No matter what method you use, you should first consider the subject of Copyright. You can't just go around printing pictures of pop stars or kids favourite tv characters without a licence.
Really, you have to learn enough about each method to decide which is best for you. If there was only one best method, there would be only one method available; each has its niche. As mentioned, every method has its own sub sections on this forum. Lots to read!Thanks Noxid for your answer. i have never heard about screen printing. what is that? is that like a different word for pigment or dye? i am very interested in that, since you say it is cheap, durable and looks good. on that note "above a minimum quantity", does that mean you have to print daily for example to keep the ink from drying out or sth? or is it sth else that just makes it more expensive if you barely use it?
you also say "Inkjet and laser transfers for DARK shirts have hand and durability issues.", does that mean for light or even white ones they dont have that issue and are as durable as other methods?
or just generally, is there a general good overview about all the options one has? i always just see very limited data and it makes it so hard to compare stuff.
i'd love to read a table of all the methods with prices for machines, paper (if needed), ink, data on how long machines last (if there is reliable data on it) and obviously what color they can print, what color they can print onto, what material they can print onto, the durability of each combination and other points i probably forgot or dont know about. is there something like this out there?
thanks so much webtrekker and TABOB
you guys really helped me out here for the mere reason that you told me the price and how to use DTG and screen printing. those are out of the question for me now. what i am unsure about here is the expression "transfer" though, does that mean pigment and the normal dye (that washes out super easily)? i guess those are also out of my price range for now if the press alone is one grand.
now i have no idea on HTV, that one is also new to me, but can you explain why it is a pain? is it because of the need to cut the shape out yourself? (i assume so, since one needs a cutter for it) if i didnt go for that expensive machine though, would it be reasonable in price though?
i wanted to save my new fave for last, though. my wife found a youtube video (2.5 years old) where they talk about a "brand new" product which you can apply to the printed out sublimation paper thing. it is like a powder, looks like flour that you apply to a schnitzel before frying it. anyway, apparently that polymer powder makes it possible to sublimate onto 100% cotton shirts aswell.
has anybody heard about that process and how it is seen nowadays? i have seen this powder being sold for very little money, like less than 20$ for a kg, which is almost nothing. also, the shirts will be cheaper AND wont make anyone sweat anymore like polyester does. lastly, you can print practically any kind of picture like that and it retains its color vividness and durability from what i could see.
that seems like the perfect deal for me.
Dye sublimation only works with polyester/plastic. Any powder/spray/film that allows dye sub "on cotton" is a layer of plastic that you stick on top of your cotton. The resulting print will have the hand feel and durability of the plastic in question. As opposed to dye sub directly on a polyester garment which has no hand feel and will last as long as the garment. This does not really get you ahead of using JPSS on white cotton, which has been proven to be durable....
i wanted to save my new fave for last, though. my wife found a youtube video (2.5 years old) where they talk about a "brand new" product which you can apply to the printed out sublimation paper thing. it is like a powder, looks like flour that you apply to a schnitzel before frying it. anyway, apparently that polymer powder makes it possible to sublimate onto 100% cotton shirts aswell.
has anybody heard about that process and how it is seen nowadays? i have seen this powder being sold for very little money, like less than 20$ for a kg, which is almost nothing. also, the shirts will be cheaper AND wont make anyone sweat anymore like polyester does. lastly, you can print practically any kind of picture like that and it retains its color vividness and durability from what i could see.
that seems like the perfect deal for me.
You just need to be able to differentiate between a unicorn and a white horse. The white horse is obviously real, but if you've never seen one, you may think otherwiseI certainly keep an eye out for them and keep close tabs on the latest efforts to create one. So far none of them smell quite like a rainbow.