What can PRdigital do for me?
Thermal transfer printing can be carried out using flex or flock foils. The flex film is thinner and allows you to get a smooth, rigid print. Flock, on the other hand, is a thicker foil with a characteristic velvety, “nappy” structure. Properly prepared foil, high pressure and high temperature are necessary for the quality of flex/flock printing.
This type of printing is relatively cheap (start-up costs are small), quick to prepare and can be successfully used for the production of single copies. It works well for simple inscriptions or symbols on textiles. It can also be easily used where overprinting with other methods is difficult or impossible.
Both flex and flock ensure perfect colour coverage and are considered to be fairly durable. However, they are rarely used to transfer more complex graphics onto garments – especially those with tonal transitions between colours or with small elements. The number of colours that can be used for flex or flox prints is also limited.
In this article, we’ll explore the three most popular print types for custom printed T-shirts, and how they differ in terms of quality, cost, and suitability for different orders.
The first print type is flex printing, which uses a vinyl film to transfer the design onto the T-shirt. This method is best for smaller orders or designs that require a low-cost option, as the vinyl film can be cut to size and pressed onto the fabric with heat.
Flex printing is particularly suitable for printing on polyester and spandex fabrics, which can be difficult to print using other methods. Although somewhat limited by the number of colors per print you can use (up to 3 with TeamShirts), flex printing is a great choice for logos. If you’re looking for an affordable option for customizing your sportswear T-shirts, flex printing might be a good choice.
When it comes to choosing the right print type for your custom T-shirts, it’s important to consider the quantity, design, and fabric of your order. The good news is that TeamShirts will view your design and order and choose the best, most cost efficient option for you. We also offer a huge variety of T-shirt styles and brands to suit your needs, including Under Armour and Adidas for high-quality performance sportswear T-shirts, and Bella and Canva for comfortable and affordable unisex tri-blend T-shirts. Whether you’re customizing T-shirts for a sports team, a business, a school club or a special event, we’ve got you covered.
Due to the texture of Flex printing, the garments where it’s used should be washed inside out and never placed inside the tumble dryer. It’s important to avoid ironing over the print as this can ruin the print and, ultimately, ruin the T-Shirt.
The flock printing process is similar to Flex printing where the design is cut-out using a plotter and applied to the product using an industrial heat-press and can be achieved by using flock vinyl which gives the design a 3D ‘furry’ finish to it. This flock material can be cut out and applied to many different products.
Flock printing is an ideal solution for fashion clients and promotional wear as it can be printed on lots of different products.
For example; t shirts, hoodies, polo shirts, caps, sweatshirts and much more.
Flock can be up to A3 size to achieve brilliant, bold and in your face designs with a beautiful 3D texture to really make your designs stand out.
Due to the texture of flock printing, the garments where it’s used should be washed inside out and never placed inside the tumble dryer. It’s important to avoid ironing over the print as this can ruin the print and, ultimately, ruin the T-Shirt.
Direct to Film, or “DTF”, has become a very popular print style for custom T-Shirts. Like Flex printing, it involves heat transfer to imprint the the design or text onto the garment, however DTF uses a powdered glue to fuse the design to the garment.
Like digital direct printing, DTF allows for multiple color prints as well as gradients and hues that would be impossible to print with screenprinting. This makes DTF a very useful print style for designs that require highly detailed coloring and for small and large orders alike. Most often, a DTF print will also look more vibrant and clean than a digital direct print.
Although DTF has many pros, one downside is that because of the glue used to fuse the image to the T-Shirt or Hoodie, the print area can feel stiff and not breathe well.
Regardless of its cons however, DTF has fast become one of the most desired print styles for modern printing.
