Different T-Shirt Printing Methods Explained

Learn all about t-shirt printing methods!
Check out my Photoshop and Illustrator kits! 🦄 bit.ly/3aWqZpF
This video covers a variety of different methods for printing t-shirts including silkscreen printing (and plastisol inks, waterbased inks, and discharge inks), as well as alternative methods like belt printing, dye sublimation printing, and direct to garment printing (DTG).
Designing for t-shirts can be a ton of fun and it's awesome to see your designs actually realized onto something physical, but it's also important to understand all of the different methods for turning your idea into a reality so you can pick the one that is the best fit for what you're trying to accomplish.
Have additional questions? Feel free to ask them in the comments section!
Thumbnail Photo Credit:
Photo by emarts emarts on Unsplash
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#screenprinting #design #printing

[@Pedone_Rosso]

Nice coverage. I've been working in this field for 15 years (not only t-shirts) and I can confirm you pretty much covered everything (everything I know, at least). The only thing you left out is related to embroidery methods, but since that's not strictly printing I suppose the slight omission was made on purpose. Thanks for your videos!

[@MattBorchert]

Thanks Pedone! I'm happy for anyone who knows more / better about a particular aspect to chime in and let everyone know! That's the cool thing about the good part of the internet. :) Yeah embroidery isn't something that I feel I know enough about to really comment on, but happy for someone to give some tips for people looking to go down that path.

[@revolucionarymerdo]

What printing method does Givenchy use for its tshirts with multicolor and Aztec patterns, Persian carpets? They use it on 100% cotton.

[@kaba_me]

The guy doesn't know much about the subject. Many of the things he's saiid are wrong. Anyway, that Givenchy shirt has been printed on a sheet of fabric, then cut and sewn, and most likely in an industrial size (meters long) printer. You could do the same thing in smaller scale, using a wide format inkjet printer with textile inks. OR if you don't mind polyester fabric...sublimate it.

[@ManilaUragons]

What's the best method in printing?

[@danbarb9728]

@@ManilaUragons There is no best method because everything has a purpose, for example HTV vinyl has really sharp lines and saturated colors and you have special colros like hologram, rainbow, reflection, glitter etc.. what is hard to do in screen printing and hologram can not be done at all. I wouldnt agree with the guy in the video saying HTV feels plastic and to thick, there are also thin HTV and plastisol is also very thick and you will feel it compared to water based screen printing inks. In case of durability/washability sublimation is the "best" because its permanent, its like melted into the fibers while all other methods laying ink or HTV on top of the fabric. The downside is you need polyester, it does not work on cotton but you polyester cotton blends but then its not as saturated. DTG is great because you can print on cotton and even on black cotton, with sublimation you need white or light color fabric to work. Imagine DTG as a giant desktop printer but instead of paper you are inserting a t-shirt and it prints directly on it, super easy and you can of course choose as many colors as you want because its like desktop printing, same counts for sublimation. In screen printing and HTV you have to create basically a stencil for every color, thats why 3 colors or one color prints are the usual way to go. You can not print gradient color with this methods, with DTG and sublimation you can. Also there is a print method were you print with latex or solvent inks directly on HTV but those HTVs are usually much thicker than normal HTV.

[@beingfaith9122]

Thanks so much Matt! This is exactly what I was looking for, very detailed with great advice too. Much appreciated.

[@michaelvargas6521]

Amazing coverage! Thank you!

[@SRGCAL]

Great video, very helpful. Thank you for the breakdown!!!

[@imperia6368]

When I scratch the shirt ,will I be able to feel the print or has it become a part of the t shirt in sublimation on polyester

[@PkGam]

Very good video! I didn't realize there was so many methods out there for making shirts!

[@seyhanmustafa8553]

thanx alot for the video. very helpful. One method that was forgotten was embossing, which is starting to get very popular

[@PaulDoesIt]

A lot of useful information! Thank you for sharing.

[@MattBorchert]

Thank you Pavel.

[@chillieverity]

thanks so much for covering everything! much appreciated

Really good stuff !!! Thanks a lot.

[@martinaanderson2180]

Awesome video...Learn a lot of new things....Thanks for sharing such a nice video.

[@coltondeleon6821]

Thanks for explaining the different types of printing. This was the only vid I could find 😄😁

[@principleclothing6593]

Amazing video man!

[@valkohc]

Hey! Awesome video. I learned a lot! Keep it up, love learning from videos like that. :)

[@MattBorchert]

Thank you!

[@theblastedfrench]

I learned so much from this, thanks

[@ChritsianBucic]

Very informative! Thank you!

[@SNEAKPREVIEW]

This was Great !

[@dr.akshayprakash5735]

Thanks a lot!

[@7thfloorisnomoreq790]

Very useful info. Thanks

[@legumiiii]

your pronunciation is so accurate and the infos are super helpful! thank you so much :)

[@saravanankuppuswamy6057]

Really good stuff. Very helpful especially for beginners. It would have been much more better if some live printing examples were shown in this video...

[@crosbyshadung1586]

great video. Ive been looking for this kind of explanation but I couldnt find a video that really outlined the different kinds of prints, thanks alot.

[@ankitgauswami3198]

Thank you sir i got lot info....good work

[@OTK_ALL_DAY]

hey matt .. love your videos .. can you please do a toutrial about tshirts design ? ..

[@ohflamingo6905]

What I learned from this video: There's a lot of terrible t-shirts out there.

[@rayzander5562]

i realize it's kind of randomly asking but do anybody know of a good place to stream newly released movies online?

[@ianjaiden6905]

@Ray Zander i would suggest flixzone. You can find it by googling :)

[@izaiahtyler3385]

@Ian Jaiden Yea, I've been using flixzone for months myself :D

[@rayzander5562]

@Ian Jaiden thanks, I signed up and it seems like a nice service =) Appreciate it !!

[@ianjaiden6905]

@Ray Zander glad I could help :)

[@matsupnad1127]

Hello!! Thank you for this video!! Kind of new with the simulated printing. May ask which is better for my illustration. I've been making design with my drawing which is line art but has complex colors and details even with overlays effect. Which print do you it was better, simulated or DTG? Will dtg have the same color separation as Simulated printing?

[@andrewthompson530]

Thank you, this video was helpful

[@akanichabalala8552]

Absolutely brilliant stuff.

[@MattBorchert]

Thanks for the support, Akani.

[@imperia6368]

When I scratch the shirt ,will I be able to feel the print or has it become a part of the t shirt in sublimation on polyester

[@brockatsbha6668]

Nice job!

[@Hambxne]

Great stuff!

[@BjarteFraVerden]

Thank you!

[@Phaseish]

thanks for the help, there is a video on bella canvas that says for multiple colors DTG is the better route but it's not as good when it comes to mass production. like 300 shirts +

[@danbarb9728]

thats right because a DTG printer is like your desktop ink jet printer on steroids, you can insert your complete shirt instead of a paper and its print directly on it, as simple as that. thats why the amount of colors is not the problem, just print any graphic or picture like you would do on your home printer. With screen printing you have to create a new screen for every color, thats why this method is usuallly used with one or 3 colors, sometimes up to 6 i would say. DTG has thousands. Screen printing is better for mass production because one you created your screens you can throw shirts out like hot burgers while in DTG each prints takes some time and thaths why its not the right method for mass production. Its great for people ordering one or ten shirts but not 50 or 300 because it takes ages and i guess the ink costs are much higher compared to screen printing.

[@domitg]

great video!

[@ProjectsandThings]

This was interesting to get an overview. I´ve been doing it for a while with thick paper stencils to make one or 2 custom shirts. So for people who don´t want to make a series of t-shirts that could be an option. I´ve published a video about my own low-key version of this process.

[@galainak4195]

thank you!

[@freshMila]

Thanks for sharing

[@Dubs22005]

I wish you showed us different print styles. I hate the prints that chip away (vinyl print or screen print?)

[@MeEmma123]

Sooo helpful thanks :) have any recommendations of good printing shops for Los Angeles?

[@emelegov5412]

Hi Matt! Thanks for the info. Can you please help me to pick a good printer for the method you explain in the minute 18:55? Also, in your opinion, which type of t-shirt material will be more effective for such technique :) Thank you!

[@darekdylo8993]

Thank you.

[@RevengeOfJohnnySoe]

There are so many print processes out there and your video definitely helps but I still find myself in a place where I can't figure out which one would be best for my logo I've tried you know from the mom and pop shop they do whatever it is method that they do and a couple of washes and it's cracking and peeling and That is something I don't like

[@critical_always]

sublimation printing is done on rolls of fablic or precut garmet pieces. preferably polyester before it is sewn together.

[@nebse1897]

Hey Matt, Thank you so much for all the valuable info. I just had one question. I see different brands with either writing or images that wrap around the shirt or are on the shoulders, upper back, or on the side of the shirt. The prints are in unusual places and are made or cotton T-shirts. So I was wondering which method is used to get that result?

[@LarryBlue55]

You mention direct to garment printing and that would be through a machine that adds a white base first and then go’s back over the garment and prints the colors for the second process, how good is the quality of the print, meaning image on the shirt and the ink that is used ?

[@MattBorchert]

Highly dependent on the quality of the machine, but the best ones currently available are quite good. Very hard to match the range of colors and fidelity that they provide.

[@imperia6368]

When I scratch the shirt ,will I be able to feel the print or has it become a part of the t shirt in sublimation on polyester

[@ferorduy3241]

Hey Matt, thank you for the info, it helps a lot. I do have one question tho: How do I print a whole pattern/design on a shirt/hoodie? Like u know the Supreme LV collab hoodie? Or the champion hoodie that has champion written all over it? I’m trying to do the same for my brand, so how would that work please?

[@MattBorchert]

Belt printing, dye sublimation, or cut and sew fabrication using roller printing. All are more expensive than a typical screenprint / smaller placement print. I'd talk to your local print shop about it.

[@ferorduy3241]

@@MattBorchert Thanks😃

[@Imyourmoose]

Dye sublimation is something I think is very cool to be full color. Instead of just a picture printed on the shirt

[@FirdausIsmail1]

I love dtg printers😍😍😍

[@revolucionarymerdo]

What printing method does Givenchy use for its tshirts with multicolor and Aztec patterns, Persian carpets? They use it on 100% cotton.

[@mr.e5441]

revolucionarymerdo did you ever find out? Thanks

[@believenu3208]

What is the highest quality method in your opinion? nice vid by the way!

[@jonathanprizant6534]

As a screen printer, this is my favorite question that customers ask. The fact of the matter is, all of the above mentioned methods can be done by professionals on industrial equipment, and can be done be newbies on cheap equipment. A crappy screen print is as bad as a crappy vinyl print or sublimation print.. All of the methods can result in shirts that last for dozens of washes, and all the methods can be screwed up with improper heating/pressure/ink.. The differences are more in speed, convenience, and price of printing, not really in quality.

[@rize7577]

What would be the best option to make a heavy sweatshirt with a large single color print?

[@FrostyFX]

Any suggestions for blanks? Looking for an oversize kind of box shirt. Thanks for the video!

[@dalelexel5143]

How much to print t-shirt in a printer or machine? Thank you...

[@chubemagicz28]

What would be the process that has the best quality?? I mean, the one that last longer before it starts decoloring

[@MattBorchert]

Screen prints are generally the way to go when you can.

[@chubemagicz28]

Matt Borchert Ooh so it’s not the best one??

[@MattBorchert]

Screen printing is generally considered industry standard. It's what almost every major brand would use.

[@chubemagicz28]

Matt Borchert Thank you for responding so fast, you rock.

[@sdemirable]

@@MattBorchert Firstly, thanks so much for sharing all the info! Continuing on this thread, is it possible to screen print with waterbase ink? would you recommend it?

[@nizarmehemmed9062]

thanks .

[@rhaystergulimlim6720]

so whats the best?

[@sachccu]

Hi i want to start t shirt printing business. Which type of printing is best to start?

[@MattBorchert]

Kind of a difficult question, but if you're printing shirts for others screen printing would likely be your most critical thing to be able to do.

[@milankostic7842]

What do you suggest for quality screen print for a few separated colors (2 to 5)? I would go with quality waterbased ink, but I'm afraid that will not last long? Any advice? :) Tnx!

[@MattBorchert]

Waterbased inks are very high quality and you don't have to worry about them not lasting long. Basically over a very long period of times they're more prone to fading as opposed to cracking with plastisol inks. Personally I greatly prefer waterbased prints when they're a possible option. Better for the environment too! Just more difficult to print as you need to apply them before they dry up.

[@ryanclarke5936]

What method does Nike and Adidas use to print their white/grey logo on their sports shirts?

[@MattBorchert]

Almost certainly screen printing.

[@ryanclarke5936]

@@MattBorchert cool

[@Shutupnonsense]

Direct to garment tshirt color last long or not?

[@MattBorchert]

Kind of depends on the quality of the machine. The newest machines are pretty darn good and tend to hold color for a long time. Old ones from years ago were not nearly as good.

[@Shutupnonsense]

Which dtg machine color last long then please tell?

[@ali-sleimanchehade6129]

Actually yea your video was great and extremely helpful! Will soon send you some photo of T-shirt and ask you some questions! Actually i doing this for a friend (more like a brother) this dude have wonderful ideas and design but internet is a no go 🙅‍♂️ for him! And I want to help him! We are living in Ivory Coast! I want to try my best to help him! I want him to do his passion! And quite this shit job that have taking all his energy and lifespan!

[@physika]

If I only want to make 3 shirts, whch method is cost efficient ?

[@MattBorchert]

Probably direct to garment. You can upload the design to Society6 or Redbubble then purchase it from yourself for $15 - $20 a shirt.

[@audiotomb]

What are those really cheap but nice looking prints that feel like a full colored but thick slick image. The image can crease/fold/bunch up. If you wear them once - they are trash.

[@MattBorchert]

Those are almost certainly iron on / heat transfers. They're often printed out onto a sheet of paper using a typical color printer (so they can look great to start). They don't tend to hold up too great over time though, especially after being washed. Direct to garment printing is a more modern / superior version of that.

[@imperia6368]

When I scratch the shirt ,will I be able to feel the print or has it become a part of the t shirt in sublimation on polyester

[@adesh4140]

How to print design on t shirt which glows at the night? Plz

[@MattBorchert]

These are generally screen printed using a glow in the dark ink.

[@adesh4140]

@@MattBorchert thank you Means there is no sheet like vinyl or something for this glow type right?

[@MattBorchert]

That very well may exist, I'm not super familiar with the various glow in the dark options that may exist. Might be worth talking to a printing company to see what's out there.

[@crosbyshadung1586]

I think you left out puff ink and that suede-like print though

[@Imyourmoose]

What about health hazards? What if you want to do it at home? What are the best options and safe for your health because of chemicals

[@numerazrahul]

What about print using heat transfer paper? Does this produce reliable and lasting prints ?

[@MattBorchert]

The quality there just usually doesn't hold up. That's where a similar but different plastisol transfer will hold up much better long term (although it may feel a bit thick and can't do full color like heat transfer paper can. I think direct to garment is now the superior way of handling this, although it's more expensive.

[@imperia6368]

When I scratch the shirt ,will I be able to feel the print or has it become a part of the t shirt in sublimation on polyester

[@amitdirector6122]

Hey Bro instead of voice over show video of different types of T shirt printing. We expect video as we are on KZbin.

[@randre83]

Amit Director I was thinking the same exact thing. He did a great job explaining, but video would take it home

[@SkaterHipHop]

Don't feel entitled, people don't owe you nothing

[@chrischee4888]

Lmao dude. This was literally the most informative video, and that’s your takeaway??

[@malikibarra4015]

You make the video then 💤

[@Ttran778]

Finally, a useful fucking video. I hate all this clickbait bullshit.

[@GO0dMusic]

plastisol shirts fucking suck, that shit comes off with like 3 washes

[@MattBorchert]

That's not even remotely true, if done properly.

[@abraxanAc0lyte]

really helpful and informative [had to watch this because we needed to make t-shirts at highschool for a project]

[@yazeedirshaid]

thank you!

[@MattBorchert]

No worries!

[@jnfe]

Thank you.