In addition to wholesale t-shirts and other blank apparel, at Wordans we offer customization services, so we can print your designs on a huge selection of the garments and accessories on our site. Our easy-to-use customization tool lets you add your designs directly on our website, so you can see how they’ll look before you order. Alternatively, you can request a quote, and add your designs to the form.
Some people prefer to go a different way, and order their blank apparel from us before customizing it themselves. Whatever you choose, you’ll need to think about which printing method you’re using, and which material to print on. If you’re buying from us, your sales rep can inform you of the best printing method for your requirements– but we’ve also made this guide for anyone else who wants to know which method to use.
There are various different types of printing for clothes, and other products with hard surfaces– some of them work for both. You also need to think about how many you’re printing, and what your budget is. Almost anything can be printed on, but results will vary, so it’s worth making sure you get the best method. When it comes to clothes, most people print on cotton, polyester, or a combination of the two. Here are the different types of printing you can choose from.
The Different Types of Printing for Clothes & More
We print a lot of clothes, but other products too, so we’ve also included the best types for hard surfaces, so you can choose the best method of printing for t-shirts, as well as pens, notebooks, or other items. We’ve also included methods that aren’t technically printing, such as embroidery and laser engraving, so you can compare. Here are the different types of printing you can choose from:
Screen Printing
Screen printing is the ideal method for designs with few colors, such as logos and slogan prints. It’s done by printing designs on apparel via a mesh-like screen rather than directly onto the garment. It’s by far the most commonly used printing technique in the apparel industry, thanks largely to the rich, long-lasting colors it produces. Another advantage of screen printing is its incredible speed, with the latest machines capable of printing thousands of shirts per hour.
You get the best results by printing on 100% cotton, and it works well on hard surfaces. It’s not the best for one-off items, as creating the screen costs money, but once you have it, you can print as many as you like at little extra expense. All this has made screen printing the best method for bulk orders, as it’s fast and cost-effective. Your order will be processed quickly, and the design will look good long after you’ve purchased it.
Screen Printing: Best for large orders, up to 8 colors, on cotton or hard surfaces.
Direct to Garment (DTG)
Thanks to modern technology, it’s now also possible to digitally print designs on your apparel. This process is known as direct-to-garment, or DTG printing, and is great for adding intricate designs and photos to clothing. In order to print via this method, the desired image must be produced on a computer or transferred to one, before it’s printed directly onto the garment of choice, hence the name.
While this method is great for printing high-quality images, DTG is most suitable for smaller t-shirt orders, because only one item can be printed at a time. It’s best suited to a mix of cotton and polyester, so blended clothing works best. It can work on hard surfaces, but isn’t the best option.
DTG: Best for small to medium-sized orders, and complex designs.
Hybrid DTG Printing
Some printers offer digital hybrid printing, which combines both screen printing and DTG. There are many benefits to this method such as greater scope for design, greater productivity, fewer mistakes, and quicker preparation. However, advanced machinery equipped with the latest technology is required for hybrid printing. This extra expense generally limits it to large-scale printers.
Transfer Printing (DTF)
Transfer Printing involves first printing the desired design onto a non-fabric material such as copper, steel, or a type of vinyl, before transferring it onto the garment. It’s usually performed with heat, which is why it’s often known as “heat transfer printing”, and includes methods such as DIY “iron-on” printing. This method is often chosen because it allows for complicated designs to be printed on clothing quickly and cheaply, as it doesn’t require any complex or expensive machinery.
Additionally, transfer printing is simple, and doesn’t require the levels of skill that other methods do. Customers opting for a transfer print often do so because of the cheaper cost and quicker waiting times. However, designs may wear away sooner than with other printing methods, or crack. It’s traditionally used on fabrics, especially polyester, but can also work on hard surfaces.
DTF: Best for lower budgets, when you don’t need long-lasting results. Works well on polyester.
Sublimation Printing
Another form of transfer printing is sublimation, also known as all-over printing, which involves covering the entire garment with the chosen design, rather than placing it in one specific area. Dye-sublimation is great for printing larger, more complex designs on fabrics like polyester. The dye fuses with the material, rather than forming a layer on top, as with DTF, so it lasts much longer. Examples of sublimation printing can be seen in apparel such as Hawaiian-style shirts and sports kits.
Sublimation printing gives unlimited options both in terms of colors and the areas of a garment the design can be printed on. The design is first printed onto paper, before placing the garment into the printer, where the heat causes the design to transfer onto the garment. Sublimation is another expensive and time-consuming process, so it’s better suited to smaller orders.
Sublimation: Best for when your design needs to cover the whole garment, and on polyester.
Embroidery
Embroidery gives you a traditional, textured look, that you won’t find with any other method. Sewing machines can be digitally programmed these days to put logos, designs and images on garments without little need for human assistance. Embroidery is the preferred method for smaller designs such as slogans, logos, badges and other insignia.
Embroidery is particularly popular for t-shirt and hoodie designs, with small logos often attached to the chest area of the garment. Many brands, clubs and other organizations use embroidery, as it often lasts longer than printed ones. You don’t get the widest range of colors, and it isn’t the most cost-effective with larger designs.
Embroidery: Best for smaller, simpler designs of up to 8 colors. Gives a unique, traditional look.
Tampography
Also known as pad printing, tampography involves using a silicon pad to transfer an image from a laser-engraved printing plate to another object. It allows for printing on hard surfaces, even curved ones, and is commonly used on pens, water bottles, and other promotional products.
Machines exist that can print in multiple colors, but generally you’re limited to one. Tampography is another lower-cost option, which can wear off over time, another reason it’s popular for objects like pens, which are often ordered in large quantities, but don’t need to last so long.
Tampography: Best for single-color designs on hard surfaces, when you don’t need them to last very long.
Laser Engraving
Laser engraving does not use dye, but cuts into the material, leaving a mark that appears darker. This means you can’t use it for designs of multiple colors, but it offers a quality, refined look. Since it doesn’t use dye, it will never wear off or fade, and holds up excellently over time.
Laser engraving is generally used on hard surfaces such as metal, wood, and certain plastics. It also works on certain fabrics, and is often used on leather and rubber. It’s more expensive than tampography, but gives better results.
Laser Engraving: Best for long-lasting, monochrome designs on harder surfaces.
Perfect Printing Every Time
If you’re still not sure which printing method is the right one for your products, get in touch with our sales team, and they can advise you further. If you’d like to try our custom tool, which lets you upload your designs directly on our website, just look for any products with the blue customize label and you can give it a try. Whether you’re making quality products for your business, designing cool clothing for a charity event, or making a personalized gift for a loved one, get the printing method right, and you can make sure your design looks great for years to come!
We hope this guide helps you create amazing apparel and other products. For whatever blank or custom gear you need, check out our website, where you can find everything from t-shirts to bottles to gadgets. For more inspiration, check out our Instagram @wearewordans.
