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hor4life · February 26th, 2009

I am considering partnering with a local soccer association and trying to find the best method to "add value" to the printing of shirts for their camps and tournaments. The shirt stock will be cotten and probably white in nearly all instances. We want to be able to customize shirts individually with player names, or sponsor names at the camps. I may become an investor in the Summer camps so quality and durability of the shirts is an issue I want to address as well.

My gut feeling is that the most affordable method would be to use heat transfers, but I am unsure about the best way to go about this. Is there a "low tech" method to do this with? Perhaps printing on transfer paper and then going to the heat press? Cost is an issue because I will be footing the bill for the machinery.

It would be nice to be able to do a custom multi-color logo for the left chest on one side and then put individul and/or sponsor or team names on the back of the shirts. We are trying to set ourselves apart from all the other summer camps with this T-shirt customization. If this works out we will probably have an opportunity to do onsite printing of T-Shirts and light grey hoodies at regional and state tournaments down the road. So it would be nice if my original equipment investment could be used for the next step in the business plan as well as the first.

thanks in advance for any input

PS- it is very possible that we might be able to secure the uniform printing for the league in the fall if we perform well this summer with the camps and clinics. Then we would need to print on very expensive soccer jerseys. It seems as if heat transfer is the way to go here ordering numbers from Stahl or another manufacturer. Then ordering the 3 color chest logos in heat transfer form as well. This contract could be in the tens of thousands of dollars so we could retool and make a greater investment here, but it seems like manual labor and heat transfers is how it's done now. HOWEVER- is there any way to put white names on dark jerseys without a large startup investment?

hor4life · February 26th, 2009

Vendor names and suggestions for specific brands of equipment greatly appreciated

tfalk · February 26th, 2009

Stahls would probably be your best bet. You can get the heat press from them, you can get the logo transfers from them and you can also get team name setups from them.

rodsps · February 27th, 2009

Yes Shahls or Imprintables Warehouse (there are others mentioned on this forum) would be a one stop place to get started.
I would look at a 24" plotter and Corel, using the cutable transfer materials to cut each name. Depending on the logo's and quantites of each you may want to cut those too. You can use the Corel to get creative with the text for the names. (Remember there is some learning curve for the software and the process).
If the front graphic stays the same I would order and stock plastisol tranfers from one suppliers that provide that service. This would alllow you to do all on the spot relatively easy.
You will of course need a heat press for applying all these.
You could look to the future of suppling custom decals for parents cars to go with all this, as an extra service. Just have to get the proper sign vinyl instead of the transfer material.

hor4life · February 27th, 2009

so- nobody thinks that I could just print the names in black pigment ink from and inkjet printing onto transfer paper and just heat press it onto the back of the T-shirts? I woudl have thought this to be the easiest and most cost effective for the Summer Camp T's. I realize I muddied the water asking about uniform prining later where certainly cutting vinyl would be a higher quality more durable method that would nearly be a necessity for black jerseys for instance.

HOE DURABLE are the ink jet transfers? 20 washings?

tfalk · February 27th, 2009

Printing inkjet transfers are good for short term shirts. If you want to build a lasting relationship with the organization, I personally don't think it's wise going in with the cheapest cost solution. You can get the letters/numbers pretty cheap from places like Stahls.

I can't remember who said it but there's an old saying... “The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory.”

Regardless of which direction you go, you are going to need a heat press to start with. If you are only doing kids shirts, you could save some money up front by purchasing a used press or buying a smaller press. A smaller press will limit you down the road but it would at least get you started.

MotoskinGraphix · February 27th, 2009

I think cad cut heatpress vinyl for one offs and names is the way to go.

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