[guest227]

I really like how dye sublimation printing makes it so you cannot feel the ink. I don't like the rubbery feel of screen printing, and was wondering if there was a way to get the same smooth feeling and sharp image quality that the dye-sub method offers, but on a 100% cotton shirt.

I'm trying to find a US manufacturer who can stitch a custom shirt and print on it like above.

Thanks.

 

[D.Evo.]

You can not dye-sub cotton. The process only works on man-made fabrics.

If your shirts are going to be custom made, you can use ring spun poly that looks and feels like cotton - then you can print on them using dye sublimation.
Look up Mark (On-line Jerseys) on the forums - he might be able to help you with that.

 

[IYFGraphics]

Nope....doesn't work, even on 50/50 shirts you'll get a muted/faded print.

Hope this helps.

 

[guest227]

I know it doesn't work, I'm looking for alternatives to achieve the same/similar results on cotton.

 

[IYFGraphics]

I know it doesn't work, I'm looking for alternatives to achieve the same/similar results on cotton.

Similar, maybe, there are screen printing processes that offer a very light hand, also some DTG prints have almost no feel on white shirts, but the difficulty in achieving the same feel as dye-sub is almost imposable with any other process because dye-sub ink when sublimated is absorbed into the polyester, every other process lays the ink on top of the fabric.

Discharge screen printing offers a very high quality print with a light hand but a lot of screen printers can't do the process.

Hope this helps.

 

[FatboyGraphics]

use a good screenprinter. With a good printer, you won't feel the print.

 

[cprvh]

...I'm looking for alternatives to achieve the same/similar results on cotton.

There are digital print processes for cotton using acid inks and reactive dye inks. I am not sure which is the solution for your product. You should be able to research from there or another member can chime in with more info.

 

[plan b]

Neenah has a laser transfer paper that will do what you want,, it looks and feels like dye sub but on 100% cotton,, they have it for lite and dark garments,, its a 2 step process

 

[guest227]

Neenah has a laser transfer paper that will do what you want,, it looks and feels like dye sub but on 100% cotton,, they have it for lite and dark garments,, its a 2 step process

would you mind sending me a link? I am having trouble navigating their site.

Thanks all for the great info, it's really helping me out.

 

[Common Seed]

I know everybody and there mother has an opinion. My two cents, the softest hand that can be achieved on cotton is by screen printing discharge inks for dark garments, and regular water-based ink for light garments. Pigmented discharge removes the dye from the garment and replaces it with the desired color. I use Matsui and I get super bright and soft results that don't fade in the wash.

There maybe other things that work well, too. But this is the one I've settled on. Ironically, this cannot be used on synthetic fabric (or maybe that's not irony, it's just the way it is).

Mike

 

[plan b]

Ok here you go ,, a thread about it http://www.t-shirtforums.com/laser-heat-transfer-paper/t111628.html

 

[plan b]

oh and they arent $6.00 a sheet,, I think conde carries the paper,, they have some videos about it on you tube

 

[plan b]

would you mind sending me a link? I am having trouble navigating their site.

Thanks all for the great info, it's really helping me out.

found you a supplier ImageClip for Dark Laser - 8.5" x 11"

 

[Rodney]

I really like how dye sublimation printing makes it so you cannot feel the ink. I don't like the rubbery feel of screen printing, and was wondering if there was a way to get the same smooth feeling and sharp image quality that the dye-sub method offers, but on a 100% cotton shirt.

I'm trying to find a US manufacturer who can stitch a custom shirt and print on it like above.

Thanks.

If you need a specific recommendation for a company to print your t-shirts, please post in our referrals and recommendations area here: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/referrals-recommendations/

The feel you're going for can be done with water based ink or discharged ink screen printing.

 

[freebird1963]

what about chromoblast for the cotton ?
conde is using the richohs and crhomoblast ink.
The ones I saw at the ISS shows were very soft.
But only for light colored shirts.

Mark

 

[shirek]

there are cotton feel 100% poly shirts