Category: Custom T-Shirts

Information on purchasing custom screen printed t-shirts.

6 Mistakes That Small Shirt Companies Make

For upcoming and aspiring young shops there are quite a few pitfalls to avoid. You may think that you’re a top ranking t shirt printing design expert, but there’s always stumbling blocks. Even successful local businesses like the few Celina custom shirt shops and even bigger corporations have made these mistakes from time to time. Take a minute to look over this list and apply it to your own shop.

1. In no way understanding screen meshes

One of the troubles that many new screen printing shops is the notion that one particular size fits all with screen meshes. This is undoubtedly not the case. You have got to take a look at how ornate and in depth your artwork will be. As well,  look at the feel a buyer is needing on the t shirt. Your 110’s are good for large, blocky artwork, they won’t carry the details that a 230 can. On the other hand the 230 will not place down the fullness of ink that a 110. Nor will a 230 function as a effective underbase on a machine.

Think about what kind of printing you’re doing

image of a Celina custom shirt demonstrating meshes by dragging a squeegee through ink
the way ink flows through different meshes can effect the overall look of the print.

Whenever printing wet on wet, you ought to take into account each color not being overly thick to be able to reduce bleeding. As well as how viscous your ink is normally. The likelihood of a blowout are more significant when you use a runny ink and a mesh that is smaller count. Every one of these aspects filter straight into choosing screen meshes for which colors. Do you consider that whenever a big t shirt printing design business gets an order with complex artwork, they same exact mesh throughout? No, generally not very. Even a small town operation like a Celina custom shirt shop knows when to change up the screen meshes. They pick screens that can carry fine detail. They also choose carefully to avoid sacrificing productivity as well as vibrancy regarding colour.

2. Not being aware of Exactly what Inks You could be working with

images of a celina custom shirt shops ink
buying others used ink can lead to many issues

Some startup stores are tempted to purchase bundle ink deals from shops that are closing down. This tends to be a tremendous risk in every aspect. The shop you purchase this from could have used certain brands as well as different types of ink to accommodate for different needs. In that case you may run into:

  1. discontinued inks
  2. tailor made blends
  3. some being low cure yet others not
  4. inks that use bleed blockers
  5. quite a few which may have had fashion soft  addded
  6. even out of date inks(and without a doubt, they quite definitely do expire).

Whenever you print for a recurring consumer using ink that was discontinued, you often have got to discover it’s pantone equivalent in another manufacturer. You could maybe blend it by yourself, but then you have to have your mix exact if they order again. A better solution than bundle deals is contacting the manufacturer. Let them know what you’re doing and what they recommend for your business. As well, it’s a good idea to be prepared for multiple types of fabric.

Don’t be afraid to talk to the manufacturer

Moreover be sure you question them the key reason why that they propose specific products so you start to know what kind of ink is desirable for certain fabrics. The manufacturer/distributer is going to know their inks much better and can give educated advice. Not to mention, the precise instructions for use.

3. Being either fearful regarding additives, or possibly too liberal using additives

Additives can be a tricky thing in this particular industry. Many swear by these products. Though others outlaw additives in the shop. But the truth is that each additive has unique functions and should never be applied outside these purposes. Additives really should be utilized as the last option, seeing that to that they are usually heavy handed.

Using an additive will permanently change your ink

image of a celina custom shirt shop working printing
how the ink is pushed through the screen can be effected by additives

Many can cause your ink to alter chemically. This ranges altered cure temperature, change of opacity, difference in expiration or even causing the ink to stiffen. This is exactly why you will need to examine just how crucial it really is that you choose to use an additive. Mixing up a complete gallon with the additive can easily ruin the whole bucket. Then you have lost both time and money. Most of the time it is far better to find an alternative to utilizing an additive.

For example, your current screen is simply not clearing. In lieu of putting a soft hand, you can utilize a larger screen mesh. As well, you could improve your squeegee angle, or perhaps alter the print speed/pressure. So, in a nutshell, know exactly what the additive does. Make sure to know exactly how to use it as to avoid botching ink. And most importantly, be decisive with WHEN and IF you should employ an additive.

4. Not being aware of Your current Buyer

This mistake is fairly common. Consistently think about just who your current client is. A Celina custom shirt shop is not about to promote a really expensive tri-blend t-shirt to a small landscaping business. These companies would simply like their men to have basic t shirts to promote and appear uniform. Therefore a basic plain 100 % cotton is better to recommend. On the other hand an ordinary 100 % cotton t-shirt could not be employed by an individual needing to begin a fashion brand.

Keep up with trends and fads

image of what a celina custom shirt shop can produce
keep up with the styles and prints that are wanted

To the same extent you must know fads and the standard is for printing. You should not hesitate to improve your company’s product or services. Accommodating for what is current in the industry is crucial to growth. In the event that most people are moving over to water-base, this could be an indication to improve what prints you’re producing. In the event the client is disappointed with the way the print feels, possibly moving over inks is your next move. The purchaser will be planning on you to often be educated in the industry AS WELL AS what is styling at the moment. You will be the t shirts Guru for the client.

Make the effort to be a competent guide for the customer

Most of the time, your company’s standard walk-in is not going to understand as much with regards to t shirts just as you do. This means you should learn about the clothes you offer regularly. It is best to have the capacity to guide the shopper in the path they may be wishing to go. Inquiries to ask your prospective buyer could be:

  1. What exactly are all these garments intended for?
  2. Where will the garments end up being worn?
  3. Do they require moisture wicking or no?
  4. Are you hoping to resell and/or these intended for various other purpose?

These could give some insight as to what you recommend.

5. Improperly Spent Money

So many aspiring screen printers try to cut corners and save a penny. And trust me, a penny will often will go a long way in this particular business. However this becomes an issue if saving a penny influences your finished product or the timeline. You might like to take into account investing extra money ahead of time to prevent long-term troubles.

Buying out of date equipment is an awful move

You should not spend money on obsolete gear and systems when the industry standard has moved past it. If you need to purchase used, ensure it is both under warranty as well as in excellent operating order. Numerous smaller stores throw away an outrageous amount of time dealing with malfunctioning equipment. Some issues they run in are:

Faulty software

Readjusting machines

Carrying out maintenance

Troubleshooting

Repairing printer errors

Try not to be hesitant to invest in the areas that require premium quality. To the client, you are are generally the expert in t shirt printing design. Ensure that your gear helps you measure up to that.

6. Not enough Ingenuity and Imagination

image of a press that would be found at a celina custom shirt shop
proper equipment takes less maintenance and adjustments.

You must never lose business when you are not able to fix a problem. Understand what skills you do and do not have. If you are not an designer, possibly employ one. May be the ink not curing? Contact the manufacturers of the ink to get instructions on how to use it. A component of the equipment breaks? Do not close the shop. Instead find a method to obtain the component or a comparable product that is compatible. Having the ability to resolve issues when they arrive is vital with screen printing, and there is more often than not a simple solution.

Have the distributers and manufacturers on speed dial

Each supplier of each and every component of your shop ought to be on speed dial. Several even develop a troubleshooting checklist or flow chart for each common issue. Likewise, any issue that happens at your shop has definitely happened at others. Don’t wait to check the t shirt printing design community forums. Become a member of the Q&A websites to get all those resources for your use. Using every tool at your disposal is critical.

Introduction to Custom T-Shirt Making

Screen printing t-shirts is really a modern day and simple technique of boosting the look and feel of your t-shirt as well as other materials. This kind of printing style allows you to transfer detailed imagery on to the t-shirt and with the innovative systems offered you can get graphics and text in a number of colors and in any kind of design or pattern that you might want. Additionally, the designs you get on your apparel are long lasting, and if have them made by a pro, you can be comfortable knowing they will last for the duration of the t-shirt.

Who is the very best screen printing business around? Well any t shirt printing design company would have something to say about that. Contrary to some other usual printing approaches, silk screening printing needs a lot of expertise and experience to get it done right. Here is a small behind the scenes on how the actual screen printing technique works on t-shirts.

Transfer Graphic on the Screen

First thing would be to create the artwork or saying you want to have printed on the t-shirt. You’ll have just about anything from a basic word or phrase to some colourful and elaborate design, however it is essential to be aware that complicated and more colorful artwork is more costly to have printed. After you have the artwork on paper, it’s required to get it onto a transparancy so that it can be transfered on to a screen. Sometimes it is done by drawing the design directly on to a transparancy, or normally, scanned right into a computer first, and then printed on a transparancy. After the transparency is created, the next thing is to transfer it to a screen. This can be completed by putting the transparency of the design on top of a screen and then exposing the screen to a light source, traditionally through the use of a specialized light table to burn the design into the screen. After the design is transferred, the screen is rinsed leaving behind the region where the art use to be, now available to pass ink through.

Test the Print

Even if the project is by a pro, it’s hard to to really know what the artwork looks like on a t-shirt without doing a proper test print. For that reason, it’s necessary to run some test prints by printing the design on a test t-shirt. Occasionally it’s also recommended to do the tests on material with the identical attributes as the actual t-shirt to get a precise image of how the print will appear.

Transfer Art From Screen to T-shirt

Transfering the artwork to the t-shirt generally fairly easy, however it really relies on the ink you are using as well as the garment it’s being put on. Prior to applying ink, it is important to ensure the artwork is aligned correctly on the t-shirt so that the graphic will be in the proper location when applying ink.

Cure the Ink

Correctly curing the art is an essential step that simply leaves a great deal of novice screen printers with undesirable results. A conveyor dryer offers the best and effective way to do this, and it’s just what an experienced t shirt printing and design business  uses when working with so many t-shirts.

Finishing Up the T-Shirt

Right after curing, the t-shirt will require a couple of minutes to cool-down after which it’s going to be safe to launder. Modern screen print inks do not need any special washing techniques, and for that reason cleaning is a straightforward process. Nevertheless, the t-shirts still require the same care that you provide your other t-shirts.

Customized t-shirts are an outstanding advertising tool for your company, and are also a smart way for an individual to achieve design they want and not settle for whatever they come across in stores. Nevertheless, to make sure that the print work you get of substantial quality, it is best to use an expert. Of course, if you are in the need of custom made screen printed t-shirts,  Atomic T-shirts is simply call away.