The Types of Fabric Used in Common T-Shirt Printing Jobs

 Personalized, printed t-shirts are a good way of showing your brand personality without needing to pay through the nose for it. Custom printers use shirts made from high-quality material, as these absorb ink better and retain the colour for a longer time. Wearing customized shirts is also a good way of showing school spirit, team pride, or otherwise declaring your affiliation.

Companies that specialize in serigraphy can print all sorts of designs. It does not matter how simple or complex a picture is; in this process, images are produced through ink transferring and stencilling on the fabric. The inks used in t-shirt printing are made of plastisol, which makes for a high-quality finish that does not easily rub away or fade. There is a range of t-shirt types that screen printers can use to print custom designs.

1. Jersey-knit cotton

At 145 grams per square meter, jersey-knit cotton is great for promotional t-shirts or large orders. These thinner, cheaper shirts make affordable giveaways or rewards for customers or regular clients during events. 

You can also use promotional t-shirts as a loot bag stuffer for exhibits and shows. This type of shirt can also come in a variety of colours. If you have a coloured logo, you can choose a shirt in your logo colour and have the graphic printed in solid white or black.

2. Fine-knit, woven cotton

This type of cotton is a lightweight, 165 grams per square meter. This type of shirt is often called basic cotton and is both inexpensive and of good quality. This makes it a good choice for branded clothing or official merchandise. Basic or classic shirts can be given to current or prospective clients as gifts. 

Classic shirts are softer than the basic type. These are 165gsm soft-spun cotton shirts, a more breathable fabric good for everyday use. Classic shirts are perfect for staff uniforms or as a summertime alternative to your regular uniforms.

3. Semi-combed cotton

190gsm, semi-combed cotton shirts are among the highest quality available for custom prints. Premium t-shirts are the best option for staff uniforms because they offer the perfect balance between durability and comfort. 

Premium shirts also stand up to regular washing and exposure to the elements. Semi-combed cotton is also used for long-sleeved shirts, which is suitable for working in colder weather. This type of shirt has a stretchier feel compared to shirts with a lower gsm.

Because semi-combed cotton is stretchable, they are used for slim fit t-shirts. Slim fit is often chosen when stylishness is a factor in production. For example, premium promotional items or limited edition merchandise are often made from semi-combed cotton or slim fit shirts. 

Caring for custom t-shirts

Whether promotional or premium, caring for custom shirts involves being mindful about preserving the ink and graphics. Wash these types of shirts at 40°C, and refrain from using bleach or fabric conditioner on these types of shirts. Do not dry clean or tumble dry custom shirts, and iron on low heat. Make sure you iron from the inside only.

Conclusion

Custom t-shirts are a good way to distinguish your brand or business from others. Knowing the different types of shirts available for custom prints will help you make a better choice.

For customized screen printing in Toronto, contact us at Clever Print today. We can provide you with an instant quote to get you started now!

Screen Printing 101_ Using a White Under-Base—What to Know

T-shirt printing is a common business that serves many purposes—either for the family gathering, for your child’s sports team’s jerseys, or for your company giveaways at your next event. There currently are various methods for t-shirt printing, like the newest form of laser-printing to the more traditional form of screen printing.

 

What is Screen Printing?

 

Screen printing—otherwise referred to as silk-screening—is the more cost-effective method for customized t-shirt printing. This method utilizes a silkscreen for each colour in the design, which is why highly varied colours within a design can be considered as “costly.” This is made up, however, by its cost-effective utility, making it well worth the money when ordered in bulk.

 

Screen printing often utilizes a plain white shirt for the best effect but using any coloured t-shirt is also a viable choice. What will differ in design, however, would be the utilization of an additional white layer underneath your design called an “under-base” before printing on your original design.

 

Why use a white under-base?

 

The white under-base is used to enhance the colours of your design. While a plain white t-shirt won’t alter the colours sprayed on-top, a darker coloured-shirt can affect the overall colour-quality of the design—thus possibly altering it enough to make it unrecognizable. By utilizing a white under-base, the colour blending of your t-shirt’s original colour won’t happen, thus assuring the integrity of your original design.

 

Understandably, this would mean an additional cost due to the added colour used for your under-base—but this would depend on your t-shirt printing service. Prior to having your design printed, ensure to consider the t-shirt colour and material and if a white under-base is needed for your printing.

 

Do all non-white garments need an under-base?

 

No, not all non-white garments need an under-base—the rule of thumb is to add a white under-base for “dark garments.” Dark garments are defined as ones that have a distinctly strong colour or are incredibly vibrant. Examples of these would be black, purple, red, green, navy, gold, and charcoal. Utilizing these would cause the colours to blend, thus ruining your t-shirt design.

 

What are the exceptions to the rule?

 

As stated, white does not need an under-base, but neither do pastel coloured shirts. Cream, baby blue, and baby pink are some iterations of light pastel colours that do not need a white under-base. Depending on the t-shirt’s specific colour, some exceptions can be made, such as with yellow-haze or sand—but it can be a bit more complicated. The best solution is to ask your t-shirt printing service which works best for your design, as the quality of the ink can also affect the screen printing quality.

 

Can I do away with the white under-base?

 

The short answer is yes, you can have a t-shirt printed without a white under-base regardless of your shirt’s colour, but this will definitely affect your design’s quality. Some would try doing so in order to achieve a soft-hand print or a vintage design feel, but be aware that this could alter your design entirely.

 

For the best results, always consult with your printing service—they know the best practices for the results you’re looking for.

 

If you’re looking for a reliable t-shirt printing or screen printing service in Ottawa, then we’re the ones for you. Get in touch with us today at Clever Print and let us handle all your screen printing needs!

 

 

Choosing Between Embroidery and Screen Print

 

When it comes to implementing designs onto different fabrics, you're faced with two options: embroidery and screen-print. Which one is better, and which one should you choose? Well, in this article, we'll compare both to help you decide which one you should opt for:

 

1. Durability

 

When it comes to durability, embroidery is usually the best in this department. That's because when you embroider a piece of fabric, you stitch another material right onto the original material. On the other hand, when it comes to screen-printing, as you might be able to tell from its name, the print is printed onto the fabric.

 

One of the biggest durability problems with screen-printing is the fact that the printed design will crack, fade, and start to peel off over time. Plus, if it is ironed on or improperly washed, it can ruin the fabric altogether. However, embroidered products do not have to worry about those problems at all. The only real issue you might face with embroidery that you won’t face with screen-prints is the fact that the stitching can get caught on something else and damage it, albeit this situation is quite rare.

 

2. Cost

 

If you're looking for which option would be a cheaper route, then we’ll tell you now: there isn't one option that will always be cheaper. Many factors contribute to the final price, from the complexity of the design to the location you want to design to be put on. In other words, one might be cheaper for a certain application, while another might be cheaper for another application.

 

If you want an option that will guarantee that you will save money, purchase fabrics that are premade. Having your fabrics customized usually means paying a little extra. However, because premade fabrics aren't custom embroidered or screen-printed on, the prices of these will generally be cheaper.

 

3. Application

 

When it comes to application, both screen-printing and embroidery are used in many ways.

 

If you're working with thinner and cheaper garments, screen-printing is the way to go. That's because, unlike embroidery, you're simply printing the design onto the piece of cloth. If you were to opt for embroidery, however, you run the risk of damaging the thin fabric.

 

If you have thicker and more expensive pieces of fabric, then you'd want something more durable. If that’s the case, then it’s best that you choose embroidery.

 

Conclusion

 

Put simply, there isn't a one-stop-shop when it comes to choosing between embroidery and screen-printing. The choice between the two will always depend on different factors, mainly the ones we've listed above.

 

As such, if you want to put a design on clothes that are made of cheaper fabrics, screen-printing is the way to go. Chances are, by the time the prints start to show signs of wear and tear, the fabric itself is also doing so. However, if you’re working with thicker, more expensive materials, then embroidering is the smarter option. Not only is it more durable, but it is less prone to show signs of ageing.

 

Are you looking for a custom embroidery or screen printing service in Canada? Get in touch with today and let us know how we can help you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Practices for Avoiding Spelling Mistakes on Custom Printed Shirts

 

When your business offers services that include custom printing or embroidery, spelling errors can be a nightmare. Sometimes, misspellings are caused by poor translations or unclear handwriting but can also be caused by carelessness. If your print job involves text, you’ll want to pay special attention to the information provided to you to save money—and embarrassment. Here are a few tips for avoiding misspellings when printing a custom t-shirt. screen printing toronto

 

Tip #1 - Show the text to more than one person

 

If you aren’t sure about what a design text says, avoid the guesswork and ask a coworker to take a look. Conducting what may seem like a simple spell check can make you feel embarrassed, but when it comes to a client, it’s best to leave your pride at the door. Some errors are easy to overlook, such as a single missing letter or two swapped letters. To avoid misspellings that might otherwise be glaring, ask at least three people to go over the text with you.

 

Tip #2 - Use a spellchecking tool

 

If there’s no one around to help you proofread, an online spellchecker will do in a pinch. If the word indicated isn’t a fictional one, chances are it’ll be picked up and corrected by a spellchecking tool. Alternatively, you can simply plug in common words onto document-writing software such as Microsoft Word or Pages, which have built-in spellchecking tools.

 

Tip #3 - Search it up on Google

 

If you’re looking up a made-up word or proper noun, a spellchecker may correct a word that wasn’t incorrect in the first place. If you aren’t sure about what a certain piece of text might be referring to, plug it into Google. If you were given the word “quidich” for example, this wouldn’t be picked up by a spellchecker but will present several results online. If the spelling is correct, it’s most likely referring to “Quidich”, an Indian company selling aerial technology. Otherwise, it might actually mean “Quidditch”, which is a fictional game in the book series Harry Potter.

 

If you still need to narrow down your options, you can match your results with the design of your t-shirt. It should be fairly obvious at this point.

 

Tip #4 - Hire a spellchecker

 

Though it may seem like a service that doesn’t cater to your budget, you can consult an online service that runs as low as $5 for a review of several designs. While you might be able to proofread common errors yourself, this type of service might be necessary when translating texts that aren’t written in your native language. It isn’t an expense that is fun to make but is incomparable to the profit you’ll eventually make selling shirts without any spelling mistakes! screen printing near me

 

Conclusion

 

Ideally, there would be a better way to automate spellchecking in the t-shirt printing industry, and in time, we’re sure there will be! It can be incredibly frustrating to have to manually spell-check every single piece of text that you get but won’t compare to the costs you’ll have to face for getting something wrong.

 

If you’re looking to print custom t-shirts around Ontario, the team over at Clever Print can help! We’ll provide you with the best quality and the right spelling.

5 Helpful Embroidery Tips for Customizing Your Merchandise - Our Guide

 

An embroidered logo or a slogan automatically makes any garment more interesting. The texture of an embroidered name, the visual appeal, and the design of the font or the graphics itself combine to elevate your product above the usual promotional items. Anyone who receives an embroidered jacket will definitely appreciate it; doubly so if it is part of a giveaway. embroidery near me

 

Designing embroidered items require you to follow a few guidelines to make sure you’re designing something both beautiful and functional. A corporate gift or giveaway is primarily for promoting your brand; you won’t want it associated with shoddy workmanship or awkward graphic design. Here are the basic things to consider when planning custom embroidery.

 

1. Simplify the lines and shapes

 

Designs that work the best in embroidery tend to be ones that have simple, straight lines. Stitching produces a thicker line compared to ink. An illustration or image that looks fine on paper can become a mess when converted to embroidery. screen printing Canada

 

Look to famous companies for inspiration—Polo and Lacoste, for example, have been in business for a long time because of brand recall. This is in part because of the simplicity of their logo. When using embroidery, think ‘less is more,’ and stick to basic shapes and fonts.

 

2. Strike a balance with the design

 

If your company logo is ornate or does not translate well into the fabric, work with the corporate communications or marketing team to see if you can come up with a simplified version for your merchandise. Detailed logos fail to transition from ink to thread.

 

Going too far down that direction, though, is just as bad. If you simplify your logo too much, you risk the company looking too generic. This runs the risk of watering down your brand or rendering it unrecognizable, something that new businesses, in particular, should avoid.

 

3. Keep to an appropriate size of embroidery

 

Large embroidery only works on sports-themed items or on team jerseys, bottoms, caps and other apparel. Patches that are too big might make the merchandise look too informal. People might see these as costumes or gag items.

 

You don’t want your personnel to be literal walking billboards of your company. Instead, embroidered shirts should have small logos in tasteful fonts. These often work well in an informal business setting.

 

4. Choose your fabric well

 

Embroidered shirts don’t work well on performance fabrics or cotton. However, they are great on outerwear, knits, and denim. You need a thicker, stronger fabric that can hold up against thread. Though a thin fabric might look fine when you slide it out of the packaging, it won’t take three washes for it to start showing signs of wear.

 

Lighter fabrics will show ruching around the embroidery, which makes your shirt look wrinkled no matter how many times you have it pressed or steamed.

 

5. Mind where you place the embroidery

 

The best place to put a company logo is on the left chest of a collared shirt. If you put your company name right in the middle of the chest, it becomes overbearing and kitschy. You can also put the embroidery on a sleeve or the lower part of a sweatshirt hood. screen printing

 

Conclusion

 

Balancing simplicity with impact is always a challenge; even experienced graphic designers struggle with conveying brand personality in the least amount of lines possible. Avoid issues like this by consulting a design professional before beginning a custom project.

 

For custom embroidery in Ottawa, get in touch with us at Clever Print today. Our simple ordering process allows you to fill out details and review our quote within 24 hours!

4 Reasons Brochures Are Still Valuable for Businesses

 

In today’s rapidly changing media landscape, it may be tempting to think of brochures as an obsolete marketing tool. New business owners often ask themselves, “Should I still be printing brochures, or should I be thinking of social media ads instead?” custom embroidery

 

Well, the answer is usually a mix of both. An informed business owner knows that a good marketing plan takes advantage of all appropriate media. While social media has indeed surged in popularity for marketers today, brochures are still an important tool to spread the word about your business.

 

In this article, we will share four reasons brochures are still a good idea for selling products and services today:

 

1. They are very descriptive

 

The ability to fit more information in a tiny package is arguably the best reason you should still be printing brochures. If you want to educate your potential customers about your products and services, these materials are still by far the most effective to do so without doing a presentation. custom t shirts

 

Depending on the spot that you’re paying for in terms of advertising on TV or radio, you will most likely have to describe your products and services in one minute or less. Billboards, which are readable from miles away, are most effective with the least words. For social media, you are even more limited. A single Facebook image ad will be limited to 25 characters for a headline and a description of up to 125 characters. Meanwhile, an Instagram ad will force you to write everything in 2200 characters with just two lines and 30 hashtags at most.

 

Brochures, however, can come in all shapes and sizes. Without the limitations of the social media platforms, your printed marketing material can contain as much information as you need.

 

2. They are tangible

 

Having a durable, physical copy that you can reference later is a surefire way to ensure that potential customers retain your information for a longer period. The problem with non-static ads, such as TV spots or even social media ads, is that they appear momentarily and then disappear.

 

Oftentimes, the ads are so short and quick that your customers are barely able to take note of your contact information and services. Although these ads are excellent in reaching a wider audience, there’s still no replacement for a durable copy that your customer can read again.

 

3. They add credibility

 

Did you know that the way your brochure looks and feels can influence the way a customer perceives your business? Because a brochure stays with your customer, it helps to reinforce that perception over time. Provided that your brochure is well designed, contains perfectly laid-out information, and is durable, it will help your customers trust your brand.

 

4. They are cost-effective

 

The best aspect of brochures is that the more copies you print of them at once, the cheaper the price per copy will be. These brochures can then be used for a variety of occasions. Many businesses use them to distribute at trade shows, display them at reception areas, and place them inside packaged orders, among other places. They can also be used as impromptu presentation materials when the need arises. embroidered shirts

 

Conclusion

 

Although brochures are no longer the primary way to reach more people, that doesn’t mean they are obsolete. Given that they are well designed and used properly, they are still an indispensable marketing tool that your company can utilize. Some businesses get by without ever paying for ads online, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that doesn’t have a printed brochure neatly piled on the front desk.

 

We offer professional print services that range from brochures to custom t-shirts. If you are looking for a reputable screen printing company in Toronto, get in touch with us today!

Home Embroidery Machines - Sew Your Way to Success!

 Home embroidery machines are becoming increasingly popular among skilled seamstresses who want to take their sewing to a unique, personalized level.  Not only are they utilizing embroidery for their personal projects, many seamstresses are quickly discovering they can turn their machine into an ATM machine! embroidery near me

Personalization on everything from purses to diaper bags to clothing is becoming the rage once again.  While personalizing items was popular during the 80's, it was often restricted to those stores that could accommodate commercial size sewing machines.  Now with home embroidery machines size, seamstresses everywhere are able to take advantage of the embroidery and personalization craze that is sweeping the world.

Home embroidery machines are becoming a useful tool for those who are wanting to start a business from the convenience of their home.  They are easy-to-use and with the various computerized imagery available for download, you can find just about any image imaginable to embroidery!  While using a home embroidery machine is pretty straightforward, if you elect, you can take classes at your local fabric store as well as find instruction online.  Gone are the days of complex, hard-to-use machines.  With the new class of home embroidery machines, you don't have to be an expert seamstress to turn out gorgeous pieces of art. screen printing Canada

With consumers wanting just about everything personalized, the demand for embroidered goods is high.  Whether someone is looking for an item for a wedding, a sports team, a company logo or even popular cartoon characters, there's a design out there to fit exactly what your customers are looking for.  The most popular items seem to be anything baby related.  Cloth diapers used as burp cloths, embroidered with the baby's name and decorated with hand-sewn ribbons are very popular and can be sold for $10-$15 per diaper.  Also, cloth diaper covers for use in the traditional manner are also in demand with popular designs being sock monkeys, anything Disney related, baby's names and even pictures of the babies themselves digitized and then embroidered are popping up on bums!  Depending on the seamstress, some diaper covers have fetched $150 EACH!  Obviously, the embroidery business can be not only a fun hobby but can also prove to be quite lucrative, if you find the right niche.

Luckily, entering into the home embroidery business isn't as cost prohibitive as it once was.  Brother is one company, in particular, that has recognized the need for  high-quality, affordable machines.  Where commercial machines once sold for thousands, Brother is now marketing embroidery sewing machines for as little as $300, sometimes less, making it affordable for nearly anyone to purchase.screen printing

What was once reserved for those with deep pockets is now becoming an affordable hobby for nearly anyone.  With a little bit of money and a good machine, you can try your hand at embroidery!  And, who knows, your works of art even parlay your new home embroidery machine purchase into a personal ATM machine!