# Help! I need a Printing solution



## 3alababak (May 8, 2017)

We own an apparel brand and we wanted to find a printing solution so we can print on all type of fabric; either Cotton, Cotton/ Poly been or even 100% polyester.

At the time being we manufactured 5,000 Basic t-shirts with 4 different colors (Black, White, Charcoal and Heather grey), They are already selling well and we though of adding some high quality prints will be a nice investment to our brand and business.

These T-shirts are made of (65% Poly/ 35% Cotton) and we tried sublimation with a Brother MFC-J3520 inset after we upgraded it with sublimation inks and toner, however the quality was not good and prints were faded, not as the same as the pictures seen on the computer.

After that, we did some research on the web and we find that our only solution with this fabric type is the heat transfer option on an ink jet printer. So we bought these transfer papers and we tried them with our Canon G1400 printer and again the Pictures was still faded and some colors wasn’t clear, especially the black color.. Please note that we tried only on the white t-shirt.

We are really frustrated and after searching the web we thought that this forum can help us with the solution we are looking for.

We simply want a printer that can print on hoodies, t-shirts, polos, shorts, Jackets and sweatpants. Fabric types will be cotton, cotton blends, polyester and melton. We don’t want also to be bounded to colors of the fabric with the printer, what i mean is a total solution for garment printing with a high quality standards. we don’t the print to be ruined after washing it.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

You want screen printing. That will meet all of your objectives.


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## 3alababak (May 8, 2017)

Unfortunately, we need to print on demand, when people order a tshirt or a design we can print it.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

3alababak said:


> Unfortunately, we need to print on demand, when people order a tshirt or a design we can print it.


Then get screen printed transfers. Press them as you need them.

I can't think of any other quality alternative that would work on your wide range of garments.

Perhaps a direct to garment (DTG) printer? Someone in the know would have to chime in on its feasibility to do bottoms and both cotton and poly.


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## 3alababak (May 8, 2017)

So if I just need a solution for these 5k tshirts 65%poly and 35% cotton. A lot of people recommend Heat transfer papers, however, what is the best printer to use, which can be economic and premium quality ?


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## 3alababak (May 8, 2017)

As I said before I used the Canon G1400 but the quality of the colors were very bad and faded.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

How were the 5000 shirts printed?

In my opinion, you can't get a quality print with an inkjet printer and transfer paper; unless it's dye sublimation. But sublimation only works on white/light poly.


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## 3alababak (May 8, 2017)

They are basic tshirts, 4 colors ( white, black , charcoal and heather gray)
Cotton/poly blend.
And I did use canon inkjet G1400 but results were not good. I wish if anyone can know a better printer for this job at least. 
Some recommended sawgrass SG400, however I need to make sure it can print to dark colored garments and can be used on this blend


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## digitizewedo (Nov 2, 2010)

The only printer I know of that can print on both cotton and poly blends is the FreeJet 330TX. 

Transfers don't give you the quality that I would resell.


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## AnACustomPrints (Dec 1, 2016)

We have printed on 50/50 and 100% polyester successfully with DTG. The secret seems to be in the pr-treat process. The poly print is black on 100% white poly. It is a work shirt and has been worn extensively and washed with little if any fade. Blends with cotton don't seenm to be a problem. Tghis allows for POD and a very soft feel.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

AnACustomPrints said:


> We have printed on 50/50 and 100% polyester successfully with DTG. The secret seems to be in the pr-treat process. The poly print is black on 100% white poly. It is a work shirt and has been worn extensively and washed with little if any fade. Blends with cotton don't seenm to be a problem. Tghis allows for POD and a very soft feel.



Gene, are there any DTG's that can accommodate shorts and sweat pants?


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## AnACustomPrints (Dec 1, 2016)

We do not know if you mean machines or printing business. As far as printer machines some might better adapted to such. Most likely special platens will be needed. We make our own crude platens for different apparel needs. As for printers who do printing on sweat pants and shorts, assuming you are speaking of non-cotton or low cotton materials, I do not know of any personally. There have been people on here who claim to be doing new things with non-cottons with Firebird inks and possibly others. There has been some sharing information to the fact that they have developed special pre-treats that work on n0n-cotton materials. Personally we have no desire to work with sweat pants and shorts as we are busy with our shirt business. A clarification on a statement I made earlier about printing on polyester. The printing on white appears to be successful. I was informed that some work still needs to be done on colored cloth as the white base used at this time results in a not very vivid print. So, I stand corrected, no DTG on colored poly, at least by us at this time. However, there was post here recently by a gentlemen who had developed a pre-treat for sublimation on 100 % cotton, whites and darks. If so, there is no telling what is around the corner. Hope I answered your question. There are many people out there much more knowledgeable than we.


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