How many different t shirt printing methods are there?

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T Shirt printing has been very popular for many years. It’s a great way to make unique tops for yourself, gifts for friends & family, or even to make t shirts for business.

We’ll get into all of the different methods of t-shirt printing below!

How To Print T Shirts

Thankfully, there are easy ways to print t shirts, which are also cheap. The results won’t be as good as the more complicated and costly methods, but they’re good for starting out.

The more complicated t shirt printing methods are good for those who are creating more often. They are better for printing t shirts for selling.

Types Of T-Shirt Printing

Here are four different methods of t-shirt printing that we’ll look at in this article. They are listed in order from easiest and cheapest method of t-shirt printing, to the more difficult and expensive.

1. Home iron heat transfers
2. Heat press machines
3. Screen printing designs
4. Sublimation transfers
5. Direct to garment printing (DTG printing)
6. Machine embroidery (as an alternative to printing)

1. Iron-On T-Shirt Printing

Using your home iron to press heat transfers is perhaps the easiest way to get starting making your own t shirts.

There a few types of transfers suitable for application with an iron:

• heat transfer vinyl (iron-on) transfers
• transfer paper which you print on
• Cricut Infusible Ink

Iron On Vinyl Transfers – are made using a cutting machine (such as the Cricut Maker or Silhouette Cameo). The machine cuts your chosen design out of vinyl, and you can then press it onto your t shirt with an iron. More info here.

Transfer Paper – there are different types of transfer paper depending on what sort of printer you are using. Inkjet transfer paper for inkjet printers, laser transfer paper for laser printers, etc. Your selected image is printed onto the paper, and then pressed onto the t shirt. More info here.

Cricut Infusible Ink – is a new product that is suitable for use with an iron. These are basically pre-printed sublimation sheets which you cut designs from and apply to polyester garments. More info here.

Pros & Cons Of Using An Iron

Pros:

• An iron is small and easy to store
• You already have an iron
• Easy set up with an iron
• Irons are easy to use
• Irons and iron-on transfers are the cheapest way to print t-shirts

Cons:

• A lower quality transfer
• Difficult to do large transfers
• Easier to burn or scorch a tee with an iron
• Irons with steam holes lack total pressure
• Not designed for heat transfers

Iron On Transfers Are Best For…

Iron-on transfers are best for beginners!

If you already have a cutting machine, you can buy transfer paper, iron-on vinyl, or Infusible Ink sheets cheaply and get started right away.

However, iron-on transfers are not good for business purposes. You really want to get a heat press machine if you are wanting to sell t shirts on Etsy or your own site.

Iron-on transfers are great for older children to play around with as well. I can still remember pressing my first iron on transfer when I was about 10!

You might also want to consider the Cricut Easy Press which is somewhere between an iron and a heat press!

2. Heat Press Machine Printing

Heat press machines for t shirt printing and transfers are our preferred method!

The process of using a heat press machine for t-shirt printing is very similar to using an iron. They use a combination of time, temperature, and pressure to transfer the same types of heat transfers listed above.

Many transfers pressed with a heat press machine sit on top of your t-shirt, such as HTV or an Avery Inkjet Transfer. Other types, such as sublimation or Infusible Ink, transfer into the actual fabric.

There are cheap heat press machines which are fine for home crafts and that sort of thing. And then there are the real heat press machines (such as from Heat Press Nation), which are best not only for home use, but also for business.

Pros & Cons Of Using A Heat Press

Pros:

• Easy to get the right time, temp and pressure
• A better transfer than with an iron
• Good for one-off designs
• Easy to learn and set up
• Some machines are very affordable
• Range of sizes from 9″ x 12″ to 16″ x 24″, and beyond

Cons:

• Takes up space/difficult to store
• Can take a bit of practice to master
• Not as efficient as other methods for larger print runs

Heat Press Machines Are Best For…

Cheap machines are good for beginners, those wanting something to work in tandem with a craft cutting machine. They are great for home and hobby use.

A good heat press machine is also essential for any t shirt business. In particular, US made heat press machines will deliver high quality transfer results.

3. Screen Printing Method

Screen printing is another way to print t shirts at home or for business.

In my opinion, screen printing is more technically difficult than heat press printing. It does produce amazing results, and is far better when you need to do many identical t shirts, but I think there’s more to it!

The screen printing process involves using a silkscreen that has a design exposed on it. You swipe ink across the screen with a squeegee, which sends the ink through the design onto the tee.

It’s a bit tricky to explain, so check out this screen printing video demonstration!

Pros & Cons Of Screen Printing

Pros:

• Use your screens again and again
• Great for doing lots of the same design
• You can make your own screens
• Creates nice clean designs
• Tee designs last a long time
• Designs “become one” with the tee – absorbed into the fabric

Cons:

• Making the screen designs takes practice
• Only good for 1 -4 different colors
• Can get messy
• More set up and tidy up required
• Not good for one-off or small jobs

Screen Printing Is Best For…

Unless you are screen printing with something like the Speedball Screen Printing Kits (which are good for at home use), screen printing is best for those making lots of tees.

The process is more prone to error, and harder to get perfect results, especially if you don’t have all the right equipment. For craft use, check out this Speedball ink project we did with freezer paper.

4. Sublimation Printing

Sublimated t shirt from Gifts By J

Sublimation printing uses sublimation ink, which is printed onto sublimation paper, using a sublimation printer… lot’s of sublimation there!

Once the printed transfer is pressed (at around 400 degrees) with a heat press, the heat and pressure change the ink into a gas. The gas then colors the garment or other poly coated substrate.

Sublimation can only be used with poly or high poly blend garments, or apply to items with a poly coating (coasters, mugs, etc.).

Sublimation Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Create vibrant prints for t shirts
• Not limited for color as with screen printing or HTV
• Design becomes one with the garment
• Do all over printing

Cons:

• Only for use with poly garments & products
• Only for white t shirts/products
• Requires a dedicated sublimation printer

Sublimation Printing Is Best For…

Anyone passionate about making t shirts, mugs, and other fun custom products.

Because you need to have a dedicated sublimation printer and a heat press machine, it’s best for those who are actually going to use it! You can end up wasting a lot of expensive ink when the print heads dry out if you are not regularly using the printer.

Cricut Infusible Ink is one way to give sublimation a go before buying a printer. An alternative to traditional sublimation printing is Siser EasySubli – this method allows you to sublimate colored and cotton garments (though it’s more like printable transfer paper)!

5. Direct To Garment Printing

DTG printed t shirt from SupBabie

Direct to garment printing is the final t shirt print method we’ll look at, before checking out an alternative!

Even if you haven’t heard of DTG prints before, you can probably guess how it works… Yep, printing directly onto your garment.

DTG printers are very expensive, and are not typically bought for home use. Only those in t shirt business tend to be the using these machines.

Pros & Cons Of DTG Printing

Pros:

• Best way to do multiple colors
• A sharper image on the tee
• Looks very professional
• Headache free design changes
• Good for small runs

Cons:

• Expensive to set up
• Not economical for large quantities
• Design placement limited

DTG Printing Is Best For…

These machines are best for pro t shirt sellers, as the price tag is high, usually running in the multiple thousands of dollars.

Also, these printers need to be used often, keeping the ink from settling in the machine. The output of these machines is great, but only consider buying one if you have a sure path to recouping your income.

6. Outsource T Shirt Printing

CustomInk offers printing on top brand garments

Another way you can print your t shirts is to get someone else to do it!

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There are a ton of online t shirt printing stores out there, who can take your design and print it onto basically anything you want.

Depending on which company you use, you can get custom screen printed, vinyl, DTG, embroidery, plastisol transfers, and anything else, all done for you.

This is the best way to do it if you don’t have the time yourself, and you don’t want to hire anyone else. It’s a great way to create YouTube Merch, or merch for your podcast, blog, or brand.

Pros & Cons of Custom Printing

Pros:

• Save yourself a ton of time
• Less worry about quality
• No need to purchase equipment, just send through designs
• Shipping is taken care of
• No need to keep stock, print on demand when the order comes
• Hassle free

Cons:

• You may make less per t shirt than if you make it yourself
• You can’t say you made it

So it depends on whether you are wanting to print t shirts for business/branding purposes, or if you’re just at home wanting to make t shirts for family and friends.

Outsourcing is best for those who want to be hands off!

7. Machine Embroidery

Machine embroidered t shirt from Zellya Designs

Machine embroidery designs are created with embroidery machines (surprise), and they are a great alternative to t shirt printing.

These machines work like a printer for thread. You select a design from your machine, and it then stitches the whole thing out for you onto your t shirt, cap, blouse, or whatever!

You can use multiple colors, though unless you have a multi needle embroidery machine, the machine will pause for you to change thread.

Embroidery Machine Pros & Cons

Pros:

• A great alternative to HTV & prints
• Use up to 10 colors (depends on machine)
• Create beautiful, long lasting designs
• 3 dimensional
• A totally different aesthetic

Cons:

• The better machines are quite pricey
• Takes some time & practice to master
• Perhaps not as popular for selling

Machine Embroidery Is Best For…

This method of t shirt design is best for those wanting to try something more unique.

Custom Iron On Transfers For T Shirts

If you love working with sewing machines, then an embroidery machine will be no trouble for you. The designs you can create are so beautiful and intricate, and really can’t be reproduced with any other method listed above.

Best Way To Make T Shirts

So there you have 7 ways of printing on t-shirts… or 6 + a bonus at least!

Heat Press Machine

They are all quite different, producing different looks and effects, and as we’ve seen, each has its pros and cons – you have to weigh what your needs are and what’s important for you.

Let us know in the comments below what your plans are – we love to hear people’s stories!

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