Note: This article will be updated from time to time. We understand that you may be unfamiliar with certain terms. We will try our best to explain each an every term.

No shirt is complete without imprints! I'm sure you would want some designs or some logo's printed on that otherwise plain looking shirt. But in order to get it right, you have to let the manufacturer know exactly what you want. Basically below are common kinds of imprints.

• Silkscreen
• Embroidery
• Heat Transfer
• Direct to Garment

First, let the manufacturer know which technique you want. You can choose a combination of techniques.

Silkscreen

1. Determine what silkscreen ink/technique you want. Some options include:

• waterbase
• rubberized
• debossed
• metallic

2. Number of spots and position. Manufacturer needs to know whether its a feasible spot to print. Certain prints like "All Over" prints, need special technique, like printing on uncut cloth first.

3. Size of image. How big is the image? The bigger the image, the harder and costlier to print

4. Number of colors, How many colors. Usually the more colors, the more expensive

5. If you have a visual, or better still, the Adobe Illustrator file, attached it with your queries.

If you want your imprints to come out sharp and precise, always have your artwork in vector form. The most popular format is Adobe Illustrator format.

Here's a step by step on how silkscreen is done.

Heat Transfer

While not generally recommended by us and not popular in Malaysia, its still a good way to get photo realistic imprints especially when the order quantity is low. Certain Heat Transfer techniques are prone to crack and peel. So be warned. Similar steps as silkscreen process.

1. Number of spots and position. Manufacturer needs to know whether its a feasible spot to print. Heat transfer is normally done on a ready made T-shirt. so imprints that start from the edge is difficult.

2. Size of image. How big is the image? The bigger the image, the more expensive it is to print. Heat Transfer paper is expensive. Anything bigger is than A4 size gets even more costlier.

3. Quality of image file is important. Make sure you have the highest resolution you can get.

Here's a video on how heat transfer is done.

Embroidery

1. Determine what embroidery technique/method you want. Most embroidery are just normal embroid. But you can opt for

• metallic threads
  
• 3D
• badges
• applique

2. Number of spots and position. Manufacturer needs to know whether its a feasible spot to embroid. Be aware that there is a size limitation. Anything larger than 11 inches is a challenge to embroid. That is because the hoop size of the embroidery machine is restricted.

3. Size of image. How big is the image? Is it full stitch (every part of the fabric has stitches)? Embroidery cost is usually determined by the number of stitches. Usually by every 1000 stitch. Eg, $1 for 1000 stitches.

4. Try to limit your colors to maximum 9. Most embroidery machines can accomodate 9 color threads at one time. Anything more will require the embroidery machine operator to change color threads. That that could incur addition costs.

5. If you have a visual, or at least a low resolution picture, it will do. The design has to be traced by hand before it is ready to go.

Direct to Garment

Not popular. Generally the machine is still quite expensive to manufacturers in Malaysia. Why invest in one when labour and silkscreen is still cheaper?