# Plastisol heat transfers for 4 colors on dark garment



## HOOSIER DADDY (Jan 8, 2008)

I have a customer ordering 25 to 50 black sweatshirts printed on front with a 4-color design and back with a 1-color design. Regular screen printing requires a white underbase for each side totaling 7 screens which is significant setup. I've never used plastisol transfers but wonder whether they might work better cost-wise than conventional screen printing. Also, don't know anything about these transfers so what would be things to watch out for?
Any thoughts?
Thanks-
Robin 
Sunshine Designs


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## jayjays prints (Oct 26, 2009)

when you say white underbase to you mean the design should be printed in white 1st before the other coats of ink is applied?


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

HOOSIER DADDY said:


> ...better cost-wise than conventional screen printing.


This is impossible to answer without knowing your screenprinting costs. 

Here are some costs from a _medium priced _transfer maker:
50 transfers
1 color = $107
4 color = $279

How does that compare with screenprinting?


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## HOOSIER DADDY (Jan 8, 2008)

Yes, the white underbase is the first layer on which all remaining colors are printed. The underbase keeps the fabric color from influencing the final colors.


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## HOOSIER DADDY (Jan 8, 2008)

wormil said:


> This is impossible to answer without knowing your screenprinting costs.
> 
> Here are some costs from a _medium priced _transfer maker:
> 50 transfers
> ...


Sorry, I guess that is an important part of the solution, isn't it? I use a medium size screen printer so here's my screen printing costs:
Qty 36 print 5 color front (includes underbase) 
is $ 3.47 ea = $ 124.92

Qty 36 print 2 color back (includes underbase)
is $ 1.60 ea = $ 57.60

Qty 7 screens for setup = $ 126.00
*Total $ 308.52*

So, it appears that screen printing might be the most advantageous, right?
Any thoughts?
Robin


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## jayjays prints (Oct 26, 2009)

hey hoosier so even if i was doing a 2 colour print and one of the colours is white would i still need to but down the white underbase first?


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## HOOSIER DADDY (Jan 8, 2008)

jayjays prints said:


> hey hoosier so even if i was doing a 2 colour print and one of the colours is white would i still need to but down the white underbase first?


I've seen it done 2 ways. The first way would simply use the white color as the underbase as well and the second way is to print a white underbase and then the other 2 colors (including white) on top. 

The printer I use always uses a separate white underbase and I think the quality of his work reflects that but I suspect in a lot of cases you could get by with using the white color as the underbase as well. In my particular case, we're printing onto black material so I want that separate underbase layer.


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## jayjays prints (Oct 26, 2009)

thnaks for taking the time to share that hoosier....have a good 1...regards...jayjays prints


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

HOOSIER DADDY said:


> The printer I use always uses a separate white underbase and I think the quality of his work reflects that ...


When I was still screenprinting we always used a separate white underbase. Print it, flash it, then print on the underbase.


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