# What is my best option?



## hayatiggs (May 8, 2014)

Hi all. We screenprint in house, lots of retail and sports teams. Been getting a lot of requests lately for custom and personalized designs in single pieces (think monograms and "Skippy's Grandma"). DTF is obviously an option, however I do not have the time/labor for maintenance to bring DTF in house yet (goals). I have outsourced DTF but I'd love the ability to be able to print in house to reduce tat. 
So is there an in house, printable option that is slightly smaller scale than DTF, not sublimation, vinyl or DTG, that is either water based or plastisol, matte finish and soft once pressed? Seasoned enough to know I'm not looking at a cheap endeavor, but looking for professional and quality products. Thanks.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

hayatiggs said:


> So is there an in house, printable option that is slightly smaller scale than DTF, not sublimation, vinyl or DTG, that is either water based or plastisol, matte finish and soft once pressed?


Umm, yeah, screen print.


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## hayatiggs (May 8, 2014)

splathead said:


> Umm, yeah, screen print.


Lol so where can I look to learn and gather info, and/or purchase equipment? Because even in my screenprinting groups, someone mentions printing screenprint transfers and everyone flies off the handle. I'm old school, so DTF is even new to me haha.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

hayatiggs said:


> Lol so where can I look to learn and gather info, and/or purchase equipment? Because even in my screenprinting groups, someone mentions printing screenprint transfers and everyone flies off the handle. I'm old school, so DTF is even new to me haha.


Transfers might help with uniform numbers but they won't help with custom names. I have also seen number setups for screenprinting but not names of course.

I mean, honestly, you are already set up to do names by burning a screen. Not the most convenient way, or least expensive for the customer, but not much else out there that I know of other than the methods you've mentioned.

Embroidery?


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## hayatiggs (May 8, 2014)

splathead said:


> Transfers might help with uniform numbers but they won't help with custom names. I have also seen number setups for screenprinting but not names of course.
> 
> I mean, honestly, you are already set up to do names by burning a screen. Not the most convenient way, or least expensive for the customer, but not much else out there that I know of other than the methods you've mentioned.


I've got uniforms covered. It's custom one-offs that are more like a big monogram that I'm not wanting to do in vinyl. So I didn't know if there was a printable option, like white toner for example, that would be feasible for in house production, instead of outsourcing DTF. But also softer than white toner prints because those are too plastic-feeling for my retail ladies lol.


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## organdonor1962 (8 mo ago)

If you are wanting to supply one off custom prints the cost of a producing the film and then the stencil on your existing screen would so I understand you wanting to find a solution. The is an option that uses an OKI white toner printer and a product from Forever in Germany that would work for that. It isn't an inexpensive solution as each A3 transfer is around $4.00USD.
look at the OKI Pro 8432 and speak with the guys at Forever about the RIP software (Transfer RIP).


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## DrivingZiggy (Apr 24, 2017)

Dude, monograms and stuff? Just get over yourself and slap some vinyl on there. I say that with love as one who has to tell himself that (just get over yourself and *__*) all the time.


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## hayatiggs (May 8, 2014)

DrivingZiggy said:


> Dude, monograms and stuff? Just get over yourself and slap some vinyl on there. I say that with love as one who has to tell himself that (just get over yourself and *__*) all the time.










I've been doing vinyl for over 10 years lol. But when someone wants something like this, I'd much rather be able to print out a transfer..


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## DrivingZiggy (Apr 24, 2017)

Ahhh. Now I see. I was thinking just monochromatic fancy letters.


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## DonR (May 6, 2011)

Find a good DTF printer with a fast TAT. Most likely you will get the transfers as fast as you get the garment you are pressing them on. Trying to print DTF transfers in low volumes is nothing but headaches and will cost you more than outsourcing.


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## Threadoflife1 (Apr 20, 2011)

I agree with above and get a white toner printer. I have been doing one of a kind requests for years using our iColor 600 (older model) and they have the same feel as plastisol transfers. I even switched to Propeel transfers from Forever Dark with much greater success. I recommend having a white toner printer in house of a DTG - way less maintenance. We've had both and can swear by the iColor printers.


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