# Safety Green tees with reflective stripe tape



## kraze (Dec 7, 2007)

I was just wondering if anyone screen printed on safety green shirts with the silver reflective stripes. I know the shirt is a 100% polyester.


Does curing the shirt through a conveyor dryer affect the reflective tape?
Can I print over the reflective tape?
If just printing black, can I just use regular plastisol ink. (I'm using QCM XOLB 911 JET Black)
Any information will help.
Thanks.


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## MirrorInk (Oct 23, 2010)

I have printed plenty. I have never printed over the tape however. I am a cautious printer, so even though I have never had problems with the tape going through the dryer...I will speed it up and run it though then slow it down as I feel comfortable. If the tape on the shirt (I usually do safety vests) is similar (plastic-like) sometime the tape will stick to itself when hot. So usually I catch them as they are coming off instead of waiting until the whole run is done.


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## Teamwear (Mar 12, 2007)

I might would use vinyl if going over something.

Also-if this is a fire department or a ppotential for high temp----you might want to look for 100% cotton. 
I have a couple of volunteer fore departments that are rahter particular about how man made materials might/could melt in a fire. I normally just nod and give them what they ask for, but who knows, right?


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## My Shirt Connect (Jan 24, 2010)

We stay away from placing anything on the reflective parts of safety apparel because safety apparel falls into different ANSI categories based on certain reflective requirements.

For example this "ANSI Class 3" shirt may no longer be a "ANSI Class 3" if the reflective part of the shirt is reduced by being covered:

SanMar - Wholesale Imprintable Apparel & Accessories

Hope this helps : )

Brian


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## kraze (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks for your response. I just found out that the reflective tape will melt at 130 degrees, so that opts out screen printing plastisol. My client said that they seen some other company with their logo printed on them, so now I have to see if I can get any info from them. These shirts are for a construction group. 





Teamwear said:


> I might would use vinyl if going over something.
> 
> Also-if this is a fire department or a ppotential for high temp----you might want to look for 100% cotton.
> I have a couple of volunteer fore departments that are rahter particular about how man made materials might/could melt in a fire. I normally just nod and give them what they ask for, but who knows, right?


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## Corel Whisperer (Sep 1, 2010)

kraze said:


> Thanks for your response. I just found out that the reflective tape will melt at 130 degrees, so that opts out screen printing plastisol. My client said that they seen some other company with their logo printed on them, so now I have to see if I can get any info from them. These shirts are for a construction group.


There is reflective material you can cut yourself (if you have a cutter) with the names or companies and apply on to shirts. This material is available in made by 3M with the high reflective properties and a fashion type material with less reflective properties but this one is not certifiable. 

CW


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## Smckee21 (Jul 23, 2010)

Maybe you could look into using a wtaer based ink in black. These inks typically can be cured at lower temperatures and this would solve the problems with sending the refeltive shirts down the dryer.

Steve


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## macmiller (Jul 23, 2007)

If yours melt at 130, you're right, no printing. However, I did some vests the other day that printed a little over the reflective on the smaller sizes. It held up fine.


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## kraze (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks CW. With my client's detailed logo, vinyl is not an option. I found out that many companies get their shirts directly custom made from the manufacturer in China. The safety shirts are printed on before the reflective material is sewn on.



Corel Whisperer said:


> There is reflective material you can cut yourself (if you have a cutter) with the names or companies and apply on to shirts. This material is available in made by 3M with the high reflective properties and a fashion type material with less reflective properties but this one is not certifiable.
> 
> CW


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## kraze (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks Steve. I will look into water base. 



Smckee21 said:


> Maybe you could look into using a wtaer based ink in black. These inks typically can be cured at lower temperatures and this would solve the problems with sending the refeltive shirts down the dryer.
> 
> Steve


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## kraze (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks Mac. 



macmiller said:


> If yours melt at 130, you're right, no printing. However, I did some vests the other day that printed a little over the reflective on the smaller sizes. It held up fine.


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## kraze (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks Brian. Those are the exact shirts my client was looking at. 



My Shirt Connect said:


> We stay away from placing anything on the reflective parts of safety apparel because safety apparel falls into different ANSI categories based on certain reflective requirements.
> 
> For example this "ANSI Class 3" shirt may no longer be a "ANSI Class 3" if the reflective part of the shirt is reduced by being covered:
> 
> ...


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