[yellowbrickroad]

I am a newbie designing my 1st shirt in kids sizes. My screen printer is telling me that the screen size is static. If I have a range from 12-18 mos (baby size) to a 4 toddler size, do I need a new screen for each size?

This will be very expensive with a multicolor job/2 sides.

Maybe I just don't understand the process well enough.

Nina

 

[joeshaul]

For those sizes, I wouldn't think it to be necessary. If you were doing toddler to an adult sized shirt, then yes they would need to resize the artwork and create a new screen.

You can tell if your design needs to be resized by taking measurements of what the design will look like on the smallest size (maybe even cut a piece of paper to match) then see how it matches up on your largest.

 

[yellowbrickroad]

Thanks very much for your quick response. Its nice to know there's people out there who will help a newbie.

 

[TripleT]

Have you looked into any other methods of printing besides screen printing, Nina? Is there a DTG (Direct to Garment) printer in your area? That may be another alternative for you. At least it's worth checking out. Good Luck!

 

[spankthafunk]

Yea I wouldn't think with those sizes you'd have a problem, unless maybe printing two screens for the different sizes, one for the smaller sizes and one for the larger sizes.

 

[yellowbrickroad]

Thanks Tom,
I'm wondering about quality with DTG. These are high end price tag shirts, with 8-10 color original art on them. I also would like to be able to use special effects like gel or sparkles. Are these options available to me with DTG? Also - I will be wholesaling them - not retailing on the internet - so I need something that will be able to be easily produced in quantities. ANy advice? Nina

 

[joeshaul]

Thanks Tom,
I'm wondering about quality with DTG. These are high end price tag shirts, with 8-10 color original art on them. I also would like to be able to use special effects like gel or sparkles. Are these options available to me with DTG? Also - I will be wholesaling them - not retailing on the internet - so I need something that will be able to be easily produced in quantities. ANy advice? Nina

The quality on DTG is much like screenprinting, when done right the print will outlast the garment. However, there is no glitter or sparkle with DTG. As for the colors, the screen printer may be able to do something like a 4 color process in order to cut down on the amount of screens that are needed. For what you need, screenprinting sounds like the way to go. I actually operate with DTG, Vinyl, and sublimation, but I try to study about all the different processes and absorb as much knowledge as I can

 

[spankthafunk]

Joe with the glitter and sparkle and your setup, is it possible to use a DTG and then add the effects printing with the vinyl plotter? This might be another workaround and probaly too expensive but if that's what you're trying to achieve this might be a good way of doing it.

 

[joeshaul]

Joe with the glitter and sparkle and your setup, is it possible to use a DTG and then add the effects printing with the vinyl plotter? This might be another workaround and probaly too expensive but if that's what you're trying to achieve this might be a good way of doing it.

Yes, it could be done, but as you say, the cost on it would probably be more, and then there's the time factor as well. I figure the ending pricetag is going to be around $20 lower-middle class (unsure if this is whom Yellowbrickroad is targeting), so therefore the cost to the retailer should be around $8, so hopefully the wholesaler (Yellowbrickroad in this case) can get the cost to produce to around $4. Of course if yellow's aiming for higher end audiences, then there's some leeway.

 

[TripleT]

Nina, with 8 to 10 colors screen printing will be costly - but even if you go that way, at least get bids from several printers. They may give you a better rate if they understand that you own a T-Shirt company and you will be using them for contract printing. Also, different printers may have different ways (and prices) to approach your special effects needs.