# Can most people tell the difference between Screen Print and Vinyl



## mv10 (Nov 16, 2008)

The reason I ask is because I've never tried EasyWeed or Thermoflex. I've received a sample of another vinyl from a friend whose name was name I cant recall. I think it was meant for Signs, but I placed it on a T-Shirt anyway just to try it out

Anyway, Can you really tell that the shirt printed was done in Vinyl? Does it have that rough plastered on feel or is it easily comparable to a plastisol ink. Does the size of the design contribute to the feel? The bigger, the more it feels like Vinyl and vice versa?

Thanks!


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

Never new you could heat press sign vinyl on a t-shirt. Also I would think that it would be very stiff on the shirt. 

Siser EZ Weed and Thermoflex are great and are soft on the t-shirt. 
To me plastisol has a rubbery feel out of the container but can also give a smooth soft hand with additives.
Yes I think you can tell the difference between a vinyl printed shirt and a screen printed shirt. Has nothing to do with how large a design is you can just look/feel the two and tell the difference.

Katrina


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## LB (Jul 25, 2009)

veedub3 said:


> Never new you could heat press sign vinyl on a t-shirt. Also I would think that it would be very stiff on the shirt.
> 
> Siser EZ Weed and Thermoflex are great and are soft on the t-shirt.
> To me plastisol has a rubbery feel out of the container but can also give a smooth soft hand with additives.
> ...


But..can the average person that buys shirts every now and then be able to tell the difference? I am not very experienced at this, but I made some shirts with Spectra II and I liked them. Had I been the consumer I would have been happy and he was. Am I wrong and thinking that vinyl is more durable than either transfers or screen printed?


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

sign vinyl on a tee?? not good...heat press vinyl on a tee...good...it will out last screen printing..only problem hyou are limited in how many colors you can do...unless you do alignment which can be time consuming..For one or a few in one/two colors I vote for vinyl...for many...plastisol


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Why not try the Easyweed or Thermoflex, it's very easy to get samples. 

Then you will know first hand what you are wondering about when thinking about selling. You should Know your products Personally when deciding what to sell, that is my opinion. Best wishes.


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

Yes the average person would no that it is not screen printing but if it is a nicely made shirt they wouldn't care one way or the other. 
Yes definetly more durable than inkjet transfers but would probably last as long as screen printing if done right. I have both types of t-shirts and they both still look great and I have had them for years.

What it is that you are needing answer for? Are you contiplating vinyl over screen printing?

Katrina


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## LB (Jul 25, 2009)

Katrina:
I am just doing research at the moment. I want to start a business that is going to be selling shirts as part of the product line. Screen printing obviously is the cheapest way to make larger quantities but I imagine what I will be doing will be one-offs and smaller quantities. I am also looking at inkjet and laser printed transfers. It may be that I end up doing all three processes. I found the experience with the vinyl to be rather labor intensive. It was a fairly complex design but was only one color. Lots of cutting, weeding, fitting etc etc. for a relatively small return, but it told me what I wanted to know.


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Outsourcing DTG is another viable option for small run, quality shirts. Just an option not to be overlooked among the already great suggestions.


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## mv10 (Nov 16, 2008)

Awesome. Thanks for the information. I wanted to use it for smaller orders, but of course want to check it out before placing a big order.

Do you know where I would be able to get some samples of both EasyWeed and Thermoflex, before I place my order to test which would work out better for me.


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## ltadrian (Mar 16, 2007)

We have both a Roland Versacamm and a Kornit 931DS. There is a very clear difference between the prints that we put out from the Kornit and Versacamm. The material that we apply from the Roland is definately more of a thick plasticy feel. We usually only use materials like the Thermo films and Digitally printed solutions on low cotton content clothing like Poly Jerseys. If you would like to go the heat transfer route, you could also get screen printed transfers, which will feel like a screen print. Just my 2 cents...


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

I use vinyl to a lot of shirts I have two bait shops that buy replacement shirts for what they have sold. Most are one color prints but we place their bus. name with the design.


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