# Heat Press vs. Screen printing?



## FatHamsterGirl

Just out of curiosity, how well do heat press t-shirts sell as opposed to screen printed ones? I don't think I know any women who have bought heat press printed t-shirts. Do men prefer them over women? Would it be stupid to offer screen printed tees AND heat pressed ones?

Thanks 
~B


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## Rodney

I think from a customer point of view, if they don't know (or aren't told) which type t-shirt they are buying, they will *assume* that it is screen printed.

I've seen a few sites sort of "hide" the fact that they are using a heat press to print the shirts.

I personally think that customers generally prefer a screen printed shirt because of it's overall quality and longevity. When you go to a store and buy a t-shirt (from Target to a T-Shirt Boutique), 99% of the time you are buying a screen printed t-shirt.

That being said, I have purchased t-shirts that were printed via a heat press or dye sublimated and I've seen a wide variety of quality (the same can be said for a screen printed shirt). The early t-shirts by cafepress (around 1999) weren't as good as the printing they do now. 

I don't wear to many white or light colored tees (here's one of my favorites that I've purchased), so that usually puts the heat press or dye subbed tees out of the running.

But what it boils down to is that I'll purchase any QUALITY printed cool t-shirt design that grabs my eye. Some sites do a better job than others in relating the quality of their merchandise.

I don't think it would be stupid to offer both, but you may want to explain the difference in the the printing to your customers.

If your transfers show through and are really obvious, you can get customer complaints about the shirt being a "cheap iron-on".


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## Adam

It makes very little difference because the majority of consumers don't even know what a screen printed t-shirt is. The thing that really sells a t-shirt is the design.

When I used to sell dye sublimated t-shirts I sold many to people actually searching for a dye sublimated tee. I found that quite odd, but the quality of the dye sub tee can be awesome! But the majority were just after a t-shirt.

Nowadays I sell probably 99% just to people searching for a t-shirt of no particular manufactured process.

CafePress is an example that heat press t-shirts sell very well! And I have proof of that myself 

The trick is to buy decent transfers and press them with a heat press. The "cheap iron" comment offends me  I think it is a good business decision to offer both types. Heat press = short runs, screenprinting = long runs. You can offer a personalisation service using heat press transfers that will out profit any screenprinting.


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## FatHamsterGirl

Adam said:


> You can offer a personalisation service using heat press transfers that will out profit any screenprinting.


Thank you guys so much! I actually see so many personalization places out there and wondered 'gosh how can they afford to screen print that'. I suppose it makes sense to use a heat press. They seem to run pretty cheap. (inexpensive)

Silly question: do they take up a lot of space? My apartment is teeeeeny.


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## triplebtees

Bought a heat press today, www.bestblanks.com, it was $1299.00, commercial press. They have cheaper ones and more expensive ones. Drove down to their store and saw it, it did not take up much space at all.


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## Twinge

This is a bit longwinded, but should be helpful.

In general, the advantage of doing heat press is 1) you can do any number of colors (even photographic) and 2) you can print small runs and custom orders. Screen printing offers 1) Better quality (opinions vary here, but more say that screen printing is better - not by nearly as much as it used to be, though) and 2) the ability to print on to dark shirts. One final advantage to heat transfer is that it's MUCH cheaper to get started in if you want to print them yourself, especially if you can find a used press.

The quality of using heat transfer really depends on the quality of your supplies. Obviously a heat press is going to be a lot better than an iron. You'll want a good ink, either Epson's OEM Durabrite or Magic Mix (Epson printer highly recommended). You'll also need a good transfer paper like the Transjet II (a.k.a. Magic Jet). If you use quality materials, the shirt quality is nearly as good and long lasting as screen printing.

As for the amount of room a heat press takes up, it obviously varies on size. The smallest press you'd want would be a 12x10 (aprox) press than can only do 8.5x11 paper such as the Hix Hobby Lite. These have the advantgae of being relatively portable (35 pounds) so you can use them to do custom jobs at special events, for example. You can go up to the 15x15, which is an average size, probably the most desired, or even up higher to have 15x21 (heavy, 100+ pounds - this is what I've got, about). 
What you'll want depends on how big of prints you want to do, as well as what you can find (I'd recommend a used one). Even if you're only doing 8.5x11, a larger press can be very handy for actually being able to position the shirt and center the transfer (this one I can say from experience). There are also two different types of heat presses: Clamshell and Swing-Away. Swing-Away presses are a little more expensive but are considered easier to work with and heat/press more evenly. Clamshells take up less space.
As for the acutal space used, the recommended 'working space' (including room to swing the press back) for the press I have is as follows:
Depth: 47" (119.4 cm)
Width: 37" (94 cm)
Height: 25" (63.5 cm)

Smaller presses will need less room, you can generally find the press size and the recommended working space on websites selling the presses. If you're really strapped for room you might want to go clamshell, otherwise I'd recommend a swing-away. As for brand, Hix is generally considered the best, Geo-Knight the worst because of it's electrical/burn-out problems (they'll send replacement parts and the presses themselves work fine, but it's an issue they've know about for years and haven't fixed).

As for where to buy a press, I'd suggest used. Call up local t-shirt shops (check the yellow pages under 't-shirt' and 'screen printing') and ask if they have a heat press they'd like to sell or if they know of anyone who does. That's how I found mine, and if you find it locally you can save the shipping cost and actually take a look at it (and test it out) before you buy it. You can get a used one much cheaper (aim for 3-4 times lower than the price of a new comprable one), especially if it's just been sitting around for a while unused (again, as was the case with mine; he decided to go full-time screen printing, we got the press for about 1/6 the price of a new one). You can also check thrift stores, pawn shops, flea markets, etc.

Let me know if you want any more info about any of this; I can measure the actual space we're using for our press if you want me to and give info on where to buy paper, etc.

Here's about what my press looks like (mine is an older model): http://www.instagraph.com/221_large.jpg


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## FatHamsterGirl

Thank you! That really has helped me. Are all shirts with full color photos done with heat press? I have a few of those and the print quality is really nice.....I didn't know if that's something that can be screened.

What is your preference in transfer paper?


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## Twinge

I don't think all of them are; there are some other weird transfer methods out there that I'm not too familiar with, and some that look really colorful are only a very few colors done by masterfully blending in screen printing and such. Store-bought shirts seem to crack and die a lot faster than custom ones actually, in my experience (which is admitedly not too broad).

Another type of transfer you can do with a heat press is vinyl/flock. This is what makes a little bit more of a standout effect (That is, more hand - how thick it feels on the shirt), and is actually cut to the design out of vinyl (flock is similar, but more of a felt-like feel to it). I'm not too familiar with this method either, but you'd need a special vinyl cutter, and I think it can only do 2-3 colors easily.

As for transfer paper, I'd recommend ordering from http://personalizedsupplies.com/transferpaper.htm . Highly recommended by others in the business, as well as quick delivery and service. You can also buy Magix Mix ink here, ink specially designed for use in transfers. (I'm using Epson Durabrite ink, which is almost as good but you need to adjust the color profiles a little bit or some prints will have a 'yellowed-out' appearance.) You can get the same type of paper (TransJet II / Magic Jet) here: http://www.coastalbusiness.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=290 . I haven't dealt with the latter personally, but haven't heard anything bad about them. Price is about the same.


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## FatHamsterGirl

Thank you Twinge! Kind of a stupid question, but can I use my Epson g33 deskjet printer with those inks?


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## Twinge

I'm not too familiar with printers, and I'm not finding anything on a search for G33. If no one here knows you can try the Heat transfer yahoo group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Heat_Transfers_For_Desktop_Printers . They've got a lot of good info there and one of them there rebuilds printers so he knows them well.


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## FatHamsterGirl

Thanks Twinge!


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## oregon

I have been printing with heat transfer designs using a heat press for over 5 years. I believe quality between the two are a toss up. Quality of shirts, and designs make a big difference. I will tell you that all the shirts we have sold at our online store have never received any quality complaints. Tried and true, I'am still wearing 9/11 designs that I printed in 2001, the shirts are wearing long before the designs. I press all of our heat transfers at 390 for 10 seconds, heavy pressure works great. Remember the most important is quality, and heat press settings.


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## SpacemanFL

What are everyones feeling on using plastisol transfers as opposed to other types?


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## Twinge

I have yet to try it myself, but I have heard nothing but praise for plastisol.


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## Foxy

Hi guys, 

There is no major difference between Screen Printing on to Transfer Paper using plastisol inks etc. or Screen printing Directly on to T-Shirts. Basically the same process. Both use films and screens and both types are the best quality because of the inks used.

Digital ( photocopy or ink jet ) iron-on transfers are the worst in quality. Ideal for hobby or home business etc. but not used by Major Brands.

I guess it all depends on what type of transfers you use with a heat press.


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## SWEETFACE12

oregon said:


> I have been printing with heat transfer designs using a heat press for over 5 years. I believe quality between the two are a toss up. Quality of shirts, and designs make a big difference. I will tell you that all the shirts we have sold at our online store have never received any quality complaints. Tried and true, I'am still wearing 9/11 designs that I printed in 2001, the shirts are wearing long before the designs. I press all of our heat transfers at 390 for 10 seconds, heavy pressure works great. Remember the most important is quality, and heat press settings.


I DEFINATELY AGREE! HEAVY PRESSURE AND TEMP ARE KEY !

ALSO INFORM YOUR CUSTOMERS ON HOW TO WASH AND CARE FOR THEIR T-SHIRTS IS A BIG FACTOR IN THE LIFE OF THE TEE!

I ALWAYS SUGGEST WASHING THE GARMENT INSIDE OUT 
AND HANG DRY. LOW TUMBLE

*SWEETFACE*


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## graphixdesigner

Lately, I have been using Cafepress to showcase my shirts because it's a cheaper way to see if they will sell (I have had shirts screen-printed in the past). Cafepress offers both direct and heat transfer. For a new design, I order one shirt of each method to compare quality. Since most of my designs have been full color, the heat transfer has always looked better for detail and color. I have several shirts printed this way that have been washed many times and still look good. No one that I have sold to complains that it is a heat transfer. For single color graphics, however, I would probably pursue screen printing.
PJ


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## jrjefferson88

Rodney said:


> I think from a customer point of view, if they don't know (or aren't told) which type t-shirt they are buying, they will *assume* that it is screen printed.
> 
> I've seen a few sites sort of "hide" the fact that they are using a heat press to print the shirts.
> 
> I personally think that customers generally prefer a screen printed shirt because of it's overall quality and longevity. When you go to a store and buy a t-shirt (from Target to a T-Shirt Boutique), 99% of the time you are buying a screen printed t-shirt.
> 
> That being said, I have purchased t-shirts that were printed via a heat press or dye sublimated and I've seen a wide variety of quality (the same can be said for a screen printed shirt). The early t-shirts by cafepress (around 1999) weren't as good as the printing they do now.
> 
> I don't wear to many white or light colored tees (here's one of my favorites that I've purchased), so that usually puts the heat press or dye subbed tees out of the running.
> 
> But what it boils down to is that I'll purchase any QUALITY printed cool t-shirt design that grabs my eye. Some sites do a better job than others in relating the quality of their merchandise.
> 
> I don't think it would be stupid to offer both, but you may want to explain the difference in the the printing to your customers.
> 
> If your transfers show through and are really obvious, you can get customer complaints about the shirt being a "cheap iron-on".


So, in your opinion can a business operate with heat presses only, and be competitive with the larger companies? or should screen printing be an aspiration for growth?


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## jrjefferson88

Great question, Great replies. I've leaned a lot on this thread.


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## Rodney

jrjefferson88 said:


> So, in your opinion can a business operate with heat presses only, and be competitive with the larger companies? or should screen printing be an aspiration for growth?


Yes, depending on the business and depending on the operator, a business can run very successfully using THE RIGHT heat transfers.


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## mpossoff

Rodney said:


> Yes, depending on the business and depending on the operator, a business can run very successfully using THE RIGHT heat transfers.


Rodney can you elaborate on using the RIGHR heat transfers? Exactly what do you mean?

Marc


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## Rodney

mpossoff said:


> Rodney can you elaborate on using the RIGHR heat transfers? Exactly what do you mean?
> 
> Marc


Well, I can only state my opinion. In my opinion, if a person is starting a clothing line, the only heat transfer methods worth selling in that environment are vinyl transfers, dye sublimation, or plastisol transfers.


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## sjidohair

I think actually you should also throw Vinyl in there, too.
I think there is a purpose for all these 3 Mediums,
Transfers are great for light and dark shirts, However when making your own transfers the dark ones are a bit tricky , the papers dont feel like on light colored shirts. 
alot of Companies that sell Stock Transfers or Custom, from our artwork are actually screen printing them on, a sheet and then we press.
Now Vinyl has some tremendous colors and can be cut with a plotter and applied to light and dark shirts,,kinda like making your own transfers, if you can dream it, you can cut it.
Hope this helps.
Start somewhere, and then follow what is selling or what poeple are asking for.
Sandy JO


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## jrjefferson88

sjidohair said:


> I think actually you should also throw Vinyl in there, too.
> I think there is a purpose for all these 3 Mediums,
> Transfers are great for light and dark shirts, However when making your own transfers the dark ones are a bit tricky , the papers dont feel like on light colored shirts.
> alot of Companies that sell Stock Transfers or Custom, from our artwork are actually screen printing them on, a sheet and then we press.
> Now Vinyl has some tremendous colors and can be cut with a plotter and applied to light and dark shirts,,kinda like making your own transfers, if you can dream it, you can cut it.
> Hope this helps.
> Start somewhere, and then follow what is selling or what poeple are asking for.
> Sandy JO


I tend to agree with you on that one, especially if someone if trying to sale high-end products. Vinyl seems to be the best option for quality, I just need to learn more about it.


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## Rodney

> I think actually you should also throw Vinyl in there, too.


Vinyl was in my post 



Rodney said:


> ...the only heat transfer methods worth selling in that environment are *vinyl transfers*, dye sublimation, or plastisol transfers


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## sjidohair

Rodney,
sorry your post just showed up on my list now.
Weird
Have a Great Day 
Sandy Jo


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## StayStrong

thx ive done all screen printing and jus decided to buy a heat press reading the comments makes me more secure in my decision


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## sjidohair

hey Erk,
I think you will find what you could not do screen printing, you will be able to do with the press, 
I got a press first and just started screenprinting tonight, lol and played a bit in vinyl, I want to do it, all, to keep my customers with me,.. Not the guy down the street. 
Sandy jo


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## StayStrong

i still havent used the press i wanted to make sure i used the right ink i hear pigment ink is the best i bought an epson 1400 do youi know if that comes with pigment ink or if not what do you use as far as ink and paper i was goin to go with the alpha green a nd alpha red form the pro stretch site let me know thanks in advance peezy 
e


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## treadhead

We do both...including dye sublimation and DTG...depending on the particular job. For full color prints on light garments we use either heat transfer paper (JPSS) or our DTG. For colored or dark shirts with a full color design, we use the DTG. For spot color designs we tend towards screenprinting unless it is a simple design or lettering on a low volume job. Then we use vinyl.

So, yes, you can comfortably use both of these methods successfully....just keep the quality up.


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## jrjefferson88

oregon said:


> I have been printing with heat transfer designs using a heat press for over 5 years. I believe quality between the two are a toss up. Quality of shirts, and designs make a big difference. I will tell you that all the shirts we have sold at our online store have never received any quality complaints. Tried and true, I'am still wearing 9/11 designs that I printed in 2001, the shirts are wearing long before the designs. I press all of our heat transfers at 390 for 10 seconds, heavy pressure works great. Remember the most important is quality, and heat press settings.


 If thats the case, then why would anyone bother with screenprinting. From my understanding, heat presses are much cheaper to acquire and operate. Am I missing something?


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## spankthafunk

I'm a little confused, how do you print heat press transfers? Do you screen print onto them, or do you print onto them from an inkjet printer? And if you use a printer, can you get plastisol inks and such for printers, or do you just use the normal ink that it comes with??

I do screen printing in a small apartment and am looking to maybe buy a press for learning how to do vinyl and heat presses. If it has an easy learning curve and cheap to set up, I may very well consider. Any advice is greatly appreciated!


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## Rodney

jrjefferson88 said:


> If thats the case, then why would anyone bother with screenprinting. From my understanding, heat presses are much cheaper to acquire and operate. Am I missing something?


Because screen printing is still the industry standard for quality when you go to retail outlets.

There are some things that can be done with direct screen printing on a t-shirt that can't be done with vinyl, inkjet transfers or plastisol transfers.


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## Rodney

> I'm a little confused, how do you print heat press transfers?


It depends on the TYPE of heat press transfer. 

I think part of the confusion is that people are lumping a lot of different types of "heat transfers" into the same "transfer" category, when there are actually very different types of heat transfers with very different levels of quality.

Rather than me restating it all here, it's best to read another thread or two that covers it in more detail like these: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/general-t-shirt-selling-discussion/t48532.html

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/general-t-shirt-selling-discussion/t48532.html



> And if you use a printer, can you get plastisol inks and such for printers, or do you just use the normal ink that it comes with??


You can print INKJET transfers at home, but you can't print PLASTISOL transfers at home.

PLASTISOL transfers are printed by a company that has screen printing equipment (not a desktop printer). They have a quality that is similar to screen printing directly onto a t-shirt. There's a general list of vendors here: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t4095.html

INKJET transfers are the ones that are printed with a desktop printer. They do NOT have the same quality as a PLASTISOL transfer, but they can be good for photographic designs, small quantities.



> I do screen printing in a small apartment and am looking to maybe buy a press for learning how to do vinyl and heat presses. If it has an easy learning curve and cheap to set up, I may very well consider.


As you continue to read through the forums, you'll find more threads that cover how to do vinyl transfers. Here's a good starting point: T-Shirt Crossover - diary of a heat press newbie - T-Shirt Forums


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## spankthafunk

thanks Rodney, that's a wealth of information!


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## laynehunter

I have played with some heat transfers and have seen HUGE differences in the quality of the transfer itself - is there a list someone has of places who can manufacture heat transfers from high res graphics? I have seen some transfers which apply with almost no hand to the garment, and others seem like thick un-yeilding stickers when applied.

We do all our printing via traditional screen printing - but I am super impressed with some of the new transfers coming out - you can harldy tell the difference between them and a soft hand plastisol!


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## Rodney

laynehunter said:


> I have played with some heat transfers and have seen HUGE differences in the quality of the transfer itself - is there a list someone has of places who can manufacture heat transfers from high res graphics? I have seen some transfers which apply with almost no hand to the garment, and others seem like thick un-yeilding stickers when applied.
> 
> We do all our printing via traditional screen printing - but I am super impressed with some of the new transfers coming out - you can harldy tell the difference between them and a soft hand plastisol!


I posted a link to a list of quality heat transfer manufacturers a couple of posts above yours.

Here's the link again: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t4095.html

Plastisol transfers are basically just screen printing on transfer paper, so the quality is the same as screen printing directly onto a t-shirt. 

I personally have used hot peel transfers from TransferExpress.com and they have a super soft hand that is actually better than some retail quality t-shirts I've purchased.


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## docile27

Honestly, I'm a designer of t-shirts and getting ready to launch a new line. I'm only using screenprinting because I feel that it is more desirable of women and men. The point you made in regards to heat press is great because you do see mostly guys wearing heat press shirts. So overall, I prefer screenprinting even though it's more likely to fade over time.


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## bbode

I would say if your heat press is calibrated correctly, so you get a nice hot split peel, it's really hard to tell the difference between the two. Infact I've seen regular screen prints with much heavier "hand" than a hot split peel....


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## Rodney

> So overall, I prefer screenprinting even though it's more likely to fade over time.


This is actually not true of screen printing  Screen printing done right will keep its color very well over time.



> The point you made in regards to heat press is great because you do see mostly guys wearing heat press shirts


If the heat transfer is done right (plastisol transfers), you wouldn't be able to tell if a person is wearing a heat transfer shirt or a t-shirt that is screen printed directly onto the tee.


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## stix

Plastisol transfer have came along way from those back in the day. As applied correctly you will never know the difference. At times it makes more sense & cents to use transfers and other times to screenprint.


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## htt117

I have had good success with the quality of plastisol transfers, mostly from Transfer Express. Another aspect to consider is price. I do not screen print in my retail store, but I do use a local screen printer for some jobs. For most runs, screen printing will be less expensive than plastisol transfers by a significant margin. There are some cases where this cost premium is worth it to the customer. For example, I have several small businesses that use printed shirts for their employees (landscapers, framing carpenters) We ordered transfers in larger than initially needed quantities. When the customer adds a new crew member, we can do 5 shirts in a day instead of waiting several days for a transfer printed at low quantity (read as $$$). We have also used Transfer Express to print a quantity of transfers for church youth groups who are selling shirts as fund raisers. Since they don't know the size split ahead of time, we use transfers. They can take orders on Sunday and have the shirts to pass out the next Sunday. No excess inventory for screen printed tees that don't sell.

As far as inkjet transfers go, we do a lot of these, particularly photos. The quality does not match or even approach screen printing, but it is affordable for small runs or one of a kind gifts where screen printing is prohibitively expensive. I disagree with some of the earlier posts on "quality" materials. We are currently using JPSS paper and Coastal Brand inks. We used Magic Mix inks for years with good results. The Coastal brand inks have given us a better coverage black and appear to have a wider color space particularly in the red and green areas. Another plus, far less clogging and head cleaning. We definitely get better results with less cost using the new ink.

Vinyl backed transfers we avoid if possible. We do a few to meet customer requests. We do not get either the feel or durability we want. In some applications they make sense. We put pictures on dark colored tote bags using vinyl backed transfers. Washing isn't an issue and they stay on ok.

We are trying out a DTG printer next week. Probably better to start another thread, but I was intrigued by the post above that said they use both inkjet transfers and dtg for low quantity photo runs. How do you decide which? How does the quality and cost compare?

Jim


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## cre8tivemyndz

I am a restart business with a small shop behind my home. I use plastisol transfers designed by me and outsources to another printing company. This gives me the freedom to concentrate on designing the hottest designs, without worrying about burning screens, and registering 4, 5, & 6 color designs. My turnaround time to my clients is great. The quality is the same or better than direct screen printing. I offer Design vs. Shirt Guarantee. "If your design don't outlast the life of your shirt, I'll refund you your money for the shirt. No returns in 7 years.


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## spankthafunk

cre8tivemyndz said:


> I am a restart business with a small shop behind my home. I use plastisol transfers designed by me and outsources to another printing company. This gives me the freedom to concentrate on designing the hottest designs, without worrying about burning screens, and registering 4, 5, & 6 color designs. My turnaround time to my clients is great. The quality is the same or better than direct screen printing. I offer Design vs. Shirt Guarantee. "If your design don't outlast the life of your shirt, I'll refund you your money for the shirt. No returns in 7 years.


This is why I am considering buying equipment for making plastisol transfers, but what happens when you do a 50, 100, 200, or 500 shirt order?


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## Rodney

spankthafunk said:


> This is why I am considering buying equipment for making plastisol transfers, but what happens when you do a 50, 100, 200, or 500 shirt order?


Sometimes there is a point where more profit can be made by sourcing it out.

But if you are planning on getting the equipment to make plastisol transfers (screen printing equipment), then you could also just screen print directly onto the t-shirts and skip the transfer part of the process.


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## spankthafunk

Totally true Rodney. I guess I meant if you are just getting the transfers custom rather than buying the equipment. I should have said heat press and/or printer instead.


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## cre8tivemyndz

As with screen printing the more, the greater the profits. I can also do a front and back, plus a cap design on the same sheet if I ganged the design. This can increase your profit margin greatly if you organize your designs for easy cutting. Imagine adding a front chest or caps to your order without spending the extra time and $$$ on setting up. 4, 5, 6, colors. With 120 shirts I always throw in a coupon for crazy savings on getting the same design printed on caps, bags, etc. Getting two jobs on one sheet is the best. Now you're really increasing profit. I love screen printing, but transfers keep me competitive, with the larger shops in town.


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## zooyorkfreak

here's my two cents, I'm really old school and love the feel of heat pressing on fabrics. I'm a 24/m .. and i have been producing my own shirts for about a month now and haven't had any complaints .. from myself or my customers


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## THEGURU

it would not be stupid, but it would not be very cost effective unless you are running small quanitys of one or two color heat pressed vinyl. If someone orederd 300 one color shirts, you could knock that out in a hour or two screen printing, giving a more professional, consistant look. NOT TO MENTION THE TIME IT TAKes to heat press SUCKS really really really bad--jason​


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## cre8tivemyndz

I do both, but I also design full time. Working from a little shop behind my house, I find it easier to design, send to a printer, wait a few days for delivery, and heat press them babies onto a shirt or cap. My screen press is alot less worked than it has been in the past. I usually gang more than one design to a sheet. This is a big deal especially when dealing with multi-color printing. With cleaver marketing and promotions this can be very profitable for a small shop. I can do a four of five color design and offer a second location for a buck, this would take the same time and effort as adding a one color second location. This makes larger shops go crazy and I make an extra $300 dollars for the order. You have to make your own calls, but for me the heat press frees me up to do what I really love, design. Love,Print, & Happiness. Oh yea, PEACE!


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## mr2011

hey guys,

you can only do heat transfers on white t shirts right? so dark colors are out of the question?


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## Solmu

mr2011 said:


> you can only do heat transfers on white t shirts right? so dark colors are out of the question?


There are opaque transfers for dark fabrics, they're just not very good.


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## SoloStampede

Solmu said:


> There are opaque transfers for dark fabrics, they're just not very good.


That's not completely true. DowlingGraphics has transfers for light colored garments that show up just as nice on darks, with no white underbase.


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## downtownsports

We use "Howards" out of Elgin, IL for transfers. They are flat out AWESOME. They are all hotsplit transfers, and you can print on dark or light shirts. You can definitely NOT tell any sort of difference between these transfers and screenprinting. They use all the same halftones that a screenprinter would. They even have inks that can be applied to dri-fit shirts. They turn out great and we have never had a customer complaint after 3 years of using Howards. The shelf-life of their transfers is about 9-10 months too. The softness of the print after being applied is amazing. Technology has increased so much in the last 10 years for transfers. It's not too often you hear of "plastic-y" looking shirts anymore. Best part is, we don't have to deal with all the screens, washout tubs, dark rooms, inks, etc...leave that to Howards. We have so much more room and less mess on our hands now using these transfers.


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## Solmu

SoloStampede said:


> Solmu said:
> 
> 
> 
> There are opaque transfers for dark fabrics, they're just not very good.
> 
> 
> 
> That's not completely true. DowlingGraphics has transfers for light colored garments that show up just as nice on darks, with no white underbase.
Click to expand...

Those are plastisol (i.e. screen-printed) transfers, not opaque (inkjet/laser) transfers. Completely different kettle of fish, since you're basically just talking screenprinting with an extra step at that point, not DIY heat transfers.


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## HippieGuy

I am a 'newbie' when it comes to selling 'fashion tees', ( I have been tie-dying ans selling "tye" since the original Woodstock days), so perhaps my opinion means little. I am just beginning to do heat press. I would think with all the advancements in aspect of technology, I'd have to say that heat press has advanced from even 5 years ago. Both in machine and plasticol quality, and ink advancements.


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## intuos13

Screen Print #1


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## DemetriaReed

All of this information was so resourceful! Good questions asked as well. I am so new to the business and have so many questions myself so just being able to read some of the advise here is really helping me in trying to get this business up and going. Thank you everyone.


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## texasjack49

FatHamsterGirl said:


> Just out of curiosity, how well do heat press t-shirts sell as opposed to screen printed ones? I don't think I know any women who have bought heat press printed t-shirts. Do men prefer them over women? Would it be stupid to offer screen printed tees AND heat pressed ones?
> 
> Thanks
> ~B


 I'm not sure what your exact situation is but we sell or offer both. We contract out our screenprinting so it is less labor for us than heat pressing. We just sold a bunch of heat transferred T's at a dog show this weekend. They were mostly Wildside stock transfers which we press as they are ordered. Most of the customers were women. We have also used some of the commercial transfer makers and have heat pressed White graphics on Black, Royal Blue and Red T's with no problem and they are as durable as screenprinting. I don't think people can see a difference and there really is almost none anyway.


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## beecohen

Hey Rodney,

I am currently debating whether to go with plastisol transfers on screen printing for a 95 shirt job. I am looking for the best value and finished product. Thanks in advance for your help.

- Brandon


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## abun

im reading this. thanks guys.


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## beecohen

I don't understand why everyone else's questions are always answered on the forum and mine go unanswered for the most part.

Is this newbie discrimination or something?

- Brandon


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## rawbhaze

beecohen said:


> Hey Rodney,
> 
> I am currently debating whether to go with plastisol transfers on screen printing for a 95 shirt job. I am looking for the best value and finished product. Thanks in advance for your help.
> 
> - Brandon


If the order is an exact fulfillment then you are much better off having it screened. As an example, if the order is 20 L, 20 M, 20 XL, 20 2XL and 15 3XL then you will want to have it screened. It will be significantly cheaper to do so compared to plastisol transfers.


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## abun

beecohen said:


> I don't understand why everyone else's questions are always answered on the forum and mine go unanswered for the most part.
> 
> Is this newbie discrimination or something?
> 
> - Brandon


hahha, yea i get that too.. but i think its just the way around here. total noobs are kinda hopeless  They will answer to ppl who knows something, or worth answering to.
If the question is too easy, they wil just ignore it, and noobs hav to dig around threads to find answer. Thats what i do.. i dig around.. lol...


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## proworlded

beecohen said:


> I don't understand why everyone else's questions are always answered on the forum and mine go unanswered for the most part.
> 
> Is this newbie discrimination or something?
> 
> - Brandon


Brandon, that is very unusual. If you ask questions and include as much detail as possible there should be many members that will respond with their answers and opinions. Keep in mind that you may get get several opinions on the same subject which can sometimes lead to confusion so it's always best to cull out the answers that you believe are the most pertinent to your needs.


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## lareezy

Information i've been looking for.


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## barcelona10

oregon said:


> i have been printing with heat transfer designs using a heat press for over 5 years. I believe quality between the two are a toss up. Quality of shirts, and designs make a big difference. I will tell you that all the shirts we have sold at our online store have never received any quality complaints. Tried and true, i'am still wearing 9/11 designs that i printed in 2001, the shirts are wearing long before the designs. I press all of our heat transfers at 390 for 10 seconds, heavy pressure works great. Remember the most important is quality, and heat press settings.


 how do you keep the square mark after pressing and also that sticky feeling on the background after pressed? Thanks


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## aijai

Heat press = short runs, screenprinting = long runs......

what does this mean??


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## beecohen

It means if you're going to print A LOT of shirts to use screen printing to make it worth the cost.

If you're going to print a little of a certain design (short run) - use transfers for affordability


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## Faithworksappare

Hello,

I currently heat press all of my designs but I would like to learn how to screen print. Can someone recommend a screen printer for beginners? Thanks.


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## fletchermartin

Screen printing uses pressure from a squeegee or other mechanical device to force the ink into the fibers where it is absorbed and integrated into the fabric.


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## Faithworksappare

Hello Martin,

Thanks for the information. I will look for a machine for beginners that is not too complicated.


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