# Need recommendations on printing method and fulfillment services



## aakins (Oct 25, 2010)

I have completed my first t-shirt design and I'm trying to find somewhere to have it printed.


The design has 5-6 colors depending on the color of the shirt.
I would like for the design to be smooth, not stiff (ex. screen printed).
I would like for the shirt to be more of a "muscle" style shirt.
The design covers the whole front of the shirt, with spill on the bottom and design all the way up the neck.

What would be the best printing method? I would prefer it to be on cotton, so I believe that dye sub is ruled out. (I have a shirt that I am looking to mimic the soft feel of. It is 100% cotton and the design appears to be part of the thread. I am new so I don't know what method was used.)

Do some designers have the shirts custom colored to match their design, or do they find a shirt with a color close to what they want and make their design work with it?

Included is the flat image of the design along with three mock up examples.


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## dptk (Aug 14, 2009)

I couldn't see your images , sounds like you want an all over screenprint with waterbase / discharge inks. You could do a garment dye your own shirts, but then I think you would want to use plastisol ink. Based on the number of colors and all-over print your cost is going to come in relatively high, unless you are printing a whole bunch to start. What is your budget ? How many are you planning on for the 1st print run


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## aakins (Oct 25, 2010)

Sorry the images aren't posting properly. Here are the links to them.

I have looked at other shirts that I own and noticed that some appear to me to be screenprinted and have a cracked/distressed look, but are still very soft. Do screen printers vary the thickness of the ink? I know there are different effects such as gels, 3d inks, puff inks, foil, ... but the shirts that I have seen appear to be just thinly screen printed.

I'm looking for just a small first run. Maybe 12-24. I would like to make sure that it is what I want before I commit to ordering even that small of amount. I was wondering about DTG printing as well. 

Are the waterbase/discharge inks used in DTG? 
Which of the major fulfillment shops do all over printing?

I could cut costs down by not having a custom shirt color.

Imageshack - 70262982.gif
Imageshack - shirtmockupo.jpg
Imageshack - shirtmockuporange.jpg
Imageshack - shirtmockupwhite.jpg


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## dptk (Aug 14, 2009)

I think DTG normally has 15x18 max print size , DTG is waterbased ink. (I'm not a DTG Guy , so anybody correct me if I'm wrong)

You can get a very soft hand feel with plastisol, they can put it on different thickness, especially easy if it is a dark ink on a light shirt.


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