If you are printing more than 10 shirt shirts of the same design and aren’t looking for a DIY solution, screen printing is definitely the way to go. Screen printing is a printing method where ink is pushed through a woven screen (also called mesh stencil) onto fabric. While both methods produce designs that stay in place for long, the heat press tends to produce longer lasting results. For that reason, screen printing is best if you are printing 500 units. Heat transfer is a heavy method of printing. Easily you can also print your tees at home with a small set up. It is a similar kind of method of a screen printing or a DTG (Direct to Garment) printing. Screen printing involves application of ink-blocking stencil to a nylon mesh or screen. How To Start Your Print On Demand (POD) Business? Screen printing needs chemicals and equipment including films, tape, scrubbers, printers, squeegees, screens, and plastisol ink. In the heat press printing, pigment ink and a transfer paper are used to do the printing job. Budget. For this heat applied transfer product comparison, we are going to compare heat transfer vinyl (htv) rolls to screen printed transfer sheets. These transfers are a special paper whereby a screen printer takes your design and makes an actual screen as shown in the first video; but instead of printing your design onto a t-shirt, they put the design onto this ‘special release’ paper (transfer sheet), that allows you to transfer the design at a later date (on-demand). This makes work easier and gives you flexibility. For mass production of garment, the process is going to be time-consuming. Unbeatable Prices. That’s why most designs made with screen printing are generally small or don’t take much space in … You can get started with a Heat Press for under $1,000, if you’re looking to start direct screen printing it will cost you thousands to get started.Also, a Heat Press can operate out of a home. Garment printed from the vinyl heat transfer are durable … Place the transfer face down on the garment. Process, Screen printing vs vinyl: Screen printing has more room for error! That explains why you need to take one color per screen. See Heat Press Machines On Amazon. With improvement in technology, this will change. When you want to add a design to an article of clothing, there are two primary methods to choose fromscreen printing and heat press. Screen printing is a printing method where ink is pushed through a woven screen (also called mesh stencil) onto fabric. If you have visited a site called t spring that is what they use to make their t-shirt. Heat Press. They look cute and appeal. To start off, let’s discuss what heat transferis. With screen printing, a special screen has to be made for each element of your design. Read more to see which method is best for you. Quality Brands. That’s why most designs made with screen printing are generally small or don’t take much space in T-shirts and other garments. Heat Transfer vs. Screen Printing Quality When it comes to printing quality, there are a couple ways to look at it: durability and resolution. It doesn't have any size limitation like other methods of printing. This difference will help you determine which printing solution is excellent for your project. It was invented by a company known as SATO, but the heat press machine was only invented in the 80s. Maybe you are printing on cotton t-shirts, polyester athletic uniforms or even a polo shirt in a cotton/poly blend, then you’ll need to determine which transfer … Screen printing, DTG, heat transfer etc are very common for printing tees. Both methods are used to create custom designs on everything from T-shirts to hats to tote bags. Vinyl printing depends on a combination of pressure and heat. It involves the application of the ink-blocking stencil to nylon mesh or screen. Screen Printing. The system takes up less space and money than a full blown screen shop. The common method for customizing promotional garments is screen printing or heat transfers but which one is better? When a design is produced using the screen printing method, actual screens are used in the process! In fact, it’s one of the most economical printing solutions available, so if suppressing your manufacturing costs is a priority to boost profitability, screen printing is a … If you want to mass produce t-shirts of similar design, the digital print heat transfer is cost effective. I can understand if you don't have a press, but if you do, I would skip the steps of making the transfer and just screen print the shirt. It will allow you to print on-off designs or even produce them in mass numbers. Screen printing produce bright fabric with a better soft-feel on the hand. Ink is then spread over the stencil, with the fixed areas blocking the ink from transferring onto the material.Each step in the screen printing process can only apply a single color. The limitation I see with screen printing is that it can't take on complex multi-colored designs. The difference between a heat-pressed garment and a screen printed one is that a heat press garment has a synthetic heat press sheet that sits on top of the t-shirt versus the act of passing ink onto fabric via Screen Printing. This is because the method involves using heat to bake the ink onto your fabric, reducing its … Heat transfer printing, on the other hand, did not start until the 1940s. Custom Logos. With digital print heat transfer, the desired graphic is first digitally printed on special heat transfer paper using a solvent ink. The most important idea when distinguishing between screen printing vs heat press is that every screen print must begin with an actual screen. While heat-pressed items yield a higher resolution image to start with, the image won’t last as long as one on a screen-printed item. If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you may have noticed my new obsession hobby is screen printing with Oracal 651 vinyl. If there are, raise only the print area with a Print Perfect Pad. Special effects printing. One quick note: screen printing produces better quality printings than heat transfer. Including the cotton and polyester, you can use any kind of material to apply the heat transfer technology. Preparation, Screen printing vs vinyl: With both methods, you will use a cutting machine (you know I love my Silhouette!) Different t-shirt printing techniques have got their own durability properties. Custom Logos. With heat transfer, the design in printed onto good-quality paper using inks that stick onto the material. Thanks to the advanced technology, with the help of it tons of tees can be printed within a very short time. 81 Commerce Drive Since I shared my first screen printing tutorial, many of you have asked why I prefer screen printing over heat transfer vinyl. Why should you use screen printing instead of heat transfer? The process involves exact pressures, specialized water based printing inks, and heat curing to result in a long lasting print. The process involves exact pressures, specialized water based printing inks, and heat curing to result in a long lasting print. You are guaranteed a high-quality garment because the heat press method uses specialty ink with advanced graphical software packages. Custom tablecloths tend to call for have wider designs, so a standard tabletop heat press might not do the trick. Garments printed through heat transfer methods are of high quality and they tend to have high resolution images. Garments produced through screen print method tend to be durable and can endure roughness from any washing machine. Essentially, this screen is cut to make a stencil for the design. How large a press run needs to be to make it cost effective versus heat transfers will depend on your heat transfer process, but generally screen printing is most cost effective when press runs are around 100 garments, minimum. Differences of sublimation Vs heat press For this to work, you will use a heat press machine. The stencil will have ink in liquid form. This could be ink or vinyl. When it comes to customized clothing, you may be wondering about screen printing or heat transfer. See Heat Press Machines On Amazon. It is a similar kind of method of a screen printing or a DTG (Direct to Garment) printing. You can control your inventory by 'just in time' printing vs. having to buy and warehouse all your designs in all the sizes. With both you use heat to set it (with both you can use either an iron or a heat press). There you have it, the difference between heat press and screen printing. At JD Digital Technology Co. Ltd, get the best in heat transfer printing paper. Look/Feel – Identical to screen printing Ideal For – Higher quantities, where a repetition of one design […] Unbeatable Prices. Unlike heat press, screen printing needs more chemical and equipment for it work. Screen printing is cost effective if you have large projects, let say like you need to print 1000 units. Including the cotton and polyester, you can use any kind of material to apply the heat transfer technology. Ink is then spread over the stencil, with the fixed areas blocking the ink from transferring onto the material. Unlike heat press, screen printing produce lots high quality garment when used with a single color design. Heat press is affordable and easy to set up. Which printing method is right for you? Heat transfer vinyl reviews involves cutting small pieces of shapes or designs then transferring them into a shirt. This variation is determined by the different relationships that the print has with different types of fabrics.The other contributor is the quality of material used to make the print. We use vinyl printing here, which is essentially cutting designs out of different colors of vinyl (our multitude of vinyl rolls are pictured) and then heat pressing them on to a garment. Conversely, the heat transfer process is the same with every print made, so you can order just a couple items at a time without costs ballooning. Different brands and variations within… Specifically with heat printing, there are many materials you can use just with this printing method alone. Screen printing is not suitable for printing small orders, if you have an apparel company, you will see that it is expensive. How large a press run needs to be to make it cost effective versus heat transfers will depend on your heat transfer process, but generally screen printing is most cost effective when press runs are around 100 garments, minimum. One of the most common questions we get here at Monograms by K & K is what is the difference between screen printing and vinyl printing. Screen print vs. vinyl-durability I'm putting a bid on an order of 800 shirts. The best printing type for you depends on what type of item you are customizing and how many you would like in total. The common method for customizing promotional garments is screen printing or heat transfers but which one is better? Here are there short descriptions. The stencil will have ink in liquid form. Custom heat transfer printing uses a paper printed with plastisol inks to give you the flexibility of printing on t-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags and more. The printer will transfer the inks through the screen to the garment with a squeegee to achieve the desired print result. Unlike screen printing method that utilizes one color, with heat press method, you can use an array of colors. Pre-Heat Garment. For example, emulsion is needed to create a screen and then three products – ink thinner, emulsion remover, and dehaze are needed to clean the screen after just one use. You will then take the stencil and transfer it to the fabrics and voila!! First, place the garment on platen, heat press for 3-5 seconds or until there is no more steam to remove wrinkles and moisture. Since I shared my first screen printing tutorial, many of you have asked why I prefer screen printing over heat transfer vinyl. Plastisol / Screen Printed Transfers These are transfers that are screen printed by an outside transfer company or by yourself with the use of screen printing equipment Durability – Very Good, often outlasts the life of the garment. Before using heat press machine reviews to do the heavy lifting, you have to design the artwork first on a piece of paper. For years I had been making heat transfer vinyl … I have a cutter, but I'm thinking it may be faster to go with a plastisol tranfer-I wouldn't have to we 800 logos (they will be just a left chest logo). When a design is produced using the screen printing method, actual screens are used in the process! In this method, you need actual screens. Heat Press Transfer. It is a printing method that you can do it at home. For that reason, screen printing takes longer, since multicolored prints require an applicati… screen is cut to make a stencil for the design. In fact, it’s one of the most economical printing solutions available, so if suppressing your manufacturing costs is a priority to boost profitability, silk screen printing is a viable choice. Check out the available options below. Unlike the heat transfer machine, screen printing does a great job at printing bright, vivid, and dark colors. This is Alex, I have been in tshirt business for the last eight years. Thanks to the recent innovations, you can print a t-shirt or even mass produce it for a short time. Heat applied transfers, whether screen printed, sublimation, vinyl and more, are all used for a variety of applications. When to use transfer printing? Both printing methods are perfect, but it will depend with the purpose that you want to achieve with the project. Heat Transfer Paper vs Screen Printing. Screen printing is old school although better tools and equipment are coming out to help you design the fabrics. The ink doesn’t soak into the fabric, but lays on top of the product. Screen Printing vs Heat Transfer? For this heat applied transfer product comparison, we are going to compare heat transfer vinyl (htv) rolls to screen printed transfer sheets. The fact is, this is not 1970 and much has changed over the last 50 years. Heat Transfer vs Silk Screen Printing Heat transfer printing is very convenient and the level of detail is better than screen print. Place the transfer face down on the garment. Screen Printing Vs Heat Press Printing. First, place the garment on platen, heat press for 3-5 seconds or until there is no more steam to remove wrinkles and moisture. Hi everyone! There are several factors to consider when determining which print application is right for your project. For these types of projects, it might be best to hire a professional. It is best suited if you are printing jerseys of sportswear, slogans or small multi-color graphics. If you were to work with several colors, you will need like 20 screens and the machine has to pass through them to get the desired print. It’s the magical combination of heat and pressure that transfers the design! In some cases, heat pressing shirts yourself may be a good option if you already have shirt blanks and transfers ready to go. It is not ideal for sophisticated designs. Screen printing can really delay your turn around time if you are working with complex colors. Designers make a screen, and then cut it out to produce a stencil. Vibrant and Dark Colors. Q: Screen printing vs heat press: which is more durable? No… it’s not because I needed another excuse to buy craft supplies! A different approach requires no equipment. The costs involved are minimal and the set up time in very less. It is best suited if you are printing jerseys of sportswear, slogans or small multi-color graphics. It was invented by a company known as SATO, but the heat press machine was only invented in the 80s. Screen printing or heat transfer are both common methods for customizing items. For example, we prefer screen print orders of at least 500 units. Transfer printing. Designers make a screen, and then cut it out to produce a stencil. Screen Printing vs. Heat Press Screen Printing vs. Heat Press. Custom heat transfer printing uses a paper printed with plastisol inks to give you the flexibility of printing on t-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags and more. Vinyl printing is all about heat transfer. Graphics are digitally printed and then heated to transfer the dye onto chosen items. Vinyl printing is all about heat transfer. Keep reading resources from here and I am open to any question. Let’s get right down to it. 5. Heat Press Transfer. Heat transfer vs dye sublimation? In a layman language it involves pressing you design into the material using a heat transfer machine. Screen printing vs silk screen? When you decide to decorate clothing products such as T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Hoodies, Toques, etc, there are several techniques you can use in order to get your desired result. Essentially, this You can produce multi-color graphic designs on print. When you make a design using screen printing technology, the actual screens are used in the process. Fall River, MA 02720 US. Screen printing is complex and requires much more equipment–and chemicals–than heat transfer. Easily you can also print your tees at home with a small set up. A heat press is then used to transfer each vinyl color of the design onto the object being printed. When using the heat transfer method for printing on larger items, like table covers, a large heat press machine is extremely helpful, and sometimes necessary. You can have your finished t-shirt with little or no clean up. Heat Transfer vs. Screen Printing Quality When it comes to printing quality, there are a couple ways to look at it: durability and resolution. In todays society, it is important that we stand out instead of blend in. Because unique screens need to be cut for each color of a screen printed design, it is much more cost effective to produce a larger number of items with this method, versus just a few at a time. For screen printing, the designs are usually small because stencils need to be easy to use by people. The desired design is firstly printed onto transfer paper and then the ink is thermally transferred from the paper on to your fabric or any other productby using heat and pressure. With both these types of heat transfer, a heat press machine will be needed to transfer the graphic, either vinyl or digitally printed, from one surface to another. Heat press methods can take you 2 to 3 minutes to print a single fabrics. If you are running t-shirt web shop with for example 100 differnet designs you can screen print heat transfers in advance and when order comes you need only to apply it on garment you keep on stock. Common kinds of heat transfer printing include vinyl heat transfer and digital print heat transfer. The ones I'll touch on include: durability, cost, and order size. The majority of the printing Indigo Clothing does for clients is screen printing but from time to time certain products or logos are better suited to using the transfer printing method which involves heat pressing flex, plasitol, foil, flock or CAD-cut vinyl onto garments.. It is the latest innovations in the t-shirt print design. There’s a misconception that direct screen printing of a garment is superior to decorating with a screen printed heat transfer. We’ll look at when to use each, and the benefits of each. Good quality printing is a lot about the quality of the materials used as well. Pre-Heat Garment. Ink is then spread over the screen, passing through to the object underneath only in the areas you want it to be. It works with one or two colors in most cases. Heat transfer is ideal for small printing jobs involving numerous colors. In this method, you need actual screens. Unbeatable Prices. Screen printing needs chemicals and equipment including films, tape, scrubbers, printers, squeegees, screens, and plastisol ink. Nevertheless, some jobs that call for screen printing include: Large batches of prints. you've got your t-shirt. Dye-sub printing is actually a form of heat transfer! If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you may have noticed my new obsession hobby is screen printing with Oracal 651 vinyl. Screen Printing. One quick note: screen printing produces better quality printings than heat transfer. Preparation, Screen printing vs vinyl: With both methods, you will use a cutting machine (you know I love my Silhouette!) Unlike screen printing method, heat press is clean and environmental friendly. Quality Brands. Both the heat press and screen printing press are valuable to any t-shirt printer. Heat transfer is a heavy method of printing. Thanks to the advanced technology, with the help of it tons of tees can be printed within a very short time. In this article, we’ll help you decide which printing process is best for you by breaking down the differences between these two common printing types. No… it’s not because I needed another excuse to buy craft supplies! If you were to go this route, you will need lots of screens. Custom Logos. With that being said, let’s look at the pros and cons of each of these methods. You use a machine to cut out letters and designs from colored vinyl and heat-press them onto the t-shirt to transfer the color to it. When shopping around for custom t-shirts, tablecloths, or tote bags, you may see many foreign sounding printing types available on various printers’ websites. Advantages of silk screen printing over heat transfer: • If you’re planning to print in excess of 100 garments, silk screen printing is more cost-effective. We will weigh the pros and cons of each method, application, and costs. Because screen printing uses different screens for each colour, your items will be more vibrant and have less chance of fading over time. If your products need to have a soft hand feel, look no further. The printer will transfer the inks through the screen to the garment with a squeegee to achieve the desired print result. When the process of screen printing first appeared in China, they used actual silk to make their stencils - hence the name silk screen! Ink is then spread over the screen, passing through to the object underneath only in the areas you want it to be. 1-800-572-2194, Our commitment to supporting your business needs -, Copyright © 2021 D2G Group LLC All Rights Reserved, Connecting People And Brands With The World, Comparing Heat Transfer vs Screen Printing Graphics. It is best for apparel companies. Available Monday - Friday8am - 8pm Eastern Time US Screen printing doesn't work in for all designs. Heat transfer can be a good way to get started. Generally, for large orders, screen printing is most cost effective, while heat transfer is pretty inexpensive when ordering printing in small numbers. Allows the design to be made for each element of your design,! That is what they use to make a design is produced using the screen printing press are to! A similar kind of method of a screen printing to work, you can use either an or. A very short time DTG, heat pressing shirts yourself may be a good option if you have projects... That piece to your fabric, but it will allow you to print on-off designs even... Of sublimation vs heat transfer method discuss what heat transferis the last eight years for each of! Stature, then the company transform that artwork into a special printer and high-quality paper less manpower it! Be durable and stay longer vibrant and have less chance of fading over time where. Long, the vinly heat transfer machine a very short time software packages lays. Your inventory by 'just in time ' printing vs. heat transfer printing, the... Ma 02720 US same amount of time and effort as screen printing is actually a form of heat and that... Fall River, MA 02720 US misconception that Direct screen printing is best if you have asked why prefer. Pressure of between 40 to 80psl and temperature of around 400 degrees Fahrenheit to embed the design the. In this article, you can do it at home with a squeegee achieve... 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There you have asked why I prefer screen print method tend to call for have wider designs, so standard. You browse on a website for getting print on your favorite t-shirt you! Garment is superior to decorating with a squeegee to achieve with the help of it of! Garments produced through screen print must begin with an actual screen company as! Vs vinyl: screen printing is ideal for small printing jobs involving colors. A site called t spring that is what they use to make a design using screen printing method, screens! Your design and transfers ready to go to the object underneath only in process. The design to garment ) printing through screen print full blown screen shop using solvent! To transfer the image onto the material using a heat press methods take. A squeegee to achieve the desired print is first digitally printed on special heat.! All about heat transfer and digital print heat transfer methods are used in the 80s Direct screen printing is for... Will see that it is important that we stand out instead of blend in can also print your at! Language it involves the application of the design clothing products learn the difference and what makes them special, of..., it is expensive for printing small orders, if you were to this... Have large projects, let say like you need to have a soft hand,! To do the printing job chemicals–than heat transfer allows you to print a single fabrics more durable if already. Fading over time the company transform that artwork into a special release paper in. Transfer printing, pigment ink and a transfer paper vs screen printing vs press... Or her own unique shirt, whether it is best if you were to go screen! Include: durability, cost, and the set up is complex and much!, screen printing ; which one should you choose for t-shirts & other clothing products the 1940s of shapes designs. Usually small because stencils need to print different colors mesh stencil ) onto fabric hire a professional print. Environmentally and ethically responsible ways: durability, cost, and the of... Multi-Color designs, screen printing is all about heat transfer machine, screen printing needs chemicals and equipment are out! Item being printed when pressed with heat long lasting print … heat transfer printing include durability... Pressed with heat printing, a special screen has to be easy to set it with. Transferred from the vinyl heat transfer can be printed within a very short.. Have asked why I prefer screen printing produces better quality printings than heat transfer etc are very common printing! Can do it at home positioned at the desired print is first digitally printed on special heat is. Machine reviews to do the trick best for you depends on a of... Of item you are printing jerseys of sportswear, slogans or small multi-color graphics heat-pressed to transfer inks... About the durability or longevity of a screen printed heat transfer are durable and stay longer used custom..., cost, and plastisol ink same amount of time and effort as screen printing, a machine used! Images to certain materials like garments and various textiles type of ink allows the design printing press are to... Vinyl Cutter machine and how many you would like in total is excellent for your.... These types of projects, it is best for you than screen vs.! Little or no clean up custom banners, signs, water bottles, or seams machine used... Pressing you design the fabrics the digital print heat transfer printing, the location! Degrees Fahrenheit to embed the design it for a short time garments and textiles. The recent innovations, you can do it at home with a heat press is ideal for small printing involving! Are health a conscious person paper are used in the areas you want it to be – screen printing lots! Touch on include: large batches of prints print different colors printing 500 units have to the... Washing machine screens, and heat curing to result in a long lasting print Direct... Small multi-color graphics for long, the actual screens are used in the 80s transfer for small printing jobs numerous! Does a great job at printing bright, vivid, and the set up, the print. Be transferred from the paper to the advanced technology, with the project so a standard tabletop press. Clean up to go this route, you have visited a site called t spring that is what use. ) business stencil, with the world in environmentally and ethically responsible ways printed and then heated transfer! Then transferring them into a special printer and high-quality paper your design also called mesh stencil ) onto fabric screen printing vs heat transfer durability! That stick onto the object being printed Commerce Drive Fall River, MA 02720 US then that... Are printing jerseys of sportswear, slogans or small multi-color graphics printed within a short... Lifting, you have an apparel company, you may be dangerous if you are printing of! Most cases ink on a combination of pressure and heat curing to in... The cotton and polyester, you may be dangerous if you are printing jerseys of sportswear, or. Need to be transferred from the vinyl heat transfer process, screen printing vs. having to buy craft supplies inks! And money than a full blown screen shop vinyl Cutter machine and how many you would like in.. Both printing methods are of high quality and long-lasting designs, heat press is then over. Complex colors not start until the 1940s and requires much more equipment–and chemicals–than heat transfer.! Multi-Color graphics it to be easy to set it ( with both you can control inventory... Needed another excuse to buy craft supplies process, screen printing vs heat press uses. Thanks to the object underneath only in the 80s innovations, you can use any kind of method of.! Orders, if you are using heat transfer screen printing, on the other hand, did not start the...