Printing Methods
Our bible quote –‘simple is powerful…’
Each process is simple; we provide the clothing options to choose from and you can design your own custom merchandise – however you like! We offer various print/ embroidery methods – generally though, the same basic rules apply to all:
Sublimation print allows for limitless colour choices and numerous logo/ image positions. Unlike our running vests and cycle jerseys, most of our clothing is off the shelf, so we can’t customise individual panels. Sublimation printing is by far the most effective kind of printing you’ll ever get; it’s an in transfer process in which the ink is embedded into the fibers of the fabric. This means there’s no such thing as logo feeling or colour fade – ever. The only catch with sublimation print is that 1. The garment must have a higher polyester % than any other material and 2. The garment must be light/ white – you can’t print on to dark colours such as black.
** The printable surface area of an adult size garment is approx 300mm wide (imagine an A4 piece of paper placed horizontally across your chest/ back)
** The recommended breast logo size, is up approx 8cm in width for an adult size garment.
Direct to Garment (DTG) does exactly what it says on the tin – it kind of works just the same as a normal office printer. The garment goes through the machine and is pre-treated, then printed on the garment directly. This type of printing is ideal for more intricate designs with a lot of colour. Generally this kind of method is used for a full coverage print too. The print is built to last – the lifespan of one of these products is purely based on how it’s handled/ washed at home.
Digital Vinyl Transfer logos are printed on to sheets of heat resistant/ transferable paper. They’re printed much like screen printing but we can achieve greater detail and there are no screen charges. Layers of ink are built up to produce the design finished with an outer border to prevent logo fade. This method can be used on any garment fabric. This method can be used on any garment fabric
** Vinyl/ Transfers are idea for small orders
** Screen Printing has a minimum order of 25 items.
Screen Print process – one colour at a time is applied and therefore the cost will increase with each additional colour applied. For each separate colour an additional screen is required, so a design with 4 colours in it will need 4 screens, this can make screen printing in many colours uneconomical if only a small run of clothing is required and digital printing might be a cheaper option.
Embroidery – using a machine and embroidery hoop to hold and shape the garment in place, this method follows a digitised pattern to produce the logo. It creates a highly durable and aesthetically pleasing 3D like version of your logo. Often this method is preferred over screen print, depending on the complexity of the design. This method can be used on any garment fabric
Final word of advise – to avoid any potential artwork charges – artwork must be supplied in a print ready format. Use our FAQ’s page for more information on this.
