Types of Printing

For light colored garments and next day shipping*

Dye Sublimation

Dye sublimation is a printing technology that uses heat transfer to apply an image to the intended substrate. The process is commonly used for printing apparel, signs and banners as well as other items with sublimation-friendly surfaces.

The dye sublimation process prints graphics onto special transfer paper using sublimation printer and inks. Then, using a heat press to transfer the ink-on-paper to the fabric or other substrate.

The printed transfer sheets are transferred through heat and pressure, causing the dye to penetrate the into the fabric, creating a permanent color bond. Once the heat is removed, the dye returns to a solid form and the process is complete.

Colors are embedded in the substrate or fabric, rather than printed on the surface, images on fabric won’t fade or crack even after multiple washings.

Dye sublimation is a great option for light colored garments that do not require white ink. Colors such as white, grey, light blue or light pink, light green are great for dye sublimation printing and quick to print and ship to you.

Darker colored garments that require a white ink for your design to show up, require a different printing process.

Colors such as black, navy, red and green usually require a white ink. In such case we will heat transfer or screen print. With Digital Heat Transfer, we can ship quickly while, traditional screen printing will delay your order with estimated ship time of 7-10 days.

For dark colored garments and next day shipping*

Full Color Digital Heat Transfer

For those that prefer to wear a dark colored cotton or polyester fabric, this is the process we will use for a quick turnaround.

This technology creates full-color digital transfers that work on BOTH light and dark garments. A full graphic image is designed on the computer and digitally printed onto high-quality paper using a special, solvent ink. When the paper is pressed to the fabric or substrate with heat, the ink adheres to the material and the graphic image transfers to the item. T-shirts and other garments printed using this method offer high-resolution images and are ideal for complex designs with many colors. These transfers are also compatible with all types of apparel including cotton, polyester, and blends. Works on ANY substrate—cotton, polyester, nylon, glass, ceramic.

It is a transfer and the ink adheres to the top of the fabric and will be slightly raised off the surface. Large graphics can make the garment feeling stiff to wear. This process is very quick to print and ship.

Special Order- light and dark colored garments (polyester, blend, and cotton) with 7-10 days print time

Screen Printing

Screen printing is the more traditional approach to printing custom t-shirts. Screen printing uses a thick layer of ink that is pressed through a stencil and directly on to the t-shirt. Because of that, your design will appear slightly raised off the surface of the t-shirt, dye sublimation, which will appear as if it were printed directly on the shirt itself.

Screen printing is best used for simpler designs that do not use a lot of color as well as being better for large quantity purchases. The more colors the more expensive and the more time for set-up, Usually limited to 8 maximum colors on the shirt. Screen printing requires a major set up time.

Special Order-For polo shirts, baseball hats, jackets, etc.

Embroidery

Embroidery is the process of taking color threads and stitching them directly into the garment in order to create the design you are looking for. Traditionally found on polo shirts and baseball hats, embroidery offers a more professional look than dye sublimation, digital heat transfer, or screen printing. Embroidery requires a setup process and 7-10 days production time before we are ready to ship to you.