive if you only want to use it at home for a few shirts.

Also, make sure that you get a high-quality printer because otherwise, you can end up with low design resolutions.

4. Heat Press Printing

Heat press printing works similarly as dye sublimation, with minor differences. It is suitable for smaller quantities of t-shirts. If you want to experiment with your own designs, this is a rather easy way to do it.

One of its main benefits is that you can replicate very complex designs. The final result after using this method is a nice, soft shirt with a vivid and durable design. It gives you the option to use the full spectrum of colors for the desired outcome.

The essential component for this type of shirt printing is transfer paper. Once the design is printed on this paper, you can apply heat and pressure to replicate it on the shirt.

When this is done, you just have to remove the transfer paper and strip off the excess dye. It is a fairly simple process to perform. It’s interesting that this type of replication is also used for decorating ceramic.

5. Vinyl Cutting

As the name suggests, the main focus here is on the cutting process. Unlike previous methods, this one includes very precise cutting of material. The pattern is applied afterward to the fabric.

This particular type of t-shirt printing is good for both small and big quantities. However, it is mainly used for small designs such as brands and logos. You may often find shirts made with this method in the sports industry.

You start by using a professional CAD cutter to tailor the design that you want. In order to transfer it to the shirt, you need to use the heat press method.

Since you will be using the vinyl cutting machine, you can play with different colors. They will look very vibrant on your shirt.

The reason why this is mainly used for small designs is that the shirt loses its flexibility once the design is applied.

6. Hand and Spray Painting, Airbrushing

In the era of technology, we mainly use machines to print on fabric. However, we shouldn’t forget the old-school t-shirt printing methods.

This is a method that hobbyists prefer since it gives them a lot of freedom to experiment and express their creativity. However, note that the final outcome depends largely on your skills.

This might be the very basic method of printing. You can either use spray or fabric paint to color your shirts. There are different techniques for you to explore.

It’s important to stress that you have to check the quality of your shirt in advance and whether it’s compatible with certain colors. Make sure that you get some of the high-quality paints if you choose this option.

The process is pretty much straightforward – you directly apply the color or the spray on the shirt. Once you finish, you need to wait for a while for it to dry completely.

The issue with this is the durability of the colors since many of them might fade away after a while.

What is The Best T-shirt Printing Company?

1. Designhill

Designhill is one of the top-selling companies which is quite popular for custom t-shirt printing. It’s a one-stop solution with its in-built creating and printing tool that simplifies the whole process.

From unique colors to various sizes, kids to men’s category, the site offers a large range of funny t-shirts styled as per the current trends. The standard turnaround time is quite less of this site as compared to other t-shirt printing sites.

The site ensures the delivery of quality products which has built a large customer base. The site also provides various other products and services like custom logo, brochures, flyers, business cards, coffee mugs, etc.

2. Vistaprint

Vistaprint is a nice custom t-shirt printing site that you can rely on for good quality. The site is popular for paper product printing and boasts of a good online catalog. The standard turnaround time depends on the vendor.

But the site has a vast customer base. This means that the order may take a very long time to fulfill. Moreover, a condition of using this site is that you have to use its online designer. Getting a quote is not easy with this printing site.

3. UberPrints

This site can deliver your custom printing order in 5 to 10 days. With this satisfactory turnaround time, you can also expect excellent quality. It also has an excellent online catalog and easy online designer. The site lets you have quotes easily.

But it may be a bit costlier printing site for small businesses as compared to others. You need to use an online designer to get your design work done.

4. DiscountMugs

One of the key features of the services at this site is that they offer pens, custom mugs, toys, and other promotional products along with your printed t-shirts. The delivery time, however, is sluggish. They may take even two weeks to send the t-shirts to your doorsteps. You get free shopping only when the orders value is above $75.

The site lets you upload your custom artwork to print t-shirts. It does not offer any design services. This means you will hire your graphic designer to create designs.

5. Broken Arrow Wear

If you need printed t-shirts in just around six business days, then Broken Arrow Wear is the right option. With such fast turnaround, you are assured of excellent quality and free delivery. It boasts of a vast online catalog. The customer help service is also commendable.

You have access to more than 13,000 pieces of clipart. The site gives you hundreds of ideas for your t-shirt.

6. CaféPress

Cafe Press is one of the quality custom t-shirt printing companies with a fast turnaround of 5 to 7 business days. It has a great collection of pre-designed t-shirts. Although prices are a little higher, its printing quality is unmatched. Another downside is that shipping is chargeable.

This website is perfect only when your orders are smaller. You can either choose a pre-design tee or design it on your own.

What is The Cheapest T-shirt Printing Company?

1. Bulk Custom Shirts

Turnaround Time: 3 – 14 days

100 Black Gildan T Shirts with 3-color print would cost $6.29 each

Bulk Custom Shirts is one of the best custom t-shirt printing company for you if your order is over 50 shirts, you’re going for the best value, and quality is important to you & your organization. Since Bulk Custom Shirts is specialized in bulk orders and b2b production, their clients get high quality t-shirt screen printing and embroidery at a fraction of the cost of “no-minimum” facilities.

Their centralized Austin and Dallas, TX facilities allow them to deliver orders quickly nationwide. Bulk Custom Shirts also has friendly, helpful graphic designers and product specialists ready to help you every step of the way – 7 days a week.

2. Café Press

Turnaround Time: 4 – 12 days

100 Black Generic T Shirts with 3-color print would cost $14 each

You can order some cool t-shirts, mugs and a wall clock from here as one does late at night. However, between the limited apparel options, the extra $100+ shipping fee for 100 shirts, and overall high price, you might feel like it wasn’t the right fit for larger orders. It’s still a great place to browse through their designs and for gift ideas!

3. Custom Ink

Turnaround Time: 3 – 14 days

100 Black Gildan T Shirts with 3-color print would cost $8.29 each

Custom Ink has one of the best t-shirt designers online. Despite their higher prices, they are a solid choice for small orders or if you want to use their designer to create a design. Furthermore, if you’re a non-profit trying to raise funds by selling custom t-shirts, you can upload your design and put it on their website – similar to Teespring or Printful.

4. Icon Creativ

Turnaround Time: 3 – 14 days

100 Black Gildan T-Shirts with 3-color print would cost $6.49 each

Icon Creativ is similar to Bulk Custom Shirts except with slightly lower minimum orders. Their online catalog of products isn’t as refined as Bulk Custom Shirts, but the team knows a lot about their custom products and can quickly help with design and product selection. Therefore, if you need at least 24 t-shirts and want help producing your order quickly, Icon Creativ is a great, affordable choice.

5. Vistaprint

Turnaround Time: 3 – 10 days

100 Black Gildan T Shirts* with 3-color print would cost $9.87 each

You will love Vistaprint and always get your business cards – and usually a mousepad or other sweet personalized upsell – from there. It’s hard to beat their quality and price on paper products, period. However, it feels like their custom t-shirt department is more of a squeezed-in service than a specialty they’re proud of offering. Regardless, clients appreciate their business and their customer service.

How Much Does a T-shirt Printing Press Cost?

The main piece of equipment you will need for both methods is a heat press. Make sure you get a quality heat press to make sure that you always get a good application. A good heat press starts at about $700.

If you choose to get a vinyl cutter as well, small craft cutters start at about $200.

For some, the BEST t-shirt printing machine might be a $500,000 Kornit or Aeoon high output DTG. But unless you’re getting into the – “1,000 completely custom shirts a day” business, neither machine is going to be best for you.

What Kind of Paper is Used For T-shirt Printing?

Transfer papers are a very vital part of t-shirt printing, especially if you use a heat press. If you are in the printing business, then you already know what they are. But for the sake of beginners, we will give a brief introduction.

A transfer paper is a paper on which the image is printed and then transferred to a surface (fabric, canvass, or wood). They are often more compatible with inkjet printers which give a pulsating and vibrant appearance when transferred to the shirt.

Types of Transfer Paper For Tshirt

Before you begin, you must know the models and their uses because transfer paper is very important material in T-shirt printing industry. Many people believe that the ink used in printing the graphics is what makes transfers effective, but that is far from the truth. The reality is that the paper type is the determinant.

There are two types of transfer papers, viz:

Light Transfer Paper

These papers are usually light-colored with colors like white, baby pink, and other extremely light colors. They are used to transfer graphics to shirts of similar colors. Inks used in these papers are usually translucent and can only appear on light-colored fabrics.

Dark Transfer Papers

These are the opposite of the light papers. They are dark and are used to transfer images, letters, etc. to dark colored shirts. While using this, the ink is transferred in a white background that serves to block the color of the fabrics from showing.

Choosing the right transfer paper goes a long way in ensuring an excellent transfer. Another thing is making sure you use an inkjet printer.

How do I Prepare my Art For T-shirt Printing?

Before jumping into the computer, you will need to create a sketch. With your sketch ready, here are some thing you need to do to get started with your t-shirt printing.

1. Use PMS or CMYK color modes

You might be used to doing online artwork in RGB, but to ensure the most accurate colors with a silk screener, definitely use PMS and CMYK color modes. This also makes the color separations easy and accurate.

2. Convert all text to outlines

Sometimes your artwork may call for a very obscure font or maybe even a custom designed font. When sending your artwork off for print, the last thing you want to see, is a substituted font in your design. By converting the text to outlines, any computer that opens the artwork will view the text as an image. Therefore, no substitutions will be made.

3. Create artwork at actual size

Do not trust the printer’s judgment without discussing it with them first. Your vision of the end product can be different from what the printer thinks is your end product. The safest way to defend yourself in this situation is to create the artwork in its final size. Don’t know what size you want to use? Slap a ruler to the shirt you are wearing. Sounds simple, but it works.

4. Use vector artwork as much as possible

This is not an argument over raster vs. vector, just a suggestion to use vector artwork when possible. It makes color separations easier with the print coming out cleaner. This is a general rule for everyday jobs and not automatic in all situations.

5. Expand strokes

If you have properly set all of your colors to PMS swatches, then the color separations software will have no problem. This is more of a human error that occurs because sometimes strokes are overlooked. This tip is at #5 because it can save you from ruining an otherwise great project. To expand your strokes, select what you want to expand then go to Object > Expand.

What Are The Materials Used in T-shirt Printing?

Printing on shirts is an easy and stress-free work although the ease depends on the quantity and complexity of the prints. It could be as simple as a home DIY project, a small business, or a big enterprise.

However, one thing that can make the process difficult is when you don’t have the appropriate materials. There are a lot of materials for t-shirt print out there whose uses are determined by the scale of the printing.

The list below can be used by anyone looking to start printing on shirts, whether for a business or personal DIY projects.

Below is an overview of the equipment needed for the t-shirt starting from the basics. This is, however, not according to relevance. So feel free to get whichever first.

1. Heat Press Machine

These are machines used to transfer artworks and graphics to shirts. They are very versatile as they can be used for a lot of things, including mugs, shoes, tote bags, mouse-pads and lots more.

Heat press machines can vary from manual press machine that does not require electricity to electronic press machines and commercial grade press machine.

The type you get is dependent on your budget and what you use it for. If you are starting, we recommend that you get the manual or electronic press machine.

It is essential if you are into team printing. This is because you are using a single design for all the shirts, so they are all uniform. When buying, we recommend that you buy a 16×20 machine. If you can’t get that, buy a 15×15 machine and upgrade to the former when the need arises.

Alternatively, you can use an iron box if you lack a press machine. However, the design might not come out as neat as you would want.

Note: Be aware of heatpress temperature settings while using this machine because if you use the wrong temperature your design will be destroyed.

2. Inkjet Printer

This is important, especially if you will be using the digital heat press method. The method lets you transfer printed designs from transfer paper to the shirt using the heat press machine.

The inkjet printer is used to print the design on the transfer paper. To get the best out of this, ensure that you use the right transfer paper, i.e., an inkjet printer paper.

Also, use a good quality inkjet printer for the best work. They give your work perfectly neat and immaculate finishing.

A good printer should be able to accommodate different sizes of sheets and paper as this will allow you to work with varying designs regardless of how big or minuscule they are.

Some printers will require the use of software for better results. Make sure you get one that is compatible with your printer.

3. The Screen

The screen is another vital material you will need for printing on shirts. This is particularly more important when you want to make screen prints. It is a simple material that you can make at home with a few things.

Besides, the primary use of this tool is in making stencils. These stencils are then transferred onto the shirt, thereby creating a design on it. Its functions are very similar to that of a heat press only that they are used for different methods of printing.

Working with a screen can be a little difficult as you will need a different one for each color you intend on transferring.

Also, you will need the screen to have a mesh count, the higher the mesh count, the more meticulous your design is going to be.

For context, if you are looking to make a puff and athletic design, you will need a mesh count of 15 – 90. While for general printing, it should be anything between 15 and 160 mesh counts.

If you choose to make your screen at home, consider using durable materials to make the frame- wood or aluminum can do the trick.

This will make it more sturdy and durable. Moreover, they are sensitive to light so remember to get something to remedy that.

4. Emulsion

As we have mentioned earlier, the screen is sensitive to light. So to take care of that, you will need emulsion. It is a liquid substance that is applied to screens to reduce its sensitivity to light.

Usually, it is applied to the screen before using it. The hardening of the emulsion (when it’s exposed to light) is what creates the stencil.

Applying this chemical substance is easy. You will, however, need a particular tool to that, squeegee or a scoop coater is the most common. Make sure you have one of them handy when preparing for screen prints. We do a deep dive into printer for screen printing in our article on how to easily print screen printing transparencies by a printer.

To achieve an even and smooth transfer, apply a thick amount of emulsion to screens. This will give more room to the screen hence a better printing outcome and color saturation.

You will need to get a drying rack to dry the emulsion-coated screens. This will prevent them from mixing.

5. Ink

This is one of the most critical materials used when making any printing. Well, how can you see the design if not for the ink? They are different types of ink used for printing. They include plastisol or water-based inks.

For t-shirt printing, you will need a solvent ink. They come in different colors. For starters, you can get the primary colors like black, white, red, blue, or yellow.

If you wish to get a more unique and astute color, you can mix two or more colors until you are satisfied with the new one.

Getting a starter mixing system can help with the mixing, whereas quart containers are used to mix inks. You will need a scale also to weigh the ink before blending for a more precise outcome.

6. Exposure Unit

The exposure unit is the equipment used for curing the screen coated with emulsion. It pinpoints light to the stencil rather than allowing the full light of the sun. In the absence of this tool, you can use the sun to cure the stencil.

This is equipment has an oven-like shape where you place the screens while they absorb the light. While placing them in the exposure unit, make sure that both sides of the screen do not touch each other.

7. Washout Station and Water Source

After curing the emulsion-coated screen in the exposure unit, you will need to wash off excess uncured emulsion. Failure to that will make the screen get cured more when exposed to sunlight which can cause foggy work.

The washout sink is what is used for that purpose. It might be an improvisation or professionally made. What is essential is that there is a constant flow of water.

8. Conveyor Dryers

After washing off the screen clean, you will need to dry it, hence the conveyor dryer. They also heat the ink on the shirt, thereby setting it more on the shirt.

This ensures that the print does not easily get removed from it. This is the final step in t-shirt manufacturing.

Is There Money in T-shirt Printing?

If you are printing your own T-shirts, you can attempt to make money from your endeavors. Since popular T-shirt sites like Zazzle and Cafe Press do the printing for you, you cannot utilize these outlets to sell your own printed T-shirts.

While this may seem like a disadvantage, it actually has its advantages since you can make more of a profit when printing your own shirts versus selling through an outlet that does the printing for you. With a little hard work, you can make money printing T-shirts on your own.

1. Create your own designs instead of paying someone else to create them. This prevents you from having to pay for designs. You can freehand your designs on paper or another medium, or you can create them in design software, such as Photoshop, Fireworks or GIMP.

2. Set a price for your T-shirts by determining your cost. If you are paying someone to screen print them, calculate the per-shirt printing cost by dividing the total you paid by the number of shirts printed. If you printed the shirts on your own, you can add up your materials cost to see how much you have spent printing the shirts.

Do not forget to include the cost of the shirts. Add all these figures up to get the total cost per shirt. Once you have this number, you can determine how much to add to that number so that you can make the amount you want on each shirt. For example, if your cost is $6 and you want to make $10 per shirt, you need to price each shirt at $16.

3. Create a website for your shirts, if you are comfortable doing so, or hire a web designer to create the site for you. To find a web designer, you can use a site like Elance.com, visit a local technical college, or ask around for references from your friends and neighbors.

You may be creating the shirts around a website that you already have, such as a games website or an artwork website. If this is the case, you may just want to include a single page on that site for your new T-shirts. You should have a way for people to pay for your shirts online, which can be done via merchant account, PayPal or Google Checkout.

4. Promote your T-shirts online through free social media methods such as Facebook and Twitter. You vcan pay for ads through Facebook Ads and Google AdWords. Prices vary. If you can afford to give away free products, you can contact the owners of blogs or websites that are relevant to your T-shirts and offer to send free shirts for giveaways. This will get your brand and your designs out in the market.

5. Secure a booth at local festivals, outdoor markets, fairs and similar events that relate to your T-shirt designs. Booth prices vary. Obtaining a booth allows you to sell directly to consumers. You can look in the local newspaper for upcoming events or use the Festivals.com website to search for events. Once you find an event that you want to attend, you must contact the event planners to secure a booth.

6. Visit local clothing stores and boutique shops in your area to ask if they will stock your T-shirts. Be prepared to leave the shirts at the store on a consignment basis, which means you only get paid if the shirts sell. In this type of arrangement, you generally check back with the store on a regular basis to see how the merchandise is moving.

This is a good way for a store to try out new merchandise without financially committing. You will need to negotiate the percentage the retailer receives from the sale. This can vary from 25 to 50 percent.

What Are The Different Types of T-shirt Printing?

For starters, different methods of printing t-shirts have different efficiencies, so one method might be suitable for ten t-shirts but almost useless when it comes to printing a hundred t-shirts.

Again, each method may be suited for certain fabrics but totally unsuitable for others.

1. Screen Printing

Also known as silkscreen printing or screen printing happens to be the method that the pros prefer, possibly because of the awesome results in regards to quality.

To pull off a screen-print, you need a nylon mesh and a stencil/template. In the set-up, the nylon mesh holds the stencil in place, and a water-proof material blocks the negative space you’re looking to design.

You then spread the ink all over the screen often using a squeegee and the ink permeable negative space allows your design to be printed.

Finally, you take the screen off then allow the design to dry and cure.

Though silkscreen printing is one of the oldest methods of printing t-shirts, it has remained one of the most preferred methods as it creates vibrant and long-lasting designs.

To print multi-colored designs, you have to make different screens as each screen supports just one color.

This might seem time-consuming, but unlike other methods, where a template is used for just one design, each screen can be used multiple times, and that’s what makes screen printing efficient and suitable for large orders.

Nonetheless, we wouldn’t recommend it where you’re preparing different complex, multi-colored designs.

If you’re looking to do mass printing where you’ll be mostly dealing with similar designs, say printing for sports teams or organizations, then screen printing would be an excellent choice.

2. Direct to Garments (DTG)

This is yet another method that is popular among the pros. It works like paper printing in the office, and to use the method, you will need to get inks and a textile printer.

As with paper printing, you load (or create) your designs to the computer then feed them to the printer, which sets these designs on the t-shirt.

The only difference with paper printing is that rather than using paper, you’re using fabrics.

Looking to print out designs that are very complicated? This method is the best shot.

With computer programs like Adobe Photoshop, you will be able to define the tiniest details and transfer them to the t-shirt with a high degree of accuracy using the printer.

As the ink used here is only thin, extra-thick layers will not be created.

If you decide to use DTG, you had better ensure that the printer is of great quality. That’s because if you use a poor-quality printer, you are likely to come up with a low-resolution print with unsightly dotted patterns.

3. Dye Sublimation

If you’ve ever seen a t-shirt with a huge design that was spread all over it, the t-shirt was likely printed using the dye sublimation method.

This method is suited for light fabrics especially where you want to print a large design.

Although it costs a lot to produce a dye sublimation, the resulting design looks very clear with a high resolution, and it leaves the customers happy.

When you need to create awesome designs on polyester t-shirts, dye sub is the best method.

But, don’t make the mistake of bringing cotton t-shirts to the scene; the design will likely be horrible.

When using this technique, you’re basically using a special liquid dye that dries up and solidifies when it comes into contact with the materials like polyester.

For sublimation to take place properly, you have to apply some heat and pressure.

The best thing about this approach is that it brings out designs that are not only cute but also long-lasting. In fact, it’s as though the ink becomes a part of the fabric – so appropriate where quality, professional results are needed.

4. Heat Press Printing

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. It will save you not only resources but also time.

With heat printing, you use a special kind of paper, known as a transfer paper to make your designs and then you transfer the designs to the t-shirt using heat and pressure.

In most cases, vinyl is used as the transfer paper, and it has an adhesive material on one side and a strippable tape on the opposite side.

Once you have printed out your design and pressed it on to the t-shirt, you hold the tape and strip it, leaving only the design.

The tape is typically the glossy side, and that’s what you have to strip.

Note: You need to know details about heat pressing time and temperature guide before start printing with a heat press.

5. Heat Transfer Vinyl

This technique uses a special soft cloth that you have to cut into various shapes before transferring them to the fabric using a heat press. The heat press can be either a machine or an iron box. To cut out the shapes, you need a Cricut machine.

Here, you’re basically taking one image and transferring it to a different surface. If your business is (or will be) about printing small graphics or slogans, then heat transfer vinyl is suitable.

6. Plastisol transfer

This method is quite similar to screen printing, with the exception that rather than transferring the dye to screens, you transfer it to plastisol and finally to the t-shirt.

Many t-shirt printing entrepreneurs use outsourcing here for the sake of efficiency.

In that regard, they come up with designs, send these designs to a printing company that prints them on high-grade plastisol, and then these companies ship the plastisol back to the t-shirt entrepreneurs.

You could use the same method, and once you receive the plastisol, you can stick it on to your t-shirts using a heat press.

7. Computer-aided Design (CAD) Cut Printing

This is yet another method that involves transferring designs on to the fabric using heat.

In a majority of the cases, the technique is used where numbers, logos, and names are being printed.

Designs are created on colored vinyl using the CAD-Cut system, and these designs are transferred onto the t-shirt using a heat press.

In the event that you’re printing similar designs of one to three colors, then the CAD-Cut method is perfect.

Which Ink is Best For T-shirt Printing?

When it comes to getting the design right, it is important to use the right printing ink. If you do not use the right type of ink, the whole design will fall apart. In screen printing, one of the most popular printing techniques, the type of ink used matters because each comes with its pros and cons.

Hence, it is imperative to understand the features of different types of inks to enable the use of the best ink that suits your t-shirt design.

Here are some of the inks custom t-shirt printing companies in India use…

1. Plastisol Ink

A commonly used ink in screen printing, plastisol ink is versatile and durable and thus perfect for custom t-shirt printing. It is a thick ink and easy to mix as well. Another advantage is that it is well-suited for different types of screen printing.

Plastisol ink has high density and thus does not arch, and with its viscosity, the ink is suitable for softer prints, thus making it a preferred option for professional t-shirt printers in India. The viscosity factor also helps to create opaque prints allowing better coverage, a feature that helps while printing dark garments.

Plastisol ink is also a practical option for printers because of the accuracy it lends while matching the Pantone colour system. Since it works on almost all types of fabrics, custom t-shirt printers love using plastisol ink.

Though plastisol ink has several pros, there are also some cons. For one, it is not sustainable, and hence, today, many printers are looking at other options. The ink is very thick because of which it does not get soaked into the fabric but only settles above it.

It gives the design a rubbery or plastic feel to it. Though there are ways to reduce the thickness, the final effect may not be as fine as you would want.

Plastisol ink prints cannot be dried in the sun, but requires curing. It is a chemical process where a heat source is used to heat the ink to a specific temperature.

2. Water-based Ink

The main benefit of water-based ink is that it binds with the fabric, lending the essence of a dye. Hence, the print does not look as if it is resting on the garment as with plastisol ink. The print appears softer and more solid with water-based ink. The ink works best for light-coloured or white fabrics. When water-based inks are used on darker fabrics, you can lend a vintage look to the print.

Even a novice printer can work easily with water-based inks as it is easy to work with.

There are also several disadvantages to water-based inks. Since it is in liquid form, when printed on dark garments, the colours may look dull. Thus, the inks do not have high opacity or coverage. To use water-based ink on dark shirts, you will need a white base.

Since it water-based ink, you will have to wait till the colour dries out. So, if you are printing during the rainy season, or in humid conditions, you will have to use a heat source to dry the fabric.

You could also face problems in getting custom colours because the colours may not look the same after printing because of ink’s semi-transparency.

Another downside is that water-based inks work best only on cotton fabrics. Though you can use it on other fabrics also, you will not get the same colour, but only the muted version. These days, printers have devised ways for water-based inks to work on other fabrics as well, but that will require more effort and time.

Also, water-based inks do not have a shelf life because it will dry out after some time. Even if you add a discharge agent, you may have to use it within 48 hours.

Water-based inks are eco-friendly and if you wish to work with it, learn the best ways to use it first. If used well and correctly, you will be able to get some great prints with the ink.

3. Discharge Ink

Discharge inks tend to remove the original colour of the garment and replace it with its dye. It is available in plastisol as well as water-based ink types. Many printers use discharge ink because it works well on dark garments without under basing.

A disadvantage of discharge ink is that it works only best with 100% cotton. For the discharge ink to fully cure, a heat source is necessary. Also, the printer has to be experienced and skilled to work with discharge inks. Since the inks let out a heavy smell, the workspace should be well-ventilated.

Discharge inks can be an asset to any printer as long as they understand the working and learn the proper ways to work with it. Working with discharge inks save printers’ time and money.

4. Special Effects Ink

Today, custom t-shirts come in varied designs and effects. Gone are the days when custom tees were white t-shirts with a small logo. As the popularity of personalised t-shirts grew, so did unique designs. When you want distinctive designs on your t-shirts, the ink too has to be unique.

So, to bring about different effects such as metallic, fluorescent, shimmer, or glow-in-the-dark, special effects ink helps. There are many different kinds of special effect inks, each lending a unique look to the garment.

One of the most popular speciality inks is the glow-in-the-dark ink. Many also love a little sparkle on their t-shirt. Hence, now metallic speciality inks are also popular with printers. Custom t-shirts with a touch of shine and sparkle are a win-win situation for the brand and the wearer.

A custom t-shirt trend that refuses to fade is the vintage effect t-shirts. There are special inks to lend that vintage feel to tees. The suede inks give a suede-feel to t-shirts which are a hit with the youth.

Heat–activated and light-activated colour changing inks are also getting popular. So, your t-shirt changes colour when it is at a specific temperature or light. Imagine you come outside your house wearing a particular colour and bam! As you step into the sun, the earlier colour changes and there is a new colour! How exciting is that!

Though special effects inks help create astonishing and eye-catching designs, they are not easy to work with and needs practice as well as precision. Available in plastisol and water-based inks, speciality inks may work well with only certain types of fabrics.

What is The Softest T-shirt For Printing?

Tri-blend fabrics steal the show as the most available and affordable option for a soft t-shirt. Part of the affordability stems from the fact that tri-blend fabric usually incorporates at least one synthetic fiber, which knocks down the price compared to a natural fabric.

Of course, the incredible softness of this blended material is what makes it popular!

Various kinds of cotton also offer a luxurious, soft shirt, though this luxury often comes with a large price tag. High-end t-shirts are often made of pima and supima cotton. Fabrics like Egyptian and Sea Island Cotton also merit a mention for their exclusivity, priciness, and ultimate softness.

Tri-Blend

So, what makes tri-blend fabric so soft? Every fabric has strengths and weaknesses on its own, but blending them can create a material that celebrates all of the strengths and minimizes the weaknesses of the three individual fibers. The tri-blend weave of polyester, cotton, and rayon creates a soft, supple fabric that has become wildly popular in the t-shirt world.

Today many brands that sell t-shirts use tri-blend fabric. You can purchase a tri-blend t-shirt at Walmart or on Amazon.com, but you can also find unique graphic tees with a slightly higher price tag for sale on Etsy and from big-name brands like American Apparel, Under Armor, and Hanes.

Most mass-produced tri-blend t-shirts use a blend of cotton, polyester, and rayon. The polyester fibers in the blend provide a cheap, durable base for the blend, while cotton boosts comfort appeal, and rayon adds the light, silky element of the texture.

“Triblend” in the garment industry usually means fabric made with a ratio of 50% polyester, 25 % cotton, and 25% rayon. You can always read the product description to double-check the composition of the fabric.

Some specialty shirts take the idea of a tri-blend fabric farther and think outside the box, using different fibers altogether. For example, the Two Blind Brothers sell clothing that is all about the texture and feel of each fabric. They sell a dress shirt made out of a tri-blend fabric comprised of 66% bamboo, 28% cotton, and 6% spandex; they consider this the softest fabric of all time!

Pima and Supima Cotton T-Shirts

Pima cotton also ranks highly in the competition for softest t-shirt fabric. This cotton sports a longer fiber than the average cotton, which allows for a higher thread count and creates a softer texture in the material. For purposes of comparison, you might be interested to know that pima cotton and Egyptian cotton both qualify as something called “extra-long-staple cotton.”

Supima cotton has even longer fibers than pima fabric, which makes it even more soft and silky. On top of that, supima fabric is only manufactured in the U.S. and comes with quality guarantees. (Of course, this also means that supima fabric costs even more than pima fabric!)

Only the United States, Australia, and Peru grow this high-end cotton, which is named after the Pima Indians who helped develop it in the early 1900s. Only a tiny percentage of the cotton grown every year is pima or supima, which adds to its high price tag.

Though you can certainly find reasonably priced pima cotton products, these shirts can also range anywhere from $200-$800 depending on the brand and seller. Brands like L.L. Bean, Calvin Klein, Gucci, and Lacoste all sell products made with pima cotton.

Pima cotton is a renewable (though rare) resource; anything made from natural fibers has the advantage of being a sustainable choice. Pima cotton also boasts incredible softness and the breathable quality that makes cotton so popular.

The two big downsides to purchasing a pima cotton t-shirt are the price tag and the fact that cotton is an absorbent fabric that does not dry quickly.

Polyester and Cotton Blend

Both 100% cotton and 100% polyester lack the super-soft qualities of tri-blend and pima cotton fabric; no one argues that these fabrics provide ultimate comfort! That said, 100% cotton and 100% polyester remain a popular material for t-shirts because of their affordability and durability.

When you think about varying levels of softness, 100% cotton has a familiar slightly thick, slightly thready feel to it–while certainly far softer than something like canvas or burlap, 100% cotton falls far short of the sleek, smooth texture of fabrics like rayon or cashmere. Because of this, some manufacturers treat 100% cotton t-shirts with special chemicals to give them a well-worn feel.

A 50/50 blend of cotton and polyester, which merges the breathability of cotton with the tensile strength of polyester, also makes a strong showing on the t-shirt market. This fabric often referred to simply as 50/50, holds color and printed designs quite well, which makes it a favorite in the t-shirt world.

The only difference between 50/50 and a tri-blend is that 50/50 lacks the soft silkiness of the rayon that merges into a tri-blend.

How Can I Promote my T-shirt Printing Business?

One of the keys to having a successful t-shirt business is marketing. People can’t buy a t-shirt they’ve never seen or heard of. You have to utilize as many options as you can to get the word out about your business, especially when you’re just starting. Use these tips to help promote your t-shirts more and increase your chances of getting sales.

1. Run a contest

Contests are a great way to get attention. Many local radio stations often run contests as a part of their promotion. One idea you might consider is calling up a radio station and partnering with them in running a contest. You could negotiate the terms to where you offer your t-shirt as a prize, and as a result, you’ll get free airtime with your business mentioned as the sponsor.

If you want to get more creative, make the prize you give away a package. You could include along with the t-shirt, a cap and a bag. One other option you could do is have a raffle. For every t-shirt a customer purchases, they enter a raffle for a grand prize. As you can see, there are many ways you can go about running a contest to promote your t-shirt business more.

2. Make a press release

Perhaps you have a newsworthy material that should be reported about your business. If you think you do, write a press release and send it to your local newspaper, radio station, tv station, and magazines.

It’ll cost you almost nothing to do it, and you could potentially get free media coverage. It’s helpful if you or someone working for you has a skill with public relations to build a relationship with the media. You can also opt to find bloggers who are influential within your specific t-shirt niche.

You may only have to give them one of your products, and they will write a business story about your business or do a product review. You won’t know until you ask, so make sure to at least inquire to see if an influencer might be interested. You can also request promotion from influencers who are on social media, YouTube, or have a popular website in your niche.

3. Get on social media

Social media is perhaps the easiest tool you can use to promote your t-shirt business. Best of all, it doesn’t have to cost you anything. All it takes is a little bit of time writing up an interesting and attention-grabbing post, and then sharing it with your followers.

Another option you could try is you could encourage all of your followers to take pictures and share themselves wearing your t-shirts. In addition, you could also show off future t-shirt ideas you may have for your customers. It can be a great way for you to get feedback on what products they like the best.

You could choose to have a poll on your designs, and the t-shirt designs that get the most votes can give you an idea of what kind of products you should create in the future. In addition, you can do other social media promotional tactics such as starting a hashtag with your brand name or sharing positive things that other people have to say about your product.

There are also advertisement options available on social media websites. Needless to say, it’s wise to take advantage of social media as much as you can to promote your t-shirts.

4. Create videos

Millions of people watch online videos every day, and the numbers are only going to continue to grow. Creating a YouTube video or uploading a video on social media is a great way to attract new customers and connect with them more.

For example, you could use your videos to show the process of how you come up with your designs for your t-shirt. You can tell an inspirational story behind your business that can connect with your target demographic. Videos also get more shares than text and image-based content. Creating videos should be one of the central parts of your marketing strategy.

5. Be a sponsor for a local event

When there’s a run or walk event in your community, offer to provide free or discounted custom t-shirts in support of the event. You’ll find that in many of these events, there’s a business that gives the participants a t-shirt or some kind of freebie after the walk is finished.

You can offer to do this for the event organizers if, in exchange, they’ll allow you to pass out business cards, coupons, or brochures. If you’re able to do it, make sure you have your logo somewhere on the free custom t-shirts you make for the event.

Having your logo on the t-shirt will give you continued promotion beyond the day of the event whenever people wear your t-shirts around the community. In addition to customizing t-shirts for local events, you can also offer to do it for local sports teams and other local community groups as well.

6. Do old fashion advertising

While certain forms of advertising aren’t as widely used anymore, it doesn’t hurt to try every marketing strategy that you can. Create fliers for your t-shirt business and hang them across different areas of your town. Make sure you know which areas are legal for you to hang your fliers.

If you have a car, you could also create car magnets and bumper stickers that you can place on it for anyone to see when you’re driving around town. Lastly, you and your team can take time to go around town wearing your t-shirt designs in popular places. There’s a chance that someone might stop you and ask where you got your t-shirt from.

7. Ask for referrals

Word of mouth is another old fashioned way of getting more people aware of your business. There are a variety of ways you can ask for referrals from your customers. The simplest way you can do it is just by asking your customers to refer your product to someone else. If you’ve created a product that you know your customers enjoy, there’s a good chance they’ll do it for you.

Another way you could get referrals is through a business card. Create some cards and ask the current customers you have to write their name on it to give to someone. As an incentive, if a new customer brings in the card, you can give the current customer who made the referral a discount on any future order.

A simple way you can ensure all of your customers get the opportunity to refer someone is by putting the cards as hang tags on all of your t-shirts.

8. Create a website

There’s hardly anyone in the world that doesn’t have access to the internet today. A website gives you the possibility of potentially being seen by a lot of people who could become your future customers. If you don’t have much to finance a website, there are platforms that allow you to create one at a low cost or even for free. Once you’ve created your website, direct all of your social media pages to your site.

You should spend time learning about how to optimize your site for search engines so you can be seen in local search results on Google. One of the most important ways you should optimize your site is by making sure it’s mobile-friendly by having a responsive design.

More and more people are using mobile devices, and as a result, Google is choosing to make mobile-friendly sites rank higher. In addition to optimizing your site, you can also consider paying for ads on Google as well.