Full Color Digital T-shirt Printing
Digital printing is a process of printing that involves taking a digital file such as a *.jpg or *.png file and printing it directly onto media; in this case a T-shirt. Digital printing is usually more costly than traditional offset printing methods but has some distinct advantages. Digital printing allows you to do short runs (as low as one) and saves time on what in the past was a very complicated and skilled setup. This process also allows for quick (and sometimes automated) turnaround and variations to the print by either manipulating the image or calling on variable data in a database.
Digital Printing - Do-It-Yourself
So, how does all of this apply to the average user? Since most people don't have either the room or money for the equipment necessary for screen printing, use what you have available! Using your everyday computer you can now quickly create an image file that can be uploaded to a company's server or website that is caplable of printing your file in a short turnaround time and with reasonable prices. The best part of it is, you can have it shipped to your door in no time without ever leaving your home! At Funny Graphic T-Shirts we are dedicated to helping you create a file that gives you the best quality print.
Printing on T-Shirts and garments has been traditionally done by screen printing but it is now more common to see digital printing machines. A digital garment machine is essentially a glorified ink jet printer with a modified bed to accept the garments that it is printing on. Processes vary, but typically, ink is transferred onto the shirt in the same way that an ink jet printer transfers ink onto paper. After printing, the shirt is then placed on a heat press to dry and cure the ink at approximately 150 degrees for about a half a minute.
Digital printing directly onto garments is referred to as DTG or DTS representing "Direct To Garment" or "Direct To Shirt". DTG/DTS has a distinct advantage to screen printing in regards to the number of perceivable colors that can be reproduced. When it comes to photographic quality, there is no comparison. DTG/DTS essentially prints what you see on the screen, provided the rip software used by the printer is setup accurately. Often times, in screen printing, a highly skilled technician needs to be able to artistically manipulate the process to accurately reproduce artwork, but even at that, some things just can't be done like digital printing. Screen printing, however, becomes more cost effective the more prints that are done in a run and one must also consider that screen ink is considerably more cost effective than Digital garment inks.
The power of all the current technology is that a common user/designer doesn't have to worry about any of this stuff. Simply log onto your favorite T-shirt affiliate website and upload the image on their website and What You See Is What You Get!
