[jen2swt]

We will be creating a design that is white and transferred to purple shirts (possible other colors as well)

Is screen printing the way to go with this route? Is screen printing transfer basically the same if we outsource the designs?

Curious to hear thoughts on how you would transfer a white design to a dark colored shirt.

 

[lben]

It would depend on the complexity of the design. You could do either screen printing, screen printed transfers, or vinyl.

 

[jen2swt]

It would depend on the complexity of the design. You could do either screen printing, screen printed transfers, or vinyl.

But you're not able to print from say a Workforce to a screen print transfer are you? Trying to determine what the best way to go about it is since our designs will mainly be white on dark shirts.

NVM, answered my own question on that

 

[WallyHawk]

With a simple design, go vinyl. Cheap to do, long lasting (literally never fades).

More complex I like high quality transfers over screen printing. Just my personal opinion from personal experience, not knocking screen printers.

I feel the durability is higher and it lasts longer.

 

[lben]

You can't get a nice quality heat transfer for a complex white design that would go on dark fabric. Screen printing or even DTG would be better.

 

[WallyHawk]

Not looking to start an argument, but you can print white for darks. There are two step heat transfer papers made just for that. It works just like DTG but without the massive price tag (not cheap though) and not as limiting. I have an Oki printer that I use for any complicated orders. Anything else I do in vinyl.

The two step paper adds a white layer behind your image like primer for paint.

 

[lben]

True, you can get them for darks but they have a very heavy hand and require weeding of the white paper where you don't want white to show up on the shirt.

 

[WallyHawk]

A bit heavy handed, repressing with teflon (i think its teflon) reduces it a lot and increases durability. It gets MUCH softer after the first washing. The paper is weedless now though, much quicker. I'd still go vinyl if possible, but I don't see a screen printer worth the limitations and process. Just my personal opinion.