When it comes to custom T-shirt printing, one of the most popular techniques used by printers is transfer printing. Unlike DTG and screen-printing, a transfer can be done on virtually any fabric. In this technique, the design is first printed on a non-textile surface and transferred onto the fabric using a different process. Because of its quick process and setup, the technique is considered ideal for marking names and numbers on T-shirts. When the design to be printed is simple, but the units are not enough to justify the setup costs of screen-printing, transfer printing is the best alternative.
Here are 4 transfer printing techniques used in custom T-shirt printing-
- Plastisol - Most transfer techniques use Plastisol. These are screen designs printed on a heat transfer paper instead of the T-shirt. Unlike other transfer papers, Plastisol has a very soft feeling and can last almost as long as a screen print. Although the technique is not ideal for printing too many T-shirts at once, it offers fantastic, vibrant colors.
- CAD Cut Vinyl - CAD stands for Computer-Aided Design. Instead of a person, a machine cuts the design, which is what makes the technique different. The artwork is saved as a vector file. Once the design is cut, the excess vinyl is weeded out by hand and sealed on the T-shirt using heat.
- Stretch Litho- Litho combines the best of digital and screen printing. Unlike CAD cut vinyl, a litho transfer doesn’t have to be cut. Litho transfer retains the details of the artwork better than other printing technique as it is printed on paper first. Paper is a smoother substrate than fabric.
- Sublimation–Sublimation can create some really vivid, long-lasting images. The technique works on plastic and fabrics made out of polyester. It makes use of a special kind of ink that turns into gas whenever heated.
