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supersucker · December 19th, 2006

before i invest money in a heat transfer press i need some solid advice on whether or not i can get close to screen printing quality on dark shirts using opaque tranfers or plastisol. if i'm just going to be banging my head against the wall i'd rather not waste the time. and what's the deal with printing white on black shirts? is it possible? help!

Rodney · December 19th, 2006

Quote:


	i can get close to screen printing quality on dark shirts using opaque tranfers or plastisol.

Yes you can with plastisol transfers (since it is basically screen printing, just on transfer release paper).

Plastisol transfers aren't printed from your computer though, they have to be outsourced to a screen printer that specializes in plastisol transfers.

Custom Plastisol Transfer printers:
Where do you buy YOUR custom plastisol transfers? - a list of vendors!

Fluid · December 19th, 2006

What Rodney said

Quote:


	what's the deal with printing white on black shirts? is it possible? help!

If you mean traditional screen printing, well , um , yes.

We do it every day

Use a god opaque white - Wilflex Bear White is a good one
low mesh frame (not lot of detail) 110-156
Good Flood and Smooth Print
********FLASH********
Good Flood and Smooth Print

Solmu · December 19th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by supersucker


	before i invest money in a heat transfer press i need some solid advice on whether or not i can get close to screen printing quality on dark shirts using opaque tranfers or plastisol.

The first no, the second yes.

supersucker · December 19th, 2006

thanks, rodney. since you are a certified t-shirt junkie, let me ask you this.
would you buy a shirt that was made with a heat press and not screen printed?

Rodney · December 19th, 2006

Quote:


	would you buy a shirt that was made with a heat press and not screen printed?

Yes, I have many times

The method to decorate it doesn't matter to me as much as the end product being of high quality.

I've seen (and bought) crappy screen printed shirts and I've seen (and bought) amazing screen printed shirts.

I've seen (and bought) crappy heat pressed shirts and I've seen (and bought) heat pressed shirts that made me go "wow".

I've seen (and bought) direct to garment printed shirts that I wouldn't give away to my worse enemy, and I've seen some really nice direct to garment printed shirts.

I don't care how you do it, just get me a cool, quality printed shirt

supersucker · December 19th, 2006

that's exactly the answer i needed to hear. thanks a lot rodney.

Solmu · December 19th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by supersucker


	that's exactly the answer i needed to hear.

Don't confuse the answer you wanted to hear for the answer you needed to hear.

Some customers will agree with Rodney, many won't.

Rodney · December 19th, 2006

Quote:


	Some customers will agree with Rodney, many won't.

Or this could also read, many customers will agree with Rodney and many won't

There are definitely people out there that wouldn't want a "heat pressed" shirt for whatever reasons or past stigmas, but there are also people out there that just don't care. I *think* that there's enough of the "don't care" people out there that it makes for a viable business opportunity.

It helps to know your market though. If you are selling shirts to people who expect screen printing, then that might sway your decision.

Solmu · December 19th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodney


	Or this could also read, many customers will agree with Rodney and many won't

Sorry, you're right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodney


	I think* that there's enough of the "don't care" people out there that it makes for a viable business opportunity.*

There are, but I think that depends on what business opportunity you're seeking.

supersucker · December 20th, 2006

thanks for the input, solmu. i hear what you're saying. the business i'm starting doesn't involve high-end fashion tees but as an artist i am a stickler for detail and quality. the decision to go with the heat press was actually inspired by the poor quality i experienced with various screen printing shops in town. i was told (by a screen printer) that the look i was searching for was done by heat press. it's possible he may have just been trying to get rid of me because i was becoming quite frustrated. the bottom line is i have no screen printing experience and not only is the equipment more expensive, but the learning curve is much greater. i would still like to keep my night job so the time it takes to set up and print small runs of different shirts has to be realistic and managable. if you guys have any thoughts or suggestions on the subject, i'm all ears. all of your input has been invaluable so far - thanks.

Solmu · December 21st, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by supersucker


	if you guys have any thoughts or suggestions on the subject, i'm all ears.

I think everything you're saying is reasonable; I just don't want to see people going into things with their eyes closed so to speak (which I'm not suggesting you are). Transfer printing will lose you some customers, but it opens up all kinds of doors that wouldn't otherwise be available to you (which obviously means more customers of a different kind). It's just a matter of finding the balance, depending on the type of business you're running (some businesses don't actually need a lot of options for example). Obviously you want/need the options transfers bring, so the trade off is worthwhile.

Fluid · December 21st, 2006

Quote:


	I think everything you're saying is reasonable; I just don't want to see people going into things with their eyes closed so to speak (which I'm not suggesting you are). Transfer printing will lose you some customers, but it opens up all kinds of doors that wouldn't otherwise be available to you (which obviously means more customers of a different kind). It's just a matter of finding the balance, depending on the type of business you're running (some businesses don't actually need a lot of options for example). Obviously you want/need the options transfers bring, so the trade off is worthwhile.

I agree 100%.

JoshEllsworth · December 21st, 2006

Quote:


	Transfer printing will lose you some customers, but it opens up all kinds of doors that wouldn't otherwise be available to you (which obviously means more customers of a different kind).

I don't think that transfer printing will lose you customers. If you offer the "right" type of tested technology you'll be able deliver a very high quality, durable product.

T-BOT · December 21st, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshEllsworth


	I don't think that transfer printing will lose you customers. If you offer the "right" type of tested technology you'll be able deliver a very high quality, durable product.

it has been hard over the years educating people that Heat Transfers ARE high quality. Just because the litho-transfers from the 70's were some what lower quality than screen print. This general consummer mentality has been a hard up hill road for transfer makers.

Even today, when you tell peeps, Yep there are Hot peel transfer that work everytime and are superstretch high quality, you still get a lot of.....

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