| The heat press is arguably the most important | | | | producing prints which will last for a much longer |
| component of any T-shirt printing business. Without a | | | | period of time. They aren't blessed with the same |
| high quality model, you'll find your final prints lacking | | | | bright colour output, and they're also more expensive. |
| colour and/or clarity. It's very important to gauge | | | | The huge incentive of laser printing is that the fabric |
| both the heat and pressure of your transfers. Picking | | | | will retain a more natural feel. In other words, it won't |
| the right heat press will ensure consistency | | | | feel as if you've pressed a design on to it. For |
| throughout. So what are your options? | | | | professional output, this is extremely appealing. |
| For the absolute beginners and those with space to | | | | In terms of brand names, you'll find that the major |
| consider, the Clam Type Press is a great choice. It | | | | printer brands (Hewlet Packard, Canon, Epson) will |
| has a small frame so you won't find it consuming half | | | | have a printer in their range that will meet your |
| of your living room. On the next step up is the Swing | | | | requirements. |
| Press, which is a modified design. This improves | | | | For sublimation printing, you may need to invest in a |
| speed and accuracy of printing by allowing easier | | | | different kind of printer - along with special inks. |
| access to the T-shirt you are printing. | | | | Xpres produce their own brand of Subli-Print |
| If you're looking to mass produce, you'd be well | | | | sublimation inks. These are specifically catered for the |
| advised to invest in a Pneumatic Press. These | | | | heat sensitivity that the sublimation process requires. |
| machines are more expensive but they work more | | | | It's possible to buy a low budget printer from a |
| efficiently with precise heat and pressure application. | | | | dealer like Epson, and by making use of the |
| Companies such as Xpres and Target Transfers | | | | sublimation inks; you should be able to use it for your |
| supply full ranges of heat presses. | | | | purpose. |
| Once you have a quality heat press, the next step is | | | | Finally, if you're interested in the vinyl manufacturing |
| to invest in an efficient printer. And now you're faced | | | | option, you will need an actual vinyl cutter. These can |
| with the golden question - ink jet or laser? | | | | be pretty expensive to obtain, but a good cutter is |
| Both printer technologies have their pros and cons. | | | | absolutely paramount to your success in the vinyl |
| Ink jet devices are much cheaper to buy than their | | | | market. |
| laser counterparts. The advantage of ink jet printers | | | | Roland and Stika provide a large range of cutters, |
| is that they produce bright colour with vibrant | | | | from the absolute bottom range of the market - |
| contrast. The downside is that the ink can be | | | | usually for hobbyists - to those who require giant 24 |
| expensive. The texture of the print from an inkjet | | | | inch cuts. |
| printer is different to T-shirts that have been | | | | Obviously, if you're going to be focused on T-shirt |
| commercially printed | | | | printing, you won't need the widest cut size. A vinyl |
| Can you accept a slightly less professional texture, in | | | | cutter with an 8 inch range should fulfil your basic |
| exchange for a reduced set up cost and brighter | | | | needs - providing that you don't dip in to the XXXL |
| colour? If so, an ink jet brand is the printer for you. | | | | market! |
| Laser printers, on the other hand, are renowned for | | | | |