Is it possible to screen print on top of AND above a pocket on a t-shirt with good results? The design goes over the stitching and edge of the pocket too.
I'm not a screen printer but I have a few designs that require this. But before I take it to a local printer, I was wondering if it was even possible?
It's always best to talk with the local printer that you sorce your work to. Every shop has their own little things that they figured out how to do that no one else even dreams of trying.
Pocket Pals are a small platen used for printing on shirt pockets. I have six that cost $55.00 each and they worked great for a four color on pocket design I did, you also can print above a pocket or sleeve with them.
Is it possible to screen print on top of AND above a pocket on a t-shirt with good results? The design goes over the stitching and edge of the pocket too.
I'm not a screen printer but I have a few designs that require this. But before I take it to a local printer, I was wondering if it was even possible?
Mike
Yes, shirt pocket is printable. as edz mentioned some are using small platen for pockets, sometimes improvise like cutting thick vinyl boards to size of a pocket then applying adhesive to the board before it is inserted in the pocket.
I've seen it done on a garment printer with excellent results. I'm not sure how you could print without a gap right above the pocket. If the design flows over the pocket, it might not look so good. But if it's lines of text (1 color), with one line of text above and one on the pocket, that may work. I've never tried to screen it.
I have done this. It doesn't look right unless the artwork allows for the gap. If the ink is placed across the gap at the bottom of the pocket it looks more like "gum" stuck across the area. Across the open at the top of the pocket leaves an undesireble edge. If you design the artwork to have a break in those locations it works much better.
I've seen it done on a garment printer with excellent results. I'm not sure how you could print without a gap right above the pocket. If the design flows over the pocket, it might not look so good. But if it's lines of text (1 color), with one line of text above and one on the pocket, that may work. I've never tried to screen it.
Yes, it all depends on the art. There's no good way to consistently print a multicolor design. The pocket will move around and lose registration. It almost has to be a design of one color that you can just do one stroke on. After that, if you print another stroke, you can't guarantee the pocket hasn't moved. As ggraphics said, I believe DTG printers will be your best bet.
Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately this would be a mulit-color (almost photographic) design so maybe DTG printing would be best. The design also goes down the shirt almost to the bottom.
Are there any recommendations for a DTG printing company that can do this type of work? (pm me if public recommendations are not allowed here).
Basically a pocket t-shirt with printing above and partially on the pocket as well as the print going down to the bottom of the shirt?
Do realize what a pain in the a$$ that would be to line up the pocket the same place everytime. If you know anything about pocket t-shirts you would know that the pocket sizes are not all the same SIZE, LOCATION and are always crooked. The pic looks like it had a graphic layed ontop of a picture of the pocket t-shirt.
1.DTG printing CANNOT print this because of the change in height of the material.
2. Screen printing can be done with a pad underneith the platten, but you would lose your a$$ in multiple runs.
3. HEAT TRANSFER would be the only way you could make this design work.
3. HEAT TRANSFER would be the only way you could make this design work.
Thanks for your reply.
If heat transfer is the way to go, then is it possible to place a transfer above the pocket and on top of the pocket at the same time? Or since the material is at different heights, would it need to be pressed two different times?
I'm not a printer and I'm trying to come up with my own clothing line. But before I go crazy with it, I want to make sure I choose a printing process that will work first.
Screen printing on t-shirt pocket? 
