As this article is written there are currently three different professional ways to print a t-shirt.  The most popular and widely used is screen printing formerly known as silk screen printing.  Secondly, there is the heat press method which can be done with transfers printed directly from a ink jet printer or die cut vinyls.  And lastly, the newest technology, DTG or Direct To Garment printing.  DTG printing is basically a large ink jet printer that prints directly onto t-shirts and then is heat sealed to achieve the proper cure.

Screen Printing

The screen printing method has been around a long time.  In fact, it’s believed that it first appeared somewhere in China between 960-1270 AD, but it was really popularized in the US in the 1960’s.

The process starts with the development of a frame that is stretched with polyester.  The polyester mesh is coated with a photo-sensitive emulsion then dried to the touch in a cool dark area.  The artwork is then separated into each color and printed out in positives.  The positives are placed under the dried screen in what is called an exposure unit for a specified amount of time.  The black of the positive blocks the uv light from penetrating the photo-sensitive emulsion and when the time is up the screen is removed and then sprayed with water.  The design will then wash away creating a stencil where only the ink will go through.  The screens are then setup and registered onto the screen press.  Since the setup times can be a bit lengthy it makes sense to run large quantities of t-shirts or garments.

Heat Press

Many people know this method as printing out a design from their computer printer onto a special transfer paper and then ironing it onto a t-shirt.  Well…you’re partially right except it’s done with a industrial heat press that applies greater pressure and higher heat.  The ink jet method isn’t very good since the image won’t last very long and the inks in your printer weren’t made to be washed on clothing.

Heat applied vinyl can be cut into logos or even more popular….the numbers on the back of your soccer jersey when you were a kid.  Vinyl works very well for small customizations like custom names and numbers on each garment.

Dye sublimation has also become very popular.  This is a special ink that prints from your printer but during the heat process the ink actually dyes the threads of the garment instead of sitting on top like the other method.  The only draw backs are that it works much better on polyester or polyester blends and white and light colored garments.  Other products that can be sublimated are coffee mugs, mouse pads, picture frames, buttons and much more.

DTG or Direct To Garment

DTG printing is the newest technology on the market.  You can load a t-shirt into the printer and print a full color design in a matter of minutes.  This method works great for those who only need a few shirts, but require a high color print.  Since their release there have been many problems with these units, especially printing on black or dark shirts.  In order to print a dark shirt they must be under based with white ink and the white ink has a tendency to dry up in the lines when not being used.  The fix to this problem is to continually run the white ink at given time increments even when not printing a customers shirt.

In conclusion, if you need quantities of 24 and higher then screen printing is probably the way to go.  If your order requires custom names or numbers or maybe just 1 or 2 shirts with a one color logo then a heat pressed vinyl will work well.  And if you just need a few tees that have full color designs then definitely go with DTG.

In today’s market there are a ton of different styles and brands of t-shirts to choose from.  Which one is right for you and your organization?  That’s what I’ll answer for you in this article.

Everyone has at least one favorite t-shirt that they love and most likely it’s because of the way it fits.  That’s right, it’s not necessarily the design, but they way it hugs their body just right.  Now, obviously not everyone has the same body type and therefore not one brand of shirt is going to fit everyone perfect, but we can make a good decision on what brand or style to go with by the majority of our customers or members.

The Basic Tees

In the screen printing world there are two types of basic tees the premium 6.1 oz. and the heavyweight 5.5 oz.  A lot of printers, including myself, will only quote the 6.1 oz. 100% cotton t-shirts, since this is the standard weight for the industry.  Most manufacturers like Hanes and Gildan reference their 5.5 oz. tees as heavyweight, but in reality that is a big misconception and misleading.  What they are is a mid weight shirt.  The 5.5 oz. tee does come in handy when the t-shirts are giveaways or if they will be worn outdoors in the heat such as gardening companies, painters, construction, etc., however, they’re only about a quarter cheaper than the 6 oz. tee.  The two leading shirts in the industry are the Gildan Ultra Cotton Tee and the Hanes Authentic tee. Both shirts have a pretty basic fit, not to slim and not too wide.  The Gildan Ultra Cotton tee has over 60 color to choose from making it the most popular choice and best bang for your buck.  The Hanes Authentic tee offers just over 40 colors and sports a tagless printed label.

What about the Hanes Beefy Tee?

What sets the Hanes Beefy Tee apart from the basic tee category is the fact that the cotton is ring spun.  Ring spun cotton creates a softer feel which is why when the Hanes Beefy tee, Jerzees ZT or American Apparel tee are compared with a non ring spun shirt you can tell by the touch.  Expect to pay a premium for ring spun cotton t-shirts anywhere between $1-$2.

Fashion forward t-shirts

The screen printing industry was introduced to these new shirts at about the time American Apparel, Inc. first started in 2003.  It took the demanding youth to change the minds of some of the old timer printers out there to actually start purchasing this new light weight (4.3 oz. ) t-shirt.  For a long time a t-shirts quality was based on it’s weight by yard, so how could this new American Apparel 4.3 oz. tee be any good?  Here’s why: these new tees sported the soft ring spun cotton feel, had a slimming fit and because of the quality yarn and needlework had even less shrinkage.  Oh, and I almost forgot, they’re made in good Ol’ America by a sweatshop free labor force in Los Angeles, California.

Since American Apparel’s conception many more companies have followed with a very similar product and some at a much cheaper price.  Some of these brands include Alternative Apparel, Royal Apparel, Sun Apparel, Tultex, District Threads, Alstyle Apparel and even some of the big boys such as Gildan and Anvil.

Alternative Apparel is unique in their own right since they produce a much more fashion forward style.  Some of their tees include distressed (frayed collars and hems), acid wash, vintage looks and more.  Despite their cool and original looks their price is just too high.  Unless you can expect to produce shirts that sell upwards of $40 these t-shirts are probably not for you.

American Apparel’s fine jersey tee is probably one of the most popular shirts on the market for college students and other young adults.  In fact, many will demand to have their designs printed only on American Apparel fine jersey tees.  These t-shirts are available in 45 different and  unique colors.

The Tultex, Gildan and Anvil fitted tees are knock offs of the American Apparel tee.  For those who still want the soft feel and slim fit tee but don’t want to pay the premium price for a Made in America garment these are for you.  However,  they are knock offs not replicas.  Their quality still suffers a bit when compared to the American Apparel tee, but I guess that is what to expect when they sell for half the price.

In Conclusion

Below is a breakdown of what type of shirt you should look into or order samples from before proceeding with your print order.

Give Aways/ Promotional:  Look at any of the big mills such as Gildan, Hanes, Anvil, Jerzees and Fruit of the Loom.  Specifically at their heavyweight (really mid weight) tees.  Also, most t-shirt vendors are always running specials on these brands, so ask your printer what brand might have a sale going and order those.  Remember, white shirts are always the cheapest.

Service Industry:  A standard basic 6 oz. tee is probably your best choice.  You’ll have a vast array of colors to choose from to fit your companies colors, you’ll get a reasonable price and the quality will be good enough for the purpose at hand.

Clothing Lines: In today’s market it would be almost impossible to do anything less than a fashion fitted tee.  Look at American Apparel, Tultex, Royal Apparel, Alstyle Apparel and Sun Apparel.

College Clubs / Universities: With the young adult crowd it is probably wise to go for a fashion fitted tee as well.  American Apparel has gotten extremely popular with college students, however, they’re budget may say otherwise.  If this is the case look at the Tultex tee for half the price and the same fit.

Well I just finished up the Porky’s Pizza t-shirt design. It incorporates a classic southern California feel with some classic cars and palm trees. The t-shirts will be on display at each of the stores for customers to purchase.  I’ll put up  a pic once the shirts have been printed.

Porkys Pizza design created by InnoThread Graphics

www.Porkysonline.com

We have just launched an online store where many products can be purchased online for much lower pricing. Custom printed t-shirts, embroidered polo’s, custom pens and even custom coffee mugs can be bought directly online. And better yet, it’s always free shipping! You can visit the store by visiting us at www.InnoThreadGraphics.com.

For a limited time InnoThread Graphics is offering free shipping on all custom screen printed t-shirt orders delivered within the 48 contiguous states.  Just mention free shipping when placing your order.  Orders can be placed over the phone at 1-800-449-9694 or on our website at www.InnoThreadGraphics.com.

Custom T-Shirt Printing.

Why Drive? When you can place your order online!

InnoThread Graphics specializes in custom screen printed t-shirts and other apparel.  We have very low minimums and offer quantity price discounts.  Our website enables you to get a quote for your next custom shirt order right online….www.InnoThreadGraphics.com/quote.html.

InnoThread Graphics is located in Yorba Linda, CA and serves all of Orange County.  We offer free delivery throughout Orange County and the surrounding areas.  Below is a list of cities that InnoThread Graphics serves:

• Aliso Viejo
• Anaheim
• Anaheim Hills
• Balboa
• Buena Park
• Brea
• Bellflower
• Bell Gardens
• Costa Mesa
• Cypress
• Corona
• Corona Del Mar
• Coto De Caza
• Dana Point
• Dove Canyon
• Foothill Ranch
• Fountain Valley
• Fullerton
• Garden Grove
• Huntington Beach
• Irvine
• Ladera Ranch
• Laguna Beach
• Laguna Hills
• Laguna Woods
• Laguna Niguel
• La Habra
• La Palma
• Lake Forest
• Los Alamitos
• Mission Viejo
• Monarch Beach
• Newport Beach
• Newport Coast
• Orange
• Placentia
• Portola Hills
• Rancho Santa Margarita
• San Clemente
• San Juan Capistrano
• Santa Ana
• Seal Beach
• Stanton
• Talega
• Trabuco Canyon
• Tustin
• Villa Park
• Westminster
• Yorba Linda

We Print t-shirts for:

• University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley)
• University of California, Davis (Davis)
• University of California, Irvine (Irvine)
• University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles)
• University of California, Merced (Merced)
• University of California, Riverside (Riverside)
• University of California, San Diego (La Jolla, San Diego)
• University of California, San Francisco (San Francisco)
• University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara-Goleta)
• University of California, Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)

• California Maritime Academy, (Vallejo)
• California Polytechnic State University, (San Luis Obispo)
• California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, (Pomona)
• California State University, Bakersfield, (Bakersfield)
• California State University, Channel Islands, (Camarillo)
• California State University, Chico, (Chico)
• California State University, Dominguez Hills, (Carson)
• California State University, East Bay, (Hayward)
• California State University, Fresno, (Fresno)
• California State University, Fullerton, (Fullerton)
• California State University, Long Beach, (Long Beach)
• California State University, Los Angeles, (Los Angeles)
• California State University, Monterey Bay, (Seaside)
• California State University, Northridge, (Northridge)
• California State University, Sacramento, (Sacramento)
• California State University, San Bernardino, (San Bernardino)
• California State University, San Marcos, (San Marcos)
• California State University, Stanislaus, (Turlock)
• Humboldt State University, (Arcata)
• San Diego State University, (San Diego)
• San Francisco State University, San Francisco
• San José State University, (San Jose)
• Sonoma State University, (Rohnert Park)

• Biola University
• Claremont Colleges, Claremont
  • Claremont McKenna College, Claremont
  • Harvey Mudd College, Claremont
  • Pitzer College, Claremont
  • Pomona College, Claremont
  • Scripps College, Claremont
• Imago Dei College
• Menlo College
• Mills College
• Mount St. Mary’s College
• Occidental College
• Point Loma Nazarene University
• St. Mary’s College of California
• Thomas Aquinas College
• Westmont College
• Whittier College

• Academy of Art University, San Francisco
• Allied American University
• American Jewish University, Los Angeles
• Anaheim University
• Antioch University
• Apollos University, Huntington Beach (Online)
• Art Center College of Design, Pasadena
• The Art Institute of California – San Francisco, San Francisco
• Azusa Pacific University, Azusa
• Bethany University, Scotts Valley
• Biola University, La Mirada
• Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara
• California Baptist University, Riverside
• California College of the Arts, San Francisco
• California College San Diego (CCSD), San Diego
• California Institute of the Arts, Valencia
• California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
• California InterContinental University, Diamond Bar
• California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks
• California National University, Northridge
• California Pacific University, Escondido
• California University of Management and Technology, San Jose
• California Southern University, Santa Ana (online)
• Capital Bible College, Sacramento
• Chapman University, Orange
• CapStone University, Riverside, California/Riverside
• Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles
• Cogswell College, Sunnyvale
• Concordia University Irvine, Irvine
• Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, St. Helena
• West Hills, Los Angeles, California
• Dominican University of California, San Rafael
• Fresno Pacific University, Fresno
• Golden Gate University, San Francisco
• Holy Names University, Oakland
• Hope International University, Fullerton
• Humphreys College, Stockton
• John F. Kennedy University, Pleasant Hill
• John Paul the Great Catholic University, San Diego
• Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach
• La Sierra University, Riverside
• Life Pacific College, San Dimas
• Lincoln University, Oakland
• Loma Linda University, Loma Linda
• Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles
• Master’s College, Newhall
• Mayfield College, Palm Springs and Cathedral City
• Monsbey College, Watsonville
• Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey
• National Hispanic University, San Jose
• NewSchool of Architecture and Design, San Diego
• Northwestern Polytechnic University, Fremont
• Northern Coastal College, Crescent City, California
• Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont
• Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles
• Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena
• Pacific Union College, Angwin
• Pacific Western University, San Diego
• Patten College, Oakland
• Pepperdine University, Malibu
• Remington College, San Diego
• San Francisco Institute of Architecture, Berkeley
• Saint Mary’s College of California, Moraga
• Samuel Merritt College, Oakland
• San Diego Christian College, El Cajon
• San Luis Rey College, Oceanside
• Santa Clara University, Santa Clara
• Soka University of America, Aliso Viejo
• Southern California Institute of Architecture, Los Angeles
• Simpson University, Redding
• Stanford University, Stanford
• Trinity International University
• Trinity Life Bible College, Sacramento
• Touro University, Vallejo
• Touro University International, Cypress
• University of La Verne, La Verne
• University of Northern California, Petaluma
• University of Redlands, Redlands
• University of the Pacific, Stockton
• University of San Diego, San Diego
• University of San Francisco, San Francisco
• University of Southern California, Los Angeles
• University of West Los Angeles
  • Inglewood
  • Woodland Hills
• Vanguard University of Southern California, Costa Mesa
• Western Institute for Social Research, Berkeley
• William Howard Taft University, Santa Ana
• William Jessup University, Rocklin

Black is back!  The new website is full functional now complete with an online store, online help, new catalogs and samples.  Check it out and let me know what you think….www.InnoThreadGraphics.com.

Let me know your comments.

Here are some pics I took on a recent trip to Mexico…Puerte Vallarta to be exact.