I'm looking at using alternative materials for screenprinting my design, I am considering using bamboo for my t-shirts.
I like the 'enviro friendly' write up about bamboo, and would like to know if anyone had any experiences or information on printing on bamboo that they would like to share or is printing on it a real headache?
I had some bamboo/organic cotton blend Ts (vendor HT Naturals) printed up by Circle R recently - excellent print result and lovely soft fabric. The quality of the blanks themselves was variable, though. Cut could have been better in some cases, and some stiching on the arm joins had come loose and needed hand repairing. That was disappointing, considering the premium pricing put on these blanks.
I've had DTG and screenprinting tests done on bamboo and they have done well, except for ChromaBlast, as it leaves a print border around the graphic.
In addition to what Solmu has shared, I'll also share this link in the event you're interested in test prints using digital printing technology on bamboo.
I do not foresee printing on bamboo being a real headache at all, though I'm not a printer. I am being patient and understanding of printers who are doing testing that have never printed on bamboo, and we're learning together.
The primary concern that printers had when doing tests at the Printwear show was burning the fabric on a heatpress.
Thanks to all who have answered my question, and I am very interested to find out the recent priniting tests, and of course the washing results after three weeks!
Can I ask what was the source of the bamboo blanks that fell apart and required hand stitching?
and some stiching on the arm joins had come loose and needed hand repairing. That was disappointing, considering the premium pricing put on these blanks.
Although these types of defects are completely unaccetable, to be fair, I wouldn't say that it is unreasonable to find the odd bad stitch on just about any blank t-shirt from Hanes, American Apparel, Fruit of the Loom, or any manufacturer.
We see them all the time with the big brands. Hanes, FOL, Gildan, etc.
We see mis labeled shirts often, holes in the garments, Stains, Pockets sewn on the back of the shirts. Unfortunately this happens to the best of us as well as the big guys. Most vendors will take back the bad ones as long as you havent printed them. If you print it, they will not take back.
As mentioned, HT Naturals were the source of the bamboo Ts that required repair.
Rodney, while I agree that the occasional flaw is inevitable in any brand of blank - no QC is perfect - I don't think it's very good that in a small order two of the bamboo blanks needed stitch repair and some others were poorly cut (wavy bottom edge, instead of straight). There was another minor QC issue with these blanks, also, and as you know,I felt the positioning of the hang tags was also an issue that could have compromised the state of the blanks. All in all, not a great first experience of these blanks - of course, I speak only for myself.
My main point was that considering the bamboo blanks were far more expensive than even, say, Article 1 organic cotton (which DO seem to be extremely good quality - I had some of these in the same order), one might reasonably expect in a relatively small order not to receive blanks with the flaws some of these had.
I can't see that mentioning this is unfair, and I certainly don't mean to slag off HT Naturals per se. Fact is fact, though, and I think it's fair enough to air the facts here in a thread about bamboo Ts.
Thanks for sharing this info Ross and sorry to hear a few of the blanks weren't up to par. Do you have pics of the print results? It would be great to see it from another printer.
I can definitely understand your frustration, as the cost of one bamboo tee blank at wholesale averages 5-7 times the cost of one Hanes 5.6 oz tee wholesale.
Have you spoken with Toby @ HT Naturals? He may be willing to help on a future order as I assume all of your blanks are printed. If nothing else, at least share with the company your experience. I'd be curious to know if they do their own cutting and sewing in-house or contract it out.
Thanks for sharing this info Ross and sorry to hear a few of the blanks weren't up to par. Do you have pics of the print results? It would be great to see it from another printer.
Yes, AB, I do - but in all my time on this forum I still haven't tried to post a pic and don't know how! If you email me, I'll send a photo. NOTE: The quality of the screenprinting itself is excellent, as is always the case with Circle R...no different from printing on cotton.
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Originally Posted by AdriaticBlue
I can definitely understand your frustration, as the cost of one bamboo tee blank at wholesale averages 5-7 times the cost of one Hanes 5.6 oz tee wholesale.
Exactly. We're not talking a bit more expensive per blank - HT's bamboo blanks are a LOT more expensive...I'm thinking that's a scale issue, since bamboo is still more or less a novelty or niche fabric. If it becomes more mainstream, the prices will surely have to drop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdriaticBlue
Have you spoken with Toby @ HT Naturals? He may be willing to help on a future order as I assume all of your blanks are printed. If nothing else, at least share with the company your experience. I'd be curious to know if they do their own cutting and sewing in-house or contract it out.
Good suggestion, AB. Rodney was intending to feed back to them my quality concerns, but I don't know what came of this. I think it would be appropriate for me, as the end client, to give them some direct feedback.
I guess I'm now so used to receiving defensive reactions to any feedback that is not glowing (and I'm speaking generally here, not just in a T-shirt context) that my instinct is just to take the easy road, let things go and take my custom elsewhere in future. Feedback of any sort, providing it is not outright attack, should be seen as a contribution rather than criticism, but in my experience, few see it this way, however diplomatically expressed.
As to HT Natural's cutting and sewing, I believe it is done in Shanghai, which, for the cynical, may say all that needs to be said.
It's sad but a growing trend Ross about providing "feedback" and having people/companies become defensive over it, or want nothing to do with you because of it. I'm finding this trend more common at restaurants now where the wait staff is being defensive about why something on my table in front of me to eat or drink isn't right.
I'm also a firm believer that the #1 way to show a company you've done business with who constantly fail to meet your needs is to take your business elsewhere. However, I feel that giving feedback is helpful to them turning it around...if they want. Ok, enough of my ranting.
I can't see that mentioning this is unfair, and I certainly don't mean to slag off HT Naturals per se. Fact is fact, though, and I think it's fair enough to air the facts here in a thread about bamboo Ts.
You are completely correct Ross. There was nothing "unfair" about your post pointing out the flaws in the bamboo shirts you received.
I was just using the figure of speech "to be fair" to point out that flaws in garment production are not uncommon (as Richard attested to).
I agree though...they should be LESS common in a more expensive blank like the Bamboo/cotton ones.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ross B
I guess I'm now so used to receiving defensive reactions to any feedback that is not glowing (and I'm speaking generally here, not just in a T-shirt context) that my instinct is just to take the easy road, let things go and take my custom elsewhere in future. Feedback of any sort, providing it is not outright attack, should be seen as a contribution rather than criticism, but in my experience, few see it this way, however diplomatically expressed.
I can see why you would think the response received is defensive, but I don't think it's always intended to be that way by the person responding.
Much is lost in the typed medium, especially in public forums when the communication isn't always "one-to-one" but "one-to-many".
Because of the "one-to-many" aspect, I like to clarify things as much as possible for those reading. Even those common sense things that may seem basic knowledge for some are really new facts for others just learning about the industry for the first time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ross B
Rodney was intending to feed back to them my quality concerns, but I don't know what came of this.
I thought I had passed along their comments to you. I just sent you an email about this...but they were very happy with your detailed feedback.
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Originally Posted by Ross B
but in all my time on this forum I still haven't tried to post a pic and don't know how!
Thank you for your very valued comments and for your offers of further assistance. I have taken into consideration all your pro's and con's about printing on bamboo, and taken the decision that as a first project, maybe bamboo is not quite for me, yet anyway!
Thank you for your very valued comments and for your offers of further assistance. I have taken into consideration all your pro's and con's about printing on bamboo, and taken the decision that as a first project, maybe bamboo is not quite for me, yet anyway!
As a side note, we're going to get some forum t-shirts screen printed on bamboo/organic cotton tees. So if you wanted to see a sample of screen printing on bamboo tees, it should be available in a couple weeks.
I'd encourage you not to write off bamboo just yet. My experience wasn't perfect, but the printing came out beautifully, and the material is, as others have said, lovely, fine, soft fabric. I do think the bamboo apparel is way overpriced at present, and that is probably a factor - will enough clients be prepared to pay your retail price, assuming you make the usual 2x markup from wholesale? But otherwise, bear in mind that it is a VERY nice fabric.
Screenprinting on Bamboo? 
Re: Screenprinting on Bamboo? 
