Which printing method is better, sublimation printing or screen printing?
Both methods can provide excellent results.Sublimation printing only works on poly and some poly blend products of white or very light colors and is produced by printing a transfer substrate with special inks which turn to a gas when they get hot enough (typically over 320f/160c). The shirts are put into a heat transfer press with the transfer paper applied and then are pressed with heat and pressure to transfer the image to the shirt. If you are doing all-over or prints with dark colors to the edge, best results come from a cut and sew method where the raw fabric is printed/sublimated before the shirt is made. The print id actually “in” the fabric, so the hand of the image is non existent. Since it is a digital process, there is little to no effect on multiple colors and production time/setup time.Screen printing is the process of printing an ink through a screen onto a shirt. You can print as many colors as your press is capable of, but to do full color work, you are typically looking at a minimum of 6 screens (white base, cmyk, top white) or more depending on the art. Screens have to be made and put into the press and in registration, the press has to be set up, etc.In terms of production speed, for runs over 500 pieces, no other process comes close compared to screen printing. I know of shops that will run 800 to 900 pcs per hour per press, all day, every day. Sublimation printing can maybe net 60 to 90 pieces per press per hour.
Why do cotton textiles have to be made of yarn threads?
Most of the answers here are partially correct and confusing.Here is the thing :You can make sheets out of cotton either by felting (as described by other answer) or by weaving or knitting a yarn. But there is a catch: in physical properties.You cannot make flexible fabric by felting.You cannot be assured of its durability. If it durable, it must be riguid or contain high amounts of additives which may decrease feel of cotton.Felted fabrics are usually not breathable or uncomfortable to wear because they hardly let any air pass. You can make holes in it but it is different.Now, coming towards terminology :3 methods to make fabric:Non woven: felting comes in this category. Cheap, low cost, disposable fabrics made out of waste from weaving and knitting.Woven, made out of yarn. Strongest type of fabric makingKnitted :made out of yarn. Okayish strong, and flexible.Yarn vs thread= yarn is used for making fabric, and thread is used for switching. So, yarns are usually not as strong as thread used for switching the fabric made out of that yarn.
What is the best t-shirt printing method?
The short answer is that there is no one “best t-shirt printing method”. Your business, your retail store, your online shop, your interests, capabilities and budget are all going to be different. That’s what should determine what the best t-shirt printing method is for you.For example, in our business we sell the OKI920WT white toner color led printer and Laser EZPeel papers as part of our digital heatfx system. (http://digitalheatfx.com). This system is amazing if:You need to make full color graphics on t shirts or promotional products - frankly, if you are just doing one color jersey numbers you can probably do it cheaper and more efficiently with screen printing.You get smaller order sizes - if you do now or plan to get orders for 200, or 1,000 shirts with the same design on it, you should be screen printing too. A t-shirt transfer system might be the best t-shirt printing method for you if you get an order for 5–50 shirts, or 5 shirts with different sized graphics - you can charge more for these and turn them around faster than you could with screen printing.You want to do wholesale too - one of the best parts of using an OKI920WT Printer and the digital heatfx system is that you can make t shirt transfers that you can mail or ship to anyone with a good heat press. That means you can be someone else’s supplier and not have to worry about picking blank tees or dealing with end users.All this is great, but the DigitalHeatFX system ranges from about $7500 to $10K or $11K depending on what you need (there is financing: Financing available for 200–300/month). So if you only have $1,000 - $3,000 to start you may want to go with something like a vinyl cutter or sublimation.If you don’t really HAVE a budget, you may need to start by ordering transfers - and that would be the best t-shirt printing method for you.. just ordering full color transfers and heat pressing them on yourself. You’ll just need a good heat press and you can order transfers from lots of companies, including Fast, Full Color Custom TransfersThe only method I have mentioned yet for making customer t shirts is direct go garment. with that method you use an industrial ink jet printer to print onto a t shirt just like it was paper. The end result feels and looks great, but the cost is usually $15K-$25K and the systems require a lot of care and maintenance.In the end, the best t-shirt printing method depends on you! There is no objective, one size fits all answer.
What's the differences between sublimation paper and heat transfer paper?
Sublimation paper is used for polyester material fabric and sublimation coated products like sublimation coated mugs, ornaments, glass etc.. There are piece size and roll size sublimation paper. Piece size like A4 and A3 size is used for polyester tshirt, sublimation mugs, ornaments some small types products. Roll size like 44'',63'' is used for large format machine to print design on bedsheet, sportswear, etc.. Both types need to use inkjet printer, like Epson to print design. Also, the ink must be sublimation ink.Heat transfer paper is used for cotton material fabric mainly for tshirt. The cotton content over 70%, we recommend to use heat transfer paper. As the tshirts/fabric is with different colors, so the transfer paper is with different types for different color tshirts/fabric. Transfer paper has two types: dark and light. Dark transfer paper could be used to dark tshirts/fabric, like black, red, brown, etc.. Light transfer paper could be used to light tshirts/fabric, like light yellow, white, light pink, etc.. Also, as the paper is with light and dark, which could be used for different kind of printer. If your printer type is laser, like OKI, the laser dark/light transfer paper is suitable for you. If your printer type is inkjet, like Canon, the inkjet dark/light transfer paper is a good choice for you. You could use normal ink, dye ink or pigment with transfer paper to print your design on the cotton tshirts. We recommend to use pigment ink, which is the most stable one.Sublimation Any more information could follow me in Facebook. Or my web: www.mejorsub.com
What three dials do you check before sewing + pro's of using a sewing machine compared to hand sewing?
I've done all the other parts of my textiles homework other than two: 5. What three dials would you check before sewing a straight stitch? I've already put down Tension disks. What 2 others? 6. What are the advantages of machine sewing compared to hand-sewing? I've already put down 'You get things done quicker' and 'You can do different types of patterns' what other ones? That's all :] Thanks!
Does polyester shrink when it's washed and dried?
The answer to this question is NO.A Closer Look into this “Love it or Hate it” Fabric, which would help us figure out the reason behind it’s behavior.Polyester is a generalized term for any fabric or textile, which is made using polyester yarns or fibers. It is a shortened name for a synthetic, man-made polymer, which, as a specific material, is most commonly referred to as a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET).during 1970’s it was advertised as “a miracle fibre that can be worn for 68 days straight without ironing, and still look presentable,”.Image - GoogleWhat are some characteristics of polyester fabric?Polyester is synthetic (man made) and is very durable and is resistant to many chemicalsThis is a popular fabric in the fashion industry, as it is resistant to shrining and stretching. It is also resistant to wrinkling and abrasionsThe fibres used to create Polyester are very strong yet lightweightThe fibres are easily dyed.It retains its shape very well.Polyester fabric is easy to look after and it can be washed and dried at homeIt is a quick drying fabric, so a popular choice for outdoors clothingThe best advice can be follow the care label instructions for washing.Thanks for reading.If you liked my answer please throw me an up vote it helps quite a bit,Ameet ChaudhryFollow me on Quora for updates and more great answers!Footnote -What Is Polyester? A Closer Look into this “Love it or Hate it” Fabric - Contrado Blogwww.whatispolyester.com/
Can we paint using acrylic colors on fabrics?
Yes you can most surely paint on fabric with acrylic paint . The longevity of the paint staying on the fabric depends on the way one washes the finished product and the way the paint has been applied over the fabric. The paint has to be viscous enough so that it binds or "holds on" to the weave of the fabric it's applied to. You can control the viscosity of the paint using a "Medium" for that paint. A medium is a paint thinner basically. You can ask your local arts and crafts supplies dealer to advise you on the right medium for those paintsThe consistancy of the paint should not be too thick such that it does not bind with the interwoven threads of the fabric and forms a mere cake like layer of paint that can easily come flaking of later nor should it be too thin or watery such that it soaks in and blots into the fabric like ink, spreading beyond the required area of application. Secondly and equally importantly after finishing painting the fabric it is important to dry the finished product for a minimum of 24 hours and then IRONING or PRESSING the back side of the painted fabric. For example for a finshed handkerchief turn it over so the back of painted side is facing upwards. This proceduere will "weld" the paint into the fabric and ensure that it does not come flaking off.Washing should be a mild machine wash as scrubbing and washing it in a rough manner with your hands can reduce the longevity of the paint on the fabricAll that being said I should also warn you that just like everything else fades and undergoes wear and tear through time and constant use, the paint also has a tendency to fade or erode over time through constant washing and use.