When it comes to apparel printing, it’s important to be creative and purposeful as you choose fit, fabric, ink, and more. Original design is just one part of great apparel. Typical print shops stop at design, if you are lucky enough to get that far.

As a creative agency born from a printing company, the ability to provide the perfect print is paramount. We know the latest technology and treatments available. We feel comfortable boasting because of the strength and versatility of our partners.

Barrel Maker, our partner production facility, is an automatic shop specializing in water-based ink. We’re a manual shop, using American Made custom-formulated plastisol inks by One Stroke. This gives us complete flexibility in finish and volume, making us the right fit for every project, whether it calls for high volume or hands-on specialty placements.

What We Print On

The Canvas

More often than not, the selection of the blank is the most daunting part of the whole order. With tens of thousands of options at every shop’s disposal, it is almost impossible for anyone to narrow it down to the right blank. Almost.

We have an expertly curated selection of blanks on our menu. These are our “House Picks.” Although we have access to thousands of blanks, we choose to highlight the best options, front-and-center, to make the buying process much smoother for our customers. To do this, we break most categories down into three style and price preferences.

Choose The Perfect Shape

The Fit

The Boxey

While this is not our favorite to wear, personally, we understand its appeal. The "boxey fit," from Gildan, is the most recognizable tee in the market. Much of the popularity is due to the value price that comes with tubular construction. This is the go-to shirt for most shops and customers, offering instant familiarity and a fit people know well.

The Retail

"The Retail" fit happens to be Travis and Hayley's favorite. With side seams and shoulder taping, these are basically Target tees with your graphics on them. Who doesn't love a good Target tee? The side seam construction allows for a more contoured and flattering fit. The overall stitching and finishing give these blanks a high-end feel.

Relaxed & Slouchy

"Slouchy" cuts and styles are definitely on-trend in major markets. Because of this, they are an important part of our arsenal. These are the best way to make your brand double as a fashion brand. Use these when you want your customers to wear your shirt out with friends, instead of a weekend work-shirt.

How Do You Want It To Feel?

The Fabric

Combed and Ring-Spun Cotton

Combed and ring-spun cotton means that cotton fibers are spun, then combed through to remove impurities, while ensuring it stays soft to the touch. Fewer impurities mean a smoother surface to print on.

Poly Cotton a.k.a. 50/50

Polyester fibers make up 50-48% of most 50/50 tees. The polyester is what gives the heather look in the fabric. It also adds breathability and provides more moisture-wicking than a 100% cotton tee.

Tri-Blend

This fabric blend is typically 50% polyester, 25% combed and ring-spun cotton, and 25% rayon. The high-end cotton keeps these tees ultra comfortable, but the poly adds to the durability. Rayon was originally developed as a substitute for silk, so these tees have a luxury feel.

A Really Poppin' Design

The Art

Art gets us excited for any project, but it’s different when it comes to art on apparel. There is something about sharing individuality through design. We all love to see our work in print or on walls, but when someone chooses to wear it out into their world, it is a whole other feeling entirely.

Nothing meaningful ever came from clip art. This is why it is important to avoid the online “Design Studios,” that shops are pushing these days and opt, instead, for custom artwork. Your branded screen printing products should be as unique as you and only custom design can do that.

More Than Just A Splatter

The Ink

We carry the largest range of ink and embellishment options in the screen printing industry. We preach creativity and customization at every level and the ink and application is arguably the most important part of the selection process, because it provides the look and feel of the final product.

The ‘Vintage’ look is on-trend right now, but it is only halfway there without the soft hand feel of a heavily worn garment. We have an ink perfect for that across all three ink types. What about bling? We have ink additives for textures, print thickness, and we foil. Our glitters even have the highest amount of glitter flakes in the industry.

Use The Right Ink

The Embellishment

Plastisol

Plastisol is the ink that the screen printing industry was built on. It has been around for decades, with a thick rubbery feel. Today, however, it is the ink with the highest flexibility. Plastisol can be used on any fabric or blend.

Discharge

Discharge is commonly known for its white paste-like ink that bleaches the color from the fabric. However, it can also have pigment added to re-dye the fabric where the print is. It can be used on cotton garments and needs to be washed before wearing.

Water-based

Water-based inks are the best way to get a "Vintage" tee. Water-based inks are made up of pigments suspended in water that dye the fabric as the water evaporates during the curing process, giving a similar to Discharge.

How It All Lays Out

The Placement

We can print anywhere. However, there are certain drawbacks to every print location. Screen printing is still very much a hands-on process. We have different methods to achieve different print placements.

Every project is quoted individually because every tee is made by hand. Just like placement interferes with some aspects of production, so does print size. Our standard screen print size for a full chest or back is 15″x18″. Sizes larger than that will be quoted at a different rate and in some cases, it will limit the number of colors achievable.

Commonly Requested

Print Locations

Traditional

This refers to the print where the palate is hit with spray tack and the shirt, sleeve, or garment leg is placed over the palate. The light tack will hold the garment in place so it does not move in between prints. This style allows for the printing of multiple colors.

Wrap Around

This is very similar to the traditional, as it is tacked down over the palate. The difference is that it is put on the palate with the side seam up. This makes it possible for the print to start on the front and wrap around the back.

Allover Print

The allover print or "that Affliction style," as so many of our customers call it, is when the garment is laid flat on the print palate and a one-color print is achieved with the use of an oversized palate. This method allows us to print on the front of the shoulders, and virtually all over the front of the tee.