# experience printing on the inside of shirts?



## jingCo (Jun 22, 2007)

I am printing a large graphic in all of my shirts. The size of the graphic is pretty much from top to bottom left to right.

One sample I have is plastisol which I tested yesterday to be very uncomfortable.

Another sample from my printer is thin water based ink which is good so far but one of my printer said that it's very uncomfortable when the sun is on it and when it's hot outside. I can't test this because they are on t-shirts and it freezing here in Toronto.

Another method is dye sublimation but my printer said that is only used for poly fabric, not good for cotton or bamboo.

Any experience on this? I have several shirts that have full printing on the back. One is dye sublimation which is very comfortable and another is a heat transfer which is uncomfortable when it's hot.


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## rrc62 (Jun 2, 2007)

Not sure why you want to print a large graphic on the inside, but sublimation is the only process that would comfortable. Any other process would put ink or transfer polymer against your skin.


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## Deivid (Nov 10, 2007)

I can think of only one purpose for this. A couple of years ago I bought a shirt that had some text printed on the inside. I don't remember which printing method it was. This was a very lightweight summer shirt (which felt very comfortable because it was Barcelona in July!) and the material was pretty thin. The print showed through the fabric, thus creating a pretty nice looking effect. But had it been a big print... man, I don't know...


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

rrc62 said:


> ...sublimation is the only process that would comfortable.


I agree. 

OR

re-think the whole design idea, printing huge size designs on the inside etc.

someone will Want To Buy it I assume.  ...but not if the shirt sticks to your skin.


:


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## jingCo (Jun 22, 2007)

Inside print is just part of the design. I've been seeing more and more designs with printing from the inside and show through for the grunge look. Most of the stuff is printing on front.

I'm wearing the water based printing shirt now and I don't notice it. But I'm going to put it to some tests, working out at the gym and wearing it for the whole day.


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

jingCo said:


> I've been seeing more and more designs with printing from the inside and show through for the grunge look.


humm that sounds cool, sort of a recycled type look? like shirts that have been re-stitched inside out? 

can you post a photo of that ? ...curious.

I do recal a few years ago watching a TDotT gal on the Rogers TV show "Shop Toronto" where the hip thing was to make a custom T-shirts printed on both sides. 

So, you would wear 1 side at a party that would say something like "Here to Party". Then later you would switch/change it and wear the inside that would say something like "Let's Go".

cant remember the actual shirt...but get the picture?


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## jingCo (Jun 22, 2007)

I have one from Buffalo. (How do I put up an image? Do I have to host it elsewhere?). I don't buy them I feel it's kinda fake but Guess? does it a lot and I saw one on lady's shirt at H&M yesterday.

But the effect I want is just to print inside and not so thru.


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

jingCo said:


> I have one from Buffalo. (How do I put up an image? Do I have to host it elsewhere?).


you can upload the image.

click reply to post.
then click on the little paper-clip







to upload an image. 



:


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## jameshanson88 (Apr 13, 2007)

Hi, I was actually wearing a shirt like this when I read this thread. I'm not sure who printed them, but I got it from a band from Buffalo. The print on the inside of mine feels just like regular plastisol, probably with a reducer. I wear it all the time and find it to be a very comforable shirt

Outside:









Inside:


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## Malteezer (Sep 4, 2008)

I know your post was old, but did you ever get your problem solved? I am trying to find someone to print a small graphic or actually just words on the INSIDE of the shirt. The outside will have the words backwards. So it can either be a bleed through (although I don't want a thin shirt) or printed backwards on the front and normal on the inside. Let me know if you figured out a good, durable print that doesn't stick. Hope your shirts are selling. They sound cool.


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## Malteezer (Sep 4, 2008)

Hi, I saw your post. What's the shirt blend? Is your t-shirt still holding up? We're trying to find someone to do reverse print like the shirt you have except with different colors, ribbed bamboo/organic cotton tanks and bamboo/cotton tees. Words would be much smaller though.


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## bigdaddi1314 (Aug 8, 2010)

I was just about to make a new post on this same subject! Has anyone been able to pull this off because I really want to make shirts this way! I made my first attempt at it using dickblicks housebrand water based ink the other day and the ink was even on the inside of the shirt (where I printed) but on the outside where I wanted it to show it didn't bleed through smoothly. It had a splotchy look with some parts much darker than others. the goal of course is to have it bleed through the thin shirts smoothly so it looks faded. I would love it if anyone can tell me their tricks


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## Malteezer (Sep 4, 2008)

I'm still looking too! I'm actually for a printer since we won't be doing it ourselves. All the big companies have not been help AT ALL! Probably cuz we're small fry with small orders. I have a tank I bought a while ago at Urban Outfitters that has the bleed we're looking for but better quality material. I'll take a pic and upload.


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## bigdaddi1314 (Aug 8, 2010)

also anybody have any luck with dickblick's water based inks?


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## nKm (Oct 8, 2008)

You can also try and use discharge ink.
As the discharge ink has to be pressed really well into the fabric to work properly u can see it very well from the backside.
This would also eleminate any problems with the uncomfortable feeling of plastisolcolors on the skin.


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## Spot_Worker (Oct 22, 2008)

....is printing on the inside the best way to get this look? Not a thin'd out ink, a light gray ink. You use a grunge filter with a custom ink?


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## bigdaddi1314 (Aug 8, 2010)

spot the only problem for me with experimenting with different inks and filters is I'm using a yudu. also the shirts that I have seen from the pro's that I liked were def. printed on the inside. I just can't figure out how they got them to show through so well. I have tried different shirts some were too thin and you couldn't tell which side they were printed on at all and some shirts seemed to have the right thickness for the desired effect but for some reason even with my best results for this look so far the ink is spotty on the reverse side. I am using dickblicks house brand of inks which I was told by an employee there it's made by speedball and dickblick just brands it.


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## jay2 (Aug 30, 2010)

Hi there,
just being curious, is the effect of printing inside out create a massive difference ?
Hmm, it looks to me it just has a change of color.
(point me out if i'm missing anything) : )


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## bigdaddi1314 (Aug 8, 2010)

hey jay2
it does make quite a difference in the shirts I've seenw here it was done well. it basically has the effect of a feded print. but there are a lot of crative ways to use this. example I had one design I was trying to print where I screenprinted black bars on the outside of the shirt and then on the inside I was trying to print my face and hands holding those bars on the inside I had the words set me free positioned inbetween the bars. it's the effect of it being printed on the inside or that at first glance it looks like your wearing the shirt inside out that makes it stand out to me.


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## jay2 (Aug 30, 2010)

ahh ic, it sounds really interesting.. 
thanks for the feedback, would love to try it out someday, printing inside out...


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## bballbob (Dec 29, 2015)

I also want to print on the inside of the shirt but I DON'T want it to show through. I also need it to be on a white shirt. I'm working with a printer who does water based and discharge printing. 

Any ideas on the best fabric/manufacturer to use?

Looking for something comfortable like American Apparel or Next Level poly blends but I'm guessing it needs to be a heavier shirt so the print doesn't show through.


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