I am working on a project with a client that requires printing a detailed logo on a dark shirt.  In order to get this logo print ready, there are going to be a lot of man hours required.

So, the question arises- what is the best way to prepare and print this logo?

Many are familiar with the term CMYK.  The process of using 4 colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) and using each in many different levels to form a picture or graphic. 4 Color Process requires the use of "translucent" inks for the purposes of blending. The nature of this process produces a "faded/washed out" appearance because there are no solid colors. Also, the levels tend to shift more towards one of the colors in the spectrum, and often times looks "too green, too dark, or too pink". Straight 4 Color Process CANNOT be done on Dark shirts. 4 Color Process really only looks good on paper or the web.

There is also a process called Index Printing.  Index Printing is the process of manually converting a 4 Color Process art file into solid spot colors. This produces a crisper, more solid look on the shirt. It also gives us more control over the colors within the graphic. Indexing an art file is very time consuming and costly, and often times results in the use of upwards of 13-14 spot colors instead of the 4 used in 4 Color Process.

Lastly, there is simulated process which is the Dark Shirt Version of 4 Color Process. It’s a cross between 4 Color Process and Indexing. Instead of using "translucent" inks as required for straight 4 Color Process, we use "opaque" inks. We use a combination of halftones and solid spots. Simulated Process can be substituted in place of Indexing in the event that Indexing a particular graphic would result in more colors than we can print. Simulated Process can be used on Light or Dark shirts, but works best on Darks.

At Tee Compressed we use the appropriate technique based on the individual artwork.  This gives you, the client, the best screen printed image possible.  Contact us or email over your artwork to discuss a project today!

Every compressed t-shirt begins with the print on the t shirt. I was on the phone today with a client discussing her art for a compressed t-shirt she would like made.

She happens to have a photo of her product that she wants printed on her t-shirt. Automatically she assumed that we would have to screen print the image onto the shirt. I quickly told her I had an easier more cost effective solution…..Digital Printing.

Digital printing takes the art file directly from the computer to the garment. It is perfect for photographic images. And, because there isn’t labor associated with separating the art file digital printing is less expensive for the smaller jobs. Digital printing is done on white or light colored garments, is soft to the touch, and Eco- Friendly! With digital printing the images turn out amazingly life like!

Screen printing on the other hand is perfect for spot color prints or 4 color process art work.  With screen printing, you can PMS match, which means that if your logo has a specific color that must be used we can match it. The artwork turns out bold, and colorful.

You can even print with metallic inks, glow-in-the-dark, and specialty inks.  If your artwork is a 4 color process, our artists will separate the colors into a combination that replicates your artwork on the shirt.

So no matter what your print needs are, you can turn to Tee Compressed to get the job done right from start to finish.

We have all collected stacks of t-shirts over the years.

Some of my favorites include…a bright green tee from a Modest Mouse concert, a Pacific Life tee from the 2006 Holiday Bowl, a Kane Gardens Surfboard tee, a Hall of Fame Walter “Sweetness” Payton tee. To the supplier who created these shirts, they were an economical promotion. To me, these t-shirts represent an era, a celebration, a trip, a night out with friends, a fond memory…I am connected to these t-shirts and I just can’t seem to give them up!

In my opinion, this makes the promotional t-shirt a wise investment.

While the t-shirt may be more expensive than say a pen the value is well worth the extra cost. Once the ink runs dry you can say good bye to the pen and it’s promotional worth. But, the t-shirt with all its holes and fading will stick around for years.

T-shirts can be created for any number of promotions including the aforementioned Holiday Bowl, or concert. They are also perfect for a trade show, giveaway, product launch, or bat mitzvah.

So, next time you are considering how to promote your company, look in your closet at the promotional products that have been hanging around for years.

Let Tee Compressed help you create your next promotion with either a screen printed t-shirt or a compressed tee! Request a free quote at anytime, and remember we’ll do our best to match any competitor’s quote!