When deciding whether to have your printed t-shirts made, there is a miriad of printing techniques available. The traditional, and still the most popular options are screen printing and embroidery.
Embroidery involves stitching thread into the clothing garment, and is most commonly used for corporate wear, jackets, shirts, polo shirts and hats. Screen printing uses inks that are applied to the garment, the “screen” in screen printing comes from the mesh screen stencils used for each colour in your design. The ink is pushed through these screens to create the finished design.
Embroidery
Pros:
- Embroidery creates a high quality and professional looking finish, making it perfect for polo shirts and corporate clothing.
- Embroidery generally lasts longer than printing.
Cons:
- Embroidery is generally more expensive than other methods.
- Complex imagery, small text and intricate details will not be as clear than they would through screen printing.
Screen Printing
Pros:
- Bulk screen printing can be done very quickly, making it perfect for large orders and wholesale customisations.
- Can be used to print complex designs, small text and minute details, as well as gradients and large sized prints.
- When buying in bulk, screen printing can be very cheap.
Cons:
- Whilst still very good quality, printing doesn’t create quite the same premium finish as embroidery, and therefore may not be suitable for “high class” events.
- Screen printing can get expensive for small orders, or when designs have many colours. However, in this case Direct To Garment Printing may be more suitable.
If you would like more information on which print method is the best, you can contact us or call us on 01244 456 110.
