Additional Printing Techniques

As well as the printing methods that we offer at Wordans, like digital printing, screen printing and custom embroidery, there are many more printing techniques out there. Below you can find more information about these different techniques:

Transfer Printing

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 is usually performed with the aid of some kind of heat, which is why it is often known as “heat transfer printing” and includes methods such as DIY “iron-on” printing. This method is often preferred as 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 doesn’t require the levels of skill that other methods do as it's fairly simple to perform. Customers opting for a transfer print often do so because of the cheaper cost and quicker waiting times. However, this method is best for smaller orders, and designs may wear away sooner than with other printing methods.

Stretch Litho Printing

Stretch Litho printing is a form of transfer printing that uses translucent paper to apply designs to garments with the help of a heat press machine. It is a modern method being constantly adapted with varied options like Stretch Litho Matte offering a smooth finish without glare. Stretch Litho printing is performed by printing the requested design onto the paper, then carefully placing it on your preheated blank garment, before shutting the heat press. In less than a minute the garment will be ready for cooling, which is an extremely important part of the process, as trying to remove the paper before the garment has cooled down is likely to ruin the design. Once the garment has cooled, the translucent paper can be removed, leaving the garment adorned with its new logo, picture or slogan.

One of the advantages of Stretch Litho printing is that the translucent paper allows you to perfectly position the design on the garment before printing. On the other hand, many find the process time consuming, making it an unrealistic option for larger orders. Although the actual printing only takes a few seconds, the preparation and cooling process significantly increases the total time.

Sublimation Printing

Another form of transfer printing is known as sublimation or all-over printing, which involves covering the entire garment with the chosen design, rather than placing it in one specific area. This method is also known as dye-sublimation and is great for printing larger, more complex designs on materials like polyester. Examples of sublimation printing can be seen in apparel like Hawaiian-style shirts and sports kits. Sublimation printing allows for 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, the heat from which causes the design to transfer from the garment onto the piece of clothing. Dye sublimation is another expensive and time consuming process, so it is better suited to smaller orders.

Hand Painting

There are a number of hand painting techniques commonly used in t-shirt printing including acrylic painting, spray painting and airbrushing. Acrylic painting is the most popular method used by those who wish to design their own t-shirts at home. It requires very little equipment, just the paint, brushes, waxed paper and other materials you can usually find around the house.

Spray painted t-shirts are another DIY option loved by those with a passion for designing their own clothes. Most people use a homemade cardboard stencil, created using scissors or a box cutter, to apply their chosen design. Results can vary with this method, but it's usually easy to grasp after a few tries, just make sure you start with cheap t-shirts to practice!

Finally, airbrushing is another classic t-shirt printing method that can be performed from the comfort of your own home. This technique has been around since the 60s and has maintained popularity thanks to the ever expanding range of specific equipment making it easy to perform. You can find airbrushes, their holders, compressors and the paint in most art shops, while an absorbent material like felt is the best choice for making the stencils. Airbrush t-shirts are extremely popular today, particularly among younger consumers, as their designs often feature graffiti-style writing.

Tie-dye

Tie-dying is an ancient printing method that has been used for centuries in Africa, Asia and South America. It became popular in the Western world in the 1960s with the psychedelic designs associated with the countercultural movement of the decade still popular today.

Producing a tie-dye t-shirt can be a fun activity, which is why it is often done with groups of children at schools or social clubs. The original method involves tying or binding garments in unique ways before dipping them into a dye to create unique designs. This technique is still used today, but with fibre-reactive dyes that are safer than those used in the past. Additionally the tie-dye effect can also be recreated using the screen printing method. At Wordans, we have the best selection of tie-dye t-shirts with various designs and colorways, with incredible offers on wholesale and bulk purchases. So, if you don’t fancy doing it yourself, be sure to check out our tie-dye range.

Cad Cut Vinyl

Most of us have used products that have been printed using Cad Cut Vinyl, even if we don’t know it. This is because this method is most commonly used in the sportswear industry, for printing names and numbers onto shirts, shorts and other sports apparel. This method is often used as the different types of heat transfer vinyl required for different needs are readily available in high street shops, as well as online. Here are the most common materials used in CAD Cut Vinyl heat transfer: 

• Airflow Heat Transfer Vinyl - This is a thin, flexible vinyl that has small holes cut into it for breathability, is most commonly used for sportswear.
• FLOCK Heat Transfer Vinyl - This type of vinyl is often used in the clothing design industry due to its unique appearance and texture.
• Fashion-FILM Heat Transfer Vinyl - As indicated by its name, this type of vinyl is used in the fashion industry. It is favoured by designers because of its delicate material with a matte look.
• Thermo-FILM Heat Transfer Vinyl - The thickest and most durable of all vinyl types, Thermo-FILM is commonly used in rougher sports like rugby, as it is more likely to withstand impact and abrasion.