When it comes to printing there are quite a few methods. So, it’s important to know the differences, so that you’re clued up prior to placing an order.
Printing
Vinyl printing
Q). What is vinyl printing?
A). This is where a single coloured vinyl sheet is CAD cut to produce a design. Once the excess is weeded away you have your finished design. This is then heat applied to the desired product. As an example, you very often see football shirt numbers being produced using this technique
Q).What are the benefits of using vinyl?
A). The benefit of vinyl is that as it’s machine cut it has a very sharp, precise look to it and this can really work for some designs. The vibrancy is also a massive plus and outshines any other method. In addition to this, there are lots of popular fashion, trending effects that can be achieved using metallic, sparkle, reflective or even flock so as you can imagine are great fun to play around with.
Q). What is the minimum order quantity?
A). There isn’t one but we ideally like to do numbers of 5+ as it can get very busy trying to complete lots of small orders.
Q). Does it fade, peel or crack?
A). We use very durable vinyl so this is reduced massively. Ensuring that the garment has been pressed correctly will guarantee a solid fuse to the material so it’s very unlikely that it will peel off. If it’s a very specific material that you require to be printed then we will advise you of the best method as it’s essential to get the correct method of printing for the type of material/substrate you have as some just don’t work
Screen printing
Q). What is screen printing?
A). Screen printing is the process of transferring a stencilled design onto a flat surface using a mesh screen, ink and a squeegee. Individual; screens need to be made up for each colour and this is carried out by breaking up the design into its colours and exposing each of them onto their own screens.
Q). What are the benefits of screenprinting?
A). With Screenprinting, you can complete very complex designs at a far more cost-effective rate. When completing larger orders it’s a much faster process once all of the setup up is completed.
Q). What is the minimum order quantity?
A). Due to the setup process, we ask for a minimum order of 30+
Q). Does it fade, peel or crack?
A). Imagine your favourite t-shirt or hoodie that you’ve had for years and the prints all faded and retro. That would be a screenprint. So the answer is, yes it does fade but with style.
Digital printing
Q). What is digital printing?
A). Digital printing is a method of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media. This media is printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers to the highest quality. You usually see banners, posters, textile transfers and a whole range of labels and other products using this method of printing.
Q). What are the benefits of using a digital print?
A). The level of definition is the highest there is. If it’s a very high-resolution design and you really need to keep that quality then this is the way to go. If the design is encapsulated or we can add a fairly simple contour to it then we can make very large production runs in a very quick timeframe. The durability of the media used for textiles is the best in the market although if you’re going for a very large design then we would recommend another method as the feel is almost to rigid for the product.
Q). What is the minimum order quantity?
A). As this is a large-format machine we would look to fill the area available for print to avoid wastage so we look for a minimum order of 20+
Q). Does it fade, peel or crack?
A). The media used for this method fuses incredibly well, in fact, the best in the market.
DTG Printing
Q). What is DTG printing?
A). DTG stands for Direct-to-Garment, and refers to a method for textile printing. Unlike other textile printing methods, such as heat transfer or dye sublimation, DTG printing process uses specialized ink in order to print directly onto the garment, using a DTG printer. It’s a beautiful sight!!
Q). What are the benefits of DTG printing?
A). With DTG printing, you can complete very complex designs also at a cost-effective rate. You can complete small to large orders with very little setup.
Q). What is the minimum order quantity?
A). That’s the great thing about DTG. There’s no min order!!
Q). Does it fade, peel or crack?
A). Imagine your favourite t-shirt or hoodie that you’ve had for years and the prints all faded and retro. That would be a screenprint or a DTG. So the answer is, yes it does fade but with style.
Sublimation printing
Q). What is Sublimation printing?
A). Sublimation is a chemical process where a solid turns into a gas without going through a liquid stage. You would usually see this method being used for Sportswear, mugs, photo panels and lots of products that require a full, vibrant coloured print. For clothing this will work it’s best on white polyester/cotton t-shirt
Q). What are the benefits of Sublimation?
A). There is a whole range of products available for sublimation. You can print very complex, vibrant designs. When it comes to apparel it all comes down to the feel. As when sublimating something, it’s dyed directly into the surface of the product so this gives it a lovely soft feel to the print. This is why a lot of sportswear is printed using this method to avoid any friction or rubbing on the skin. It’s also a great method for promotional gifts or events as it can be completed fairly cost-effectively if the designs are set out correctly.
Q). What is the minimum order quantity?
A). There isn’t a minimum order but there is a minimum order on particular products as they’re only sold in larger quantities.
Q). Does it fade, peel or crack?
A). As it’s dyed into the surface of synthetic materials it almost becomes apart of the product so it can’t fade or crack. If it’s exposed to a lot of sunlight it can fade slightly over time but if it’s exterior aluminium panels you’re looking for then we’ve sourced a top of the range product that has additional UV protection to avoid and fading from sunlight exposure.
Files needed for print:
In order for us to get you the best possible print, we require hi-res vector images. The most commonly used files are .png, .pdf, .jpeg, .ai , .eps. If we need to edit the logo at all then we would need an .eps file.
Embroidery
Q). What is embroidery?
A). This is where your logo is digitised and converted into a format that can be read by an industrial embroidery machine. Machine embroidery is used to add logos and monograms to business shirts or jackets, gifts, and team apparel as well as to decorate household linens, draperies, and decorator fabrics that mimic the elaborate hand embroidery of the past.
Q). What are the benefits of embroidery?
A). Embroidery has always been viewed as a method used for higher-end products. It can really transform an average item into something that you’ll love and cherish potentially for life. The durability of it makes it stand out from the rest and should be one to be thought of if you’re using and washing them on a regular basis. It’s a great route for any water/activity based businesses.
Q). What is the minimum order quantity?
A). We don’t have a minimum order but it can be quite costly if you’re only going for a single item as there are digitising setup fees to be paid for on top of the embroidery costs. If you’re looking to order it multiple times or in bulk then that isn’t an issue as it’s only a one-off fee and the files are all stored for future use.
Q). Can the embroidery come out?
A). As long as the correct setup is completed and the thread tensions are all set correctly then there shouldn’t be any issues. We keep a close eye on our embroidery machines to ensure all upper and lower bobbin thread tensions are set correctly to get the best possible shelf life out of the products we supply. On some particular products, a thicker backing will be used to help with strength and rigidity and then will dissolve in the wash so try to avoid pulling and tearing it away from the garment, however tempting. Also if there any protruding threads just snip them with some scissors and again try to avoid pulling them by hand.
We hope you’ve found this blog informative. We’ll be continuously updating it with any new ideas and questions so that we can keep you guys up to date and informed. Thanks so much for reading.