Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
What's the difference in terms of finish product of a silk screen tshirt and a heatpress tshirt? I mean how long will the design stay there? I've heard that the design for heatpress will run out after 2 washes? Is that right?
We are planning to put up a tshirt printing business but we are still confused on what to use,silk screen or heatpress.. What we consider is the quality of the finish product..
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
Although I'm also new to this, I have been researching direct-to-garment printers for the last week and it seems that most screen printers are leaning towards DTG printing now. You may still need a heat press for pre- and post-treating.
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
Also, depending on the type of transfers you use, it should last for many washes.
Plastisol transfers and DTG prints can last as long as silk screen prints. Inkjet transfers can also last many washes providing they are washed in cold water, inside out before wearing. Jet Pro Soft Stretch is an excellent inkjet transfer paper.
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
If print durability is what you're looking for, with proper procedure specially curing on screen printing, it will outlast the heat transfer. Although vinyl transfer are now getting better and better, I have shirts printed with vinyl that pretty much stays vibrant and good (no crack), the shirt has a good mileage to it already as it has been wash for so many times. Choosing which type of printing to use is really involves more of your capability and experience which includes your knowledge on using programs such as photoshop, illustrator or corel which are pretty much industry standard program nowadays, knowledge on this are needed in able to process your customer logo either heat press or screen print. Screen printing yields a lot of things from processing your screen to printing shirts, which also involves coating your screens with emulsion or capillary films, exposing your screen, cleaning and reclaiming which involves chemicals to do them, these are just few of things that you may want to look for if you're considering to screen print, however these shouldn't be a discouragement because all of this can be learn, it may take longer or shorter again depends on your capability. On the other hand, the heat press would only involve your programs (adobe, corel...), printer, cutter and heat press, this process is more friendlier than screen print and way more cleaner process than screen print. Another thing to consider is your volume and designs, quantity will do good on screen print, few normally yields to heat press. And the most important thing is the budget that you want to put on this, although you can start with low budget on both process, this will all depends on what output you want your equipment to produce. These are few things that I hope can help you on your decision and feel free to browse through for more information that you want to find out about the business. Goodluck!
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
Thank you for all of the replies. It seems that the majority of the answer is in favor with digital printing. So I just want to make a follow up question. We are considering dye sublimation, is it a good choice? Thanks.
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
Dye sublimation is great for lite colored 100% polyester gear...no cotton. You are limited
Screen printing is still King. The most versatile printing tech.
Plastisol transfers are right there with screen printing. Stock images available as well as the ability to get custom transfers. Looks and feels like a screen print as it is basically the same inks etc.
DTG seems to have its hit and misses. Read the DTG threads. Some folks are happy and some are sad.
Inkjet transfers for lites using pigment ink and JPSS paper are good but not screen print quality.
Inkjet transfers for darks, folks arent as happy with the quality as they are for lites.
Vinyl transfers are good for one or two colors layered. The vinyl will outlast the tee but no blending or fades in design. Best used on 50/50 but can be used on many fabrics depending on vinyl type. You need a vinyl cutter.
Versacamm full colored vinyl transfers I havent tried or felt but there are members using this technique.
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
I have a shirt that was pressed withthermflex black about a year ago, fine lines and detail..i dont fuss about washing..inside out warm or cold water...i have even slept in this thing a few times...absolutely not a crack anywhere and as black as day one.
I find the gold to be high maintenance tho' so i will keep it for hats unless a customer insists.
I also want to make my own transfers on my 4colour 4 station for repeat customers...set up the press once..print a load of em' and transfer as the customer orders,
I wont be purchasing a DTG until i am sure it is better than what i see now.
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
If I got it correctly,plastisol is like combination of silk screen printing and heat press printing is that right? It has the quality of silk screen print but you used heat press to transfer and not silk screen manual printing?
If I want to create and print my own plastisol tshirt? does it need me to invest large amount of money? What should I need(equipment,materials etc)? Thanks
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
You got it correctly. If you want to create your own plastisol transfers, it may be more cost effective to design it and then contract it out to one of the companies that provide that service. click the link Where to buy Plastisol Transfer PAPER or google "platisol transfer sheets". This link Printing Plastisol Transfers by Mark Goodridge Printing Plastisol Transfers explains the amount of effort you have to put out to create your own plastisol transfers.
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
Inkjet transfer....pigment ink, Epson printer. I have a 1400 that prints 13x19" with refill carts and Heat Transfer inks from inkjet carts.
Dye sub is for polyester and not for cotton. Can be used for mugs, tiles etc with a poly coating. The only way to use it with cotton I believe is transfering it onto some sort of trasnsfer paper and applying everything to the tee. I think that defeats the purpose.
Most folks choose cotton over poly tees unless you are doing the wicking sports gear.
I like 50/50 tees for vinyl and inkjet transfer...no shrink and no wrinkle.
Sublimation...use the epson printer and purchase carts or a cis with sublimation inks and sub paper. I dont think the inks are cheap.
The transfer papers most approved for inkjet transfers for lites are Jet Pro Soft Stretch and a two stage paper called image clip.
I believe pigment ink will work on 100% poly but not positive. I use it on 50/50 blends and dont want to wear any more poly than that. Way hot here in Texas.
motoskins is right. dtg printing is limited, not only for materials to be printed on but imagine running a 500 piece job. yikes! silkscreen is still the best.
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamey
Don't forget to mention the Okidata laser transfers. Many have switched from ink spitters to these and never looked back.
Silk Screening is King though...
I agree that screening is king....with an inkjet and JPSS with the HT inks its going to be as good as it gets for white tees.
10 percent better here or there really doesnt make a difference. The end product is what it is and will always be inferior to a well done screen print or transfer.
Re: Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts
I agree with most everything said here.... However, With my anajet I easily can do 100 different designs with limitless colors and no setup or mess by myself in one 8 hour day. My wash fastness is superb. For a designer I can do one of a kind pieces with a monstorus markup. For high dollar one of a kind garments I'll take my dtg. Most of the problems you hear about dtg printing today really are operator error and a lack of skill in maintaining and operating their equipment.
This is a discussion about Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts that was posted in the Inkjet Heat Transfer Paper section of the forums.
Quality Difference of Silk screen and heatpress tshirts 
