TYPES OF PRINTING
basic description of different print methods we do at Blended Prints
There are numerous ways to decorate apparel. With each method there are pros and cons.
Digital printing allows for the smallest details, unlimited colors and usually a flat rate for production. That being said there are usually limited or no discounts for higher quantity orders. Examples of digital printing include HTV ( heat transfer vinyl), DTF ( direct to film ), white toner, DTG ( direct to garment ) and sublimation. Each has their place in a print shop. We tend to stick to HTV & DTF. Keep an eye out for a future blog post on each method.
Pros - no setup fees - unlimited color count - small order friendly
Cons - limited price breaks - washability - feel
Screen printing allows very close reproduction with fine detail. High color count can become costly especially with low quantity orders. With screen printing you will definitely get quantity breaks or discounts. At Blended Prints our minimum to screen print is 18 total pieces of the same design... yes! you can mix and match apparel types. We also only charge screen fees for orders under our minimum! Once you order 18 total pieces we have NO SCREEN or SETUP charges.
Pros - Blended Prints does not have screen fees with orders of 18 pieces or more - washability - small & large quantity discounts - feel - opacity
Cons - MOQ ( minimum order quantity ) - some shops may be limited on colors - small orders may become pricey with a high color count
Embroidery....Custom embroidery is popular because it presents a polished, quality look for your brand, employees & team.
At Blended Prints we can custom embroider many types of apparel & accessories. Socks, bibs, tees, hoodies, jackets, patches, towels, tote bags, robes, aprons, table runners, belts, pillow cases, slippers, uniforms and many more.
Embroidery is usually not limited to colors due to the fact that most commerical machines have multiple needles meaning multiple threads can be utilized for any deisgn. At Blended Prints we have 15 needle machines. We can have 15 different thread colors being utilized per design. Most shops charge based on stitch count, we keep things simplified for our customers and charge per design size. We also offer qty discounts.
Pros - high end look - clean finished look - bulk discounts
Cons - usually a higher priced decoration - small details may be lost
Additional Information
All printing will only be as good as the original artwork. We prefer to start all projects with clean vector artwork.
Wait...! What is vector artwork?
Adobe describes vector artwork as:
Vector graphics allow creatives to build high-quality works of art, with clean lines and shapes that can be scaled to any size. Explore how this file format can offer creative opportunities for projects of every size.
Vector artwork is art that's made up of vector graphics. These graphics are points, lines, curves and shapes that are based on mathematical formulas. When you scale a vector image file, it isn't low resolution and there's no loss of quality, so it can be sized to however large or small you need it to be. It's an excellent tool for putting company logos on business cards, creating poster designs, and when photo-shopping in Adobe Photoshop. Any art made with vector illustration software like Adobe Illustrator is considered vector art.
We offer artwork redraw services to turn any image into vector artwork.
Blended Prints we utilized vector artwork to perform color seperations for screen printing, unlimited resizing capability to cleanly print small business card to large billboards.
Digitizing for embroidery.
What is the purpose of embroidery digitizing?
Embroidery digitizing is the process of converting artwork into a stitch file that can be read by an embroidery machine and interpreted as different stitch types. Machine embroidery can not be done without digitizing.
At Blended Prints we also utilize a digital print method for stickers, signs and banners.
All of our stickers are laminated by default with a quality matte laminate. This protects the sticker from the elements.
We print stickers daily! This means we will have your sticker order ready to be shipped or picked up within 48 hours of approving your proof. Repeat orders without design change may be ready same day.
Vinyl Banners - we can print vinyl banners within 48 hours of proof approvals as well. We offer a flat rate shipping of $10 which includes a Fedex Overnight shipping option.
keywords
stickers - signs - banners - paper products - laser engraving - tents - table runners - towels - embroidery - tumblers - water bottles - hats / caps - apparel - tees - hoodies - polos - shorts - sweatpants - & more
Carhartt - next level - bella canvas - gildan - american aparel - new era - richardson - yupong - a4 - adidas - & more