jcdsog

Had a question. I used to screen print for over 4 years so I know a little something. I got out of it about 4 years ago.

I'm wanting to print shirts to sell locally and I've decided to get a heat press to do this. It was just way too messy last time. I'd so much rather sub the prints out. Plus I have other things that take up so much of my time.

So, I have a few questions for some of you heat press guys.

Firstly, I dont know whether to go with plastisol or cut vinyl.

I will mostly be doing spot colors at first. Simple designs.

What are you guys using?

 

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ole Jobe

I screen, cut vinyl and use digital transfers. All have a advantages and limitations. With vinyl, the designs you can do are limited, and it gets rather expensive to have the variety of colors needed. With digital transfers, you are limited to light shirts (I have tried the transfers for dark shirts but don't like them). In screen printing, setup costs for small runs are excessively high. So it just depends on what you want to do. Ole Jobe

 

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Colorfast

Quote: Originally Posted by ole Jobe I screen, cut vinyl and use digital transfers. All have a advantages and limitations. With vinyl, the designs you can do are limited, and it gets rather expensive to have the variety of colors needed. With digital transfers, you are limited to light shirts (I have tried the transfers for dark shirts but don't like them). In screen printing, setup costs for small runs are excessively high. So it just depends on what you want to do. Ole Jobe

All good points. I do inkjet transfers, vinyl and plastisol transfers and contract out large screen printing of the larger multi color jobs.

Vinyl is best for 1 and 2 color jobs. I stock red, royal, white and black vinyl. Speciality Graphics (forum sponsor) sells several brands by the foot so if you need other colors check with them. Depending on the design vinyl I think vinyl is good up to 50 shirts. When I get in the 24 range I compare vinyl time and cost verse plastisol. Also vinyl is good for RUSH if you can sell them on a color you have in stock.

Plastisol transfers are definitely cleaner and easier than screen printing. Once you have the plastisol transfers you can print a shirt as quick as or quicker than screen printing.

Profit on plastisol is less than screen print but you are only doing half the work. No emulsions, chemicals etc to worry about.

 

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