| At some point, almost all individuals, small businesses, | | | | and if you don't do it frequently, you could get |
| organizations, and schools come up with some event | | | | inconsistent results on your blacks and navys that |
| or idea that they want to promote with a full-color | | | | can drive you crazy. And the low-end printers are on |
| t-shirt. It could be a family reunion, senior night at a | | | | the slow side. If you're the impatient type, you'll have |
| high school, or a business' 1st year anniversary. | | | | to either multitask to keep from going crazy, or learn |
| And, if you're inspired enough to try to implement | | | | to relax. At times, white shirts may scorch in the |
| the idea, you might just find that it's prohibitively | | | | heat-fixing stage. This can be avoided by splitting the |
| expensive, because you don't have a big enough | | | | fixing time, but that introduces an extra step. |
| order to make it worth while for a screenprinter to | | | | On the whole, though, both sublimation and digital |
| do. Heat transfers aren't the answer, because | | | | printing are good choices for the low-volume |
| multi-colored transfers are expensive, too. | | | | customer who wants full-color graphics on a shirt. If |
| Two good solutions to this problem are sublimation | | | | the customer wants white or light-colored shirts, then |
| and direct digital printing. Both are full-color processes | | | | the choice of process might hinge on whether cotton |
| suitable to low-volume work. They both have a good | | | | or polyester is preferred. Polyester means that you |
| "feel," in that you normally can't tell by touch where | | | | use sublimation. Cotton requires direct printing. If the |
| the design is. | | | | client wants a full-color graphic on a dark shirt, it |
| But there are two characteristics that separate direct | | | | means using digital printing on a cotton shirt. |
| digital printing from sublimation... The first is that direct | | | | The last point for a customer to consider, when |
| printing is for 100% cotton. Sublimation, on the other | | | | trying to get a low-volume job done, is artwork. If a |
| hand, works best on 100% polyester, and should not | | | | decorator charges a setup fee for artwork, that |
| be used on cotton. The second characteristic | | | | could raise the per-piece cost beyond what he or she |
| differentiating direct printing from sublimation is that | | | | is willing to pay. Setup fees vary greatly, from none |
| you can print on dark colors, even black. Sublimation | | | | at all to hundreds of dollars. Does the decorator have |
| is only useful on white and light colors. Sublimation will | | | | to design the whole thing for you? Are you asking |
| either not show up on a dark shirt, or will look like a | | | | for special effects? Are you being a pain in the neck |
| mess. | | | | (just kidding, you know.)? |
| Digital garment printing does have some | | | | So, in conclusion, don't hesitate to ask your apparel |
| disadvantages for the apparel decorator, though. You | | | | decorator about a few pieces you want done. Often, |
| do have to go through a couple of extra treatment | | | | he or she can do it at a reasonable price, especially if |
| steps when printing on dark colors. Application of the | | | | you're a good customer who appreciates their work |
| treatment is dependent on the skill of the operator, | | | | and their willingness to accommodate you. |