Pros And Cons Of 5 Best Printing Methods – Complete Guide

1. Screen Printing Methods

Screen printing is another popular method of printing on fabric, it is a very old method and you may find it a little tougher than other printing methods. And that’s because you have to push the ink onto the fabric using a stencil.

In screen printing, you have a screen for your design which is a stencil, and then you apply it to your fabric and push ink through it.

Pros

If you want to work within your budget, screen printing will be quite affordable for you. Also, if you want to do a bulk order of 40 or 50 shirts of the same design, all you need is a stencil that you can place on your fabric and ink through.

Also, if you want to work on different parts of your fabric, you can get it done through screen printing. You can print on any material, not just fabric, and that’s the beauty of screen printing. Furthermore; Screen printing is high quality, so if you do it right it lasts a very long time.

Cons

As it leverages a single design it can do the opposite if you have multiple designs. You will have to make a screen for each design, and you will also need different colors, even if the same design needs 4 different colors, you will have to do it individually and it will be enough. Can be expensive.

Each screen can cost you anywhere from $25 to $30, so you may need a large order to make enough of a profit, but that’s only if you have multiple designs and colors. Another thing you may want to consider is that you need a large space to set up your screen printing machine, and it can also be messy, as ink must be applied and you will need to move it frequently. It will have to be faced.

2. Vinyl Printing Methods

Vinyl printing has a significant impact on the printing industry, vinyl printing is done when you cut your vinyl design and transfer it to the fabric.

Here is a complete tutorial of screen printing with vinyl, just click to visit.

To perform vinyl printing you use your computerized cutter and connect it to the computer to cut the design onto the vinyl. After you print the design you weed it. Weeding is the process of removing excess material from the design, when you are done with it you put it on your fabric and use a heat press to adhere it to the fabric.

Pros

Vinyl printing comes in handy when you want to tackle small batches of printing without breaking your budget, and also because you can place the vinyl anywhere on your fabric. It gives you flexibility. And if you are starting your own printing business, vinyl printing will give you a good start.

Cons

The downside of vinyl printing is that it is quite time-consuming, and it is not scalable. So, if you want to handle large orders, this would not be an optimal solution. The vinyl sheet itself is not expensive, but the process is tedious, you have to cut it, weed it, and the heating process takes time. So if it is about a large production, it will take more time to deal with multiple fabrics.

Also, vinyl printing is not as durable as other printing methods but can withstand 25 to 30 washes if properly cared for. Also, vinyl is more popular for simple designs, so complex graphics may not be a flexible option for you.

3. Heat Transfer Printing Methods

Heat transfer is another popular and most used method, to perform heat printing you need to print a design on a sheet, then you transfer the design to an adhesive paper, and finally, In a heat press, you transfer that specific design onto the fabric. And it acts on it.

Pros

One of the best things about heat transfer printing is that it gives you flexibility, you can print designs on any type of fabric, or any material like cotton, polyester, wood ceramic, etc.

And being able to have a wide variety means you can handle all types of orders. Also, heat transfer printing gives you food color and contrast. Moreover; The heat transfer method is not expensive, and is suitable for small to medium projects.

Cons

In heat transfer printing the design remains on top of the fabric and this means that it can only withstand 30 to 40 washes, plus the heat transfer method is not efficient enough to take large enough productions. could You can definitely do it but it will take more time.

4. DTG Printing Methods

One of the popular printing methods of DTG printing is also known as direct garment printing. This is a printing method in which you print directly on clothing such as jackets, t-shirts, etc. But to do DTG printing, you need to have a DTG printer pretreatment liquid and a heat press.

DTG Printer

You can think of a DTG printer as an inkjet printer, but the difference is that it drops special garment ink instead of paper ink. Before you start using a DTG printer, you must prepare the garment you want to print in advance, and then you load it into the fabric.

After it is loaded, the design can be printed on the garment, after the design is printed the next step is curing, you store the design so the ink can dry. Securing the design is an important step so that the design can adhere to the fabric properly, and this is where the heat press comes into play. To protect it from different washes and fades, you use a heat press.

Pros

If you want to create premium quality photorealistic designs then DTG is good enough for you, in DTG you can also create custom designs. If you are likely to handle bulk work then DTG will be quite suitable for you, it is fast and easy. If you want to shift between designs, you just need to change the design on the printer and that’s it.

DTG allows you to stay within your budget and still produce large quantities of designs. Also, you don’t have to worry about the final quality of the embroidery design. It is very attractive and you can trust it, the designing process is also practical and does not leave you behind.

Cons

Like everything else, there are some downsides that you want to consider. With a DTG printer, you should prepare the garment beforehand for the best results. And the price is another factor that creates unnecessary volatility.

The cost of ink also depends on color, size, and complexity, it can cost you anywhere from $0.50 to $6 or $7, but since your designs are of premium quality, you can charge even better.

5. Sublimation Printing Methods

Sublimation is a printing technique where the ink is transferred from the paper to the garment and is achieved using a heat press. To perform sublimation printing you need a printer that works with sublimated ink. The sublimation process is quite straightforward.

After the design is printed on the transfer paper you place it on a garment to be printed and then you use a heat press to transfer it. It then embeds into the fabric and becomes part of your fabric.

Pros

Sublimation printing leaves a very deep impression on the garment, as it is embedded in the garment, and that is why it lasts for a very long time.

So you can expect the ink to last the life of the fabric. And this is why many people prefer sublimation printing. Also, sublimation printing is rich and bright in colors and this becomes another reason why people like it.

Cons

Sublimation printing does not give you flexible options. In fact, it only allows you to print on polyester or any garment that is highly polyblend. Another thing that throws you off is that it is suitable for light-colored clothing, preferably white, and it also limits us.

Conclusion

All types of printing methods have advantages and disadvantages, and the disadvantages do not mean that you cannot use the method, in fact, what is a disadvantage to others may be useful to you, so the methods Study and choose what is right for you. Best suited to your needs.

So, make sure you know what you are getting into before buying an embroidery machine and find out every feature, pros, and cons before buying it so that you can work with it effectively.