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How does the Spreadshirt "digital transfer overlay" process work?
Hi,
I am new to the t-shirt printing business, and I find the T-shirt Forum incredibly informative. Props to our host Rodney!
Does anyone know how Spreadshirt's "digital transfer overlay" printing process work? I ordered a shirt from them, and I like the way they look. It appears the design was printed on a thin transparent plastic sheet, and the whole sheet was then heat-pressed onto the blank shirt.
It feels a little plasticky, but the colours come out quite vibrant, and the lines very sharp. What do I need to duplicate the same process?
Thanks.
Soran
Last edited by Soran; November 16th, 2006 at 03:25 PM.
The flex is actually colored vinyl transfers. It is cut with a vinyl cutter to the shape of your design and heat pressed to the t-shirt.
So basically, to reproduce it you would need a vinyl cutter (like this one), a heat press, and some vinly transfers (like thermoflex from Imprintables).
Re: How does the Spreadshirt "digital transfer overlay" process work?
Rodney,
Thanks for your reply. I have confused what they call "flex" with "digital transfer overlay". I am actually inquiring about the latter, in which a full-colour image is printed on a thin (transparent? white?) plastic sheet, which is then applied to a blank shirt with a heat press.
have confused what they call "flex" with "digital transfer overlay". I am actually inquiring about the latter, in which a full-colour image is printed on a thin (transparent? white?) plastic sheet, which is then applied to a blank shirt with a heat press.
I think the digital transfer overlay is probably a fancy name for an opaque transfer paper. You can use an inkjet printer to print on opaque transfer paper and press it to the shirt. You just need to trim around the design (or use a cutter) to remove the excess white backing paper.
At least that's my best guess based on what I've read here Hopefully someone with more experience can give more detailed info.
Can anyone recommend any particular brands of opaque inkjet paper?
I'm sure someone will have some ideas; in the meanwhile you might get some good answers by searching the forums for something like opaquetransfers though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Soran
Can I use "normal" inkjet printer ink, or is a special kind of ink required?
Yes, the same normal pigmented ink you'd use for a light transfer.
How does the Spreadshirt "digital transfer overlay" process work? 
Hopefully someone with more experience can give more detailed info.
