OK, so we're all set on white tees. Now let's talk a bit about colors and options.
Once you go beyond the white tee, your options open up. The basic mill brands have huge color selections, so you should be good to go in matching a brand or theme.
Other options include pigment-dyed/garment dyed tees, fashion tees (Alternative Apparel, American Apparel, Royal Apparel, Bella, et al) and performance tees (microfiber polyester).
Garment-dyed tees use very soft ringspun cotton and have a washed look, think "gift shop on the beach." They are very durable and look better with age.
Fashion tees include many styles for men and women with cutting edge fabrics and treatments like acid wash, sheer, burnout, and "destroyed". These target a youth demographic with a slim cut and super lightweight fabrics. Expect to pay a premium.
Performance tees include cotton/poly blends and 100% poly wicking fabrics. Riding the Underarmour/Nike DryFit trend, these tees are perfect for sports and fitness promotions. Full color imprints can be digitally sublimated into the fabric to retain the performance properties of the polyester.
PRICE considerations:
1. Within the same style and brand, dark tees (colors) cost more than white or neutral (ash grey) tees
2. Each imprint color increases the price.
3. Each additional imprint location increases the price.
4. In a typical screen print operation, each additional color adds another setup charge
5. Digital sublimation, where appropriate, is a great option for multi-color imprints as there are typically no setup charges.
Imprint Limitations
As you look at a tee shirt and wonder about how you can decorate it, keep in mind that most screen printers limit the size and location of possible imprints due to the constraints of the screen printing process. We (typically) CANNOT imprint across side seams, over shoulder seams, onto or up to the neck seam, or wrap around the body. As you dream up designs, you must keep that in mind. I know...you've seen these wild designs, and may own some...but those shirts were almost certainly imprinted BEFORE they were manufactured. There are specialty printers that have the equipment to print some allover designs, but they are hard to find and very pricey. Printing blank tees AFTER they are made and sitting on a shelf (95% of promotional orders) limits your imprint areas to these locations:
Large Imprints:
Full Chest
Full Front
Full Back
Upper Back
Lower Back
Small Imprints:
Left chest
Right chest
Center chest
Bottom left or right
Back Neck (aka Between Shoulder Blades: BSB)
Left sleeve
Right sleeve
Next week I'll discuss complex, retail imprint treatments.
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