T Shirt Printing 

In the world of custom t-shirt printing, there are many variables that you must be considered if you want your final product to turn out as you imagine it. It’s not as simple as design and print. There are many varieties in garments, from quality to cut to fabric type, and there are different methods that can be used to apply your design to a garment. The decisions made in these areas will drastically affect the feel and look of your custom t-shirts. Let’s take a look!

Picking a Shirt

The first step of the t-shirt creation process is, of course, to choose the type of garment or garments that you would like to print on. DesertThreads Creations carries all major brands such as Gildan, Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, American Apparel, Canvas, Bella. Each of these clothing brands has lines available in different colors, thicknesses, fits, and size options. Picking the right type of shirt is crucial to your budget and to the people who will be wearing the garments.

DesertThreads Creations keeps a wide variety of shirts in stock, but we of course don’t have room for every type of shirt in every size and color.

There is much to consider when choosing a garment type. For example, if you are hosting an outdoor event in the middle of the summer, you might not want to select a thick cotton Gildan t-shirt. Your employees would much rather be in a thinner cotton American Apparel or Canvas t-shirt.  Promotional giveaway shirts are always a crowd-pleaser, and to make this more affordable we offer Hanes and Anvil shirts. These are lower-cost cotton t-shirts. A lower-cost t-shirt will still last for several hundred washes without fading or stretching.

Types of T-Shirt Printing

Once you have selected your garment type, the next step is to select printing technique that you would like to use. “What do I care HOW you print my t-shirt,” you maybe asking yourself, “just print it.” With t-shirts, however, the printing method dramatically affects the final product. So you must choose wisely. The most popular type of t shirt printing, and the type we do most frequently at DesertThreads Creations, is direct to garment. We also do embroidery, screen printing and heat transfer vinyl.

Direct to Garment

• Fastest turnaround time
• Best for smaller orders
• Environmentally friendly
• Unlimited design color options

Direct-to-garment (DTG) printingis a relatively new and innovative method of t-shirt printing that has many advantages over traditional printing methods such as screen printing or heat transfer. InDTG printing, an inkjet printer directly prints the design onto the fabric of the t-shirt, rather than transferring the design from a separate medium.

One of the biggest advantages of DTG printing is the ability to produce high-quality, detailed designs with a wide range of colors. Unlike screen printing, which is limited to a certain number of colors, DTG printing can produce designs with any color, including vibrant and bright hues. This is because DTG printing is a digital process, which means that the printer can mix and match different shades to achieve the desired effect.

Another advantage of DTG printing is its cost-effectiveness for small-batch orders. Traditional printing methods require the creation of screens or transfers for each color in a design, which can be time-consuming and costly for small orders. DTG printing eliminates this step, allowing for one-off or small-batch orders to be produced quickly and cost-effectively.

DTG printing also allows for the creation of custom designs with minimal setup time. This means that a customer can submit a design online or in person and have it printed onto a t-shirt in a matter of minutes, rather than waiting several days or weeks for traditional printing methods.

Additionally, DTG printing is environmentally friendly, as it does not require the use of harmful chemicals or excess water. Traditional printing methods often involve the use of harsh chemicals and large amounts of water, which can be detrimental to both the environment and the health of the workers involved in the printing process.

Screen Printing

• Most cost-effective method for large orders & single-color designs
• Highly durable
• More colors = More cost

This is the most common t-shirt printing method. It is cost-effective for large t-shirt runs and delivers a high-quality, vibrant, and long-lasting result.

Screen printing gets its name because the ink is pressed, one color at a time, through a woven mesh directly into the fabric of the shirt. A stencil is placed underneath the mesh to block the fabric outside of the design from absorbing any ink. One stencil must be created for each color in the design, which is why the cost of screen-printed shirts goes up with the more colors that are used. This method is cost-effective for large t-shirt orders because once a stencil is created, it can be used over and over again.

Embroidery

• Professional look – great for company uniforms
• The go-to method for hats
• Longer turnaround time

• Not great for high-detail designs

Embroidery, of course, is technically not printing. It’s sewing. But it is a very popular method of custom apparel design, particularly for more high-end projects, such as uniforms or hats.

Modern-day embroidery is done, like everything else, with the assistance of computers. Nearly any design can now be converted into a stitch pattern and perfectly sewn by the automated hand of an embroidery machine. What this process lacks in romantic nostalgia, it more than makes up for by delivering a perfect result every time.

Should you have any inquiries regarding your t-shirt or apparel printing project, feel free to use the help button below to send us a message. We are here to assist in determining the best options for you and to provide a custom quote for your project.