# Vinyl Heat Transfer VS Screen Printing: time and material costs for 100-200 shirts



## clicksigns (May 15, 2007)

Hi Folks,

I just got a heat press and will start doing heat transfer. I am still confused whether I will take orders say 100 or 200 shirts with heat transfer method. Can anyone have experience doing a 100 or 200 shirt using versacamm. Is it profitable doing it in heat transfer method considering time, preparation, media etc..

I know I can't have it silkscreened because I don't have the equipement. Please enlighten me. Another question is the durability of the heat transfer print (I am using solutions media of stahls.com) compared to shirt silkscreened.

Thanks,
Alex


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## kilrkats (Jan 27, 2007)

*Re: Heat Transfer VS Screen Printing*

100 - 200 pieces, you might look into having someone screen print the tees. I prefer the hand of screen print vs. transfers. If it's a one or two color the screen printer can execute much quicker and you can focus on making additional sales vs. taking the time to heat apply the transfers.


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## clicksigns (May 15, 2007)

*Re: Heat Transfer VS Screen Printing*



kilrkats said:


> 100 - 200 pieces, you might look into having someone screen print the tees. I prefer the hand of screen print vs. transfers. If it's a one or two color the screen printer can execute much quicker and you can focus on making additional sales vs. taking the time to heat apply the transfers.


Is it the time which is involved here, what about the material cost, which is more cost effective. Just bought a Geo Knight DK20S ($2000 Can) want to make profit. How about the durability of the print comparison of both.


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## kilrkats (Jan 27, 2007)

*Re: Heat Transfer VS Screen Printing*



clicksigns said:


> Is it the time which is involved here, what about the material cost, which is more cost effective. Just bought a Geo Knight DK20S ($2000 Can) want to make profit. How about the durability of the print comparison of both.


Time is essential. Do you have a local screen printer you can get a quote from? If so, get a quote and compare the costs.

Typically if the material is applied correctly it will last a long time.


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## clicksigns (May 15, 2007)

*Re: Heat Transfer VS Screen Printing*



kilrkats said:


> Time is essential. Do you have a local screen printer you can get a quote from? If so, get a quote and compare the costs.
> 
> Typically if the material is applied correctly it will last a long time.


I am using our Roland Versacamm and contour cut the design and the media I am getting is,

YouTube - Stahls Cad Colour Solutions Video A

What is your thoughts.


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

I would screen print them I have a place that prints for me. 100 shirt with a one color print costs me $1.05 per shirt. You can take the time to cut vinyl transfers and weed them for the cost of screening them.


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## quilterk8 (Sep 10, 2005)

I do a lot of vinyl - BUT there is certainly a point at which other options are more cost effective. I use Dowling Graphics for screened transfers where the design is simple and I need a bunch of them - especially if I'm not sure of quatity or reorders. (I OWN a screen press and still use them for some things.)

My cut-off is about 2 dozen vinyl before I switch to either transfers or direct screening.


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## Peanutz (Feb 14, 2007)

We will print and press our own inkjet transfers for up to about 25 shirts - unless there's a lot of cutting.

We don't have a vinyl cutter yet so I can't comment on quanities.

We also work with a local screen printer that gives us a break at different quanities. Like others have commented - time is money. Printing, cutting and pressing 100 shirts would probably take 5, 6, 10 or more hours. Yes, you'd make some change, but it's worth it to me to make less and do less work.


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

Peanutz said:


> Like others have commented - time is money. Printing, cutting and pressing 100 shirts would probably take 5, 6, 10 or more hours. work.


I think one needs to draw the line.

1. Are you a middle man printing t-shirts ? Then do what middle man do, look in the yellow pages for a sub contractor.... in this case a screen printer.  Making plastisol transfers would not be cost effective either, a greater risk factor for that many shirts (unless you make the plastisol transfers yourself of course   ).

2. Are you a Printer ? then you need to be able to compete with a screen printer and offer your client such base rates, if you over charge your client because you can not compete with the screen printer, sooner or later this will back fire and you will eventually go out of business.

So, draw the line and act on it.

Personally I think Vinyl Transfers would be the No-go in this case. 


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## clicksigns (May 15, 2007)

How about quality and durability is concerned, let us not think about the cost of materials, which is more durable and high quality image/graphics.


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

clicksigns said:


> How about quality and durability is concerned, let us not think about the cost of materials, which is more durable and high quality image/graphics.


You can get different grades of vinyl/film that are extremely durable.

But it really depends on the art. Screen print will give you more detail with less work and a softer hand. Also extremely durable.

If you are considering Vinyls/Film etc. for a few hundred shirts, sub-contract and get it die-cut. Another possibility.  


I honestly dont think vinyl-weeding a few hundred transfers is the way to go.



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## clicksigns (May 15, 2007)

I already have a Versacamm that can contour cut the design. My only fear is that the media will be washed off.


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