What Is the Best T-Shirt Material for Printing?
Did you know that when it comes to printing on T-shirts, not all fabrics are made equal? Some fabric
materials are better for different printing styles or techniques.
Poor quality material can ruin the art of t-shirt printing. Choosing the right type of fabric ensures a
good printing experience.
Are you looking to print your logo or design on T-shirts? Read on to understand the best T-shirt
material for printing.
Best Fabric for T-shirt Printing
T-shirt material for printing has a variety of options you can choose. It can get confusing to know
which is the best fabric, so it is important to know what your choices are.
Cotton is known as the best material for custom-printed t-shirts. It can withstand day-to-day wear and tear and has great durability. Cotton is known for its strength and affordability.
Cotton is super comfortable but does wrinkle easily. When using cotton for printing on T-shirts, it is
important to iron your shirt before you wear it.
You can choose the option of combed cotton instead of regular cotton. Combed cotton is softer and
higher quality but it is much more expensive.
Another high-quality cotton is organic cotton. Less fertilizer and pesticides are helping to produce this fabric, which makes it more environmentally friendly. It is also soft and durable, which makes it a good option for t-shirt printing.
Polyester is a synthetic fiber fabric used often for printing on T-shirts. When you want custom prints
and dye sublimation polyester is your best bet. It is easy to wash and dries fast. Unlike cotton,
polyester does not wrinkle easily and does not require ironing.
Polyester is one of the best fabric options for printing on T-shirts and clothing advertising because of its durable and strong quality. Its shape doesn’t stretch or shrink over time and is best for athletic clothing.
Other Common Fabrics for Printing on T-shirts
Cotton and Polyester are some of the best choices for fabric for t-shirt printing, but there are many
other alternatives you can choose from. Blending different materials and using other organic fabrics
provides many more choices for printing on T-shirt trends.
Blended fabrics use a mixture of two or more different fibers to create a natural hybrid fabric. For
example, polycotton is cotton and polyester blended together. Combining both fabrics helps fix the
individual issues of each fabric.
Polycotton is a more durable and breathable creation compared to polyester or cotton. Cotton easily shrinks and changes its shape and polyester is less breathable. Polycotton takes away the
weaknesses of each fabric and combines their strengths.
You can find different ratios of cotton and polyester in polycotton. Normally, 50/50 is the most
common combination, but if you can find polycotton with a higher proportion of cotton, it creates the
best fabric for printing on T-shirts.
Rayon is a material that is synthetically made from natural elements such as cotton, plants, and wood.
It feels very similar to silk and can be worn casually or for special occasions. Rayon can handle any
type of printing technique but it does not last as long as polyester or cotton.
Rayon is often used to create tri-blend material. Triblend is created by adding rayon to an already
polycotton-blended fabric. It helps polycotton become softer, but the color boldness is less apparent in the fabric.
You can also choose from other organic fabrics besides organic cotton. Bamboo is made from the
bamboo plant and is stretchy and breathable material.
Tencel Lyocell is a form of rayon but also has fiber produced from wood pulps. It can be combined
with other fabrics, such as cotton and polyester. It is a strong material that is able to absorb moisture and stay smooth and dry.
Printing Techniques and Best T-shirt Material
There are numerous printing techniques available and each one interacts differently with each type of fabric. Techniques such as screen printing, DTG printing, and embroidery are some common ways to create custom printed t-shirts.
Screen printing is a technique that applies ink onto the fabric through a silkscreen. Screen printers
use water-based inks and the ink only goes through any permeable areas. Cotton is the best fabric for screen printing.
Cotton is also the best fabric for DTG printing. Direct to Garment printing works like a digital printer on fabric. It is often used for complex designs and uses different types of water-based inks. A 100%
cotton shirt is the best option to absorb the water inks.
Embroidery printing is more of an embellishment versus a printing technique. There is no need for
absorption of water-based inks but instead, just a sturdy fabric is needed. The more durable and
strong the fabric, the better it can withstand the process of embroidery.
Some other printing techniques are transfer printing and sublimation. Transfer printing uses a
computer to cut out a design using self-adhesive vinyl. Heat is used to transfer the design to the
fabric.
Polyester is the best fabric for transfer printing. Transfer printing can work well on any type of fabric
material, but the vinyl attaches best to synthetic fabrics such as polyester.
Sublimation printing melts pigment into the fibers of the t-shirt fabric. No extra layer is added to the
fabric. It can only be used on synthetic fabrics and polyester is the best fabric to use.
Choose The Best T-shirt Material for Printing
Picking the best t-shirt material for your custom t-shirts can feel overwhelming. Whether it is polyester, cotton, or blended fabric, you want to pick what is best for your business or personal needs. Make sure to match the appropriate fabric with the type of printing technique you choose.
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