Printing Advice

How to avoid bad print results...

  • Try not to place the design over seams of the garment. This causes ink to bleed and can look pretty messy and ugly.

  • Make sure your color selections are accurate. The Pantone color seen on a computer screen can be different than the actual Pantone from the booklet!

  • When mixing different garment colors, take into account the ink color. For instance, if you print white ink on a red shirt and then switch to a white shirt, you might want a different ink color (additional $10 per change)

  • Measuring tape is your best friend, make sure to have a good idea of how large you want your print before submitting artwork.

  • People come in different shapes and sizes, don't forget about them when you are scaling the design!

  • When printing on the front of pullover hoodies, make sure to measure your smallest up to your largest, the design could potentially bleed over the pocket!

  • Printing over zippers is a possibility, but not always a good idea for some artwork. There can be a risk of ink bleed and missing areas of ink around the seams. Consider using a distressed pattern instead of solid areas.

  • Discharge ink does not work well on poly-cottons and dark tri-blends, only on 100% cotton. Not all cotton shirts are fully dischargeable, so make sure to check with the manufacturer. These colors have somewhat weak results...

    • Red

    • Purple

    • Lapis

    • Royal Blue

    • Cobalt

    • Turquoise

    • Teal

    • Kelly Green

    • Forest

  • Due to low opacity, water based ink does not work well on dark garments.

  • Printing a large block of plastisol ink does not feel the best when it rubs against the body. Plastisol ink sits on top of the shirt and can feel heavy, especially when there is a large solid block of it. Consider redesigning to use less ink, or paying a bit extra for discharge or water-based.

  • Ribbed garments like to stretch, so keep in mind that your design could potentially warp a little bit when worn!

  • Garments that tend to lose fine print detail...

    • Heavy Duty Canvas Totes

    • Ribbed Garments

    • Pique Shirts

    • Burnout Tees

  • When supplying your own garments and plan on printing neck labels, make sure to leave the tags in so we know what size it is.

  • Not all tags are removable, and some are already printed inside. Make sure to research the type of tag the garment comes with.