In this post we are going to talk about some t-shirt customization techniques, what materials and equipment you need, and what results we have observed regarding these, so that you can decide which one is the most convenient for you.
Sublimation , consists of transferring the ink directly onto the fabric.
- Supports: Light colored synthetic fiber textiles. If you work in dark colors it is recommended to use colors that are not affected by the background.
- Materials: Sublimation Sheet, Sublimation Ink
- Equipment: Sublimation printer, sublimation plate.
- Results: This is one of the most durable options, since the customization is not erased, the only thing is that it has limitations in the colors used, so we must take this into account. So if we know how to make a good presentation we can handle a wide variety of customizable fabrics.
Here you can read a little more about these fabrics: https://emigrouprd.com/blogs/desarrollo-de-tu-business/sublimation-in-large-format
Transfer , this process consists of adhering a polymer that has a background on our fabric.
- Supports: Fiber textiles of any kind. The application of the transfer depends on the color, so we have "dark fabric" and "light fabric"
- Materials: Transfer sheet, Sublimation ink (sublicotton) or Sublimation ink (dark fabric)
- Equipment: Sublimation printer or printer with normal ink (depending on the base of the transfer, it could require laser), sublimation plate.
- Results: This is one of the most versatile options, because it allows us to work with a wide variety of materials, it also has a short process, it only requires an ironing of 20-30 seconds. The main disadvantage is its durability, being a polymer that adheres after a few washes it wears out.
Here you can read a little more about these papers and learn about the process: https://emigrouprd.com/blogs/desarrollo-de-tu-business/otros-productos-para-sublimacion-papel-transfer
Polymation , this process consists of a process similar to transfer, the difference is that after printing the papers are ironed with a support that is what adheres to the fabric.
- Supports: Fiber textiles of any kind. The application of the transfer depends on the color, so we have "dark fabric" and "light fabric"
- Materials: Sheet A(printing paper) or Sheet B(polymer paper)
- Equipment: Laser printer sublimation plate.
- Results: This process came to compete with the transfer, because it has a smoother and more durable finish, but it is a polymer adhered to our shirt. The disadvantage that it presents is that it requires double ironing and if one of these is not done optimally, it can reduce the quality of the result.
Cutting Textile Vinyl , this material is a thermo-adhesive polymer that, when in contact with heat, adheres to the surface.
- Supports: Any type of textile
- Materials: Textile vinyl either in roll or sheet
- Equipment: Cutting plotter
- Results: This is one of the simplest processes, its main advantage is durability and ease of use. Apart from the fact that it has a wide variety of finishes, which allows us to diversify our projects.
This is a comparison of the basic techniques and processes for personalizing our t-shirts, it is important that you define which process you want to apply and which one could work best for you.