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!
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