Asked Questions
What is Screen Printing?
Screen Printing is a print on top of material process.
The inks used are plastisol based meaning the inks have a form of plastic inside of them. It is important to know that these inks do not dry they harden or cure when heated to the correct temperature.
Your design whether it be 1 color, or 10 colors must be “burned” onto a mesh screen. Each color has its own screen. Each screen represents a portion of or all of the design that is being printed.
Once a screen is fully prepped our print press will use a squeegee to push the ink through the screen and onto your fabric.
After printing is complete our team will remove the shirt from the press and put it on a conveyer belt where the speed will be timed just right for the article to go into our oven so that the inks may cure.
It is very important to use high quality designs during the screen print process and to properly separate the colors of the design.
The inks used are plastisol based meaning the inks have a form of plastic inside of them. It is important to know that these inks do not dry they harden or cure when heated to the correct temperature.
Your design whether it be 1 color, or 10 colors must be “burned” onto a mesh screen. Each color has its own screen. Each screen represents a portion of or all of the design that is being printed.
Once a screen is fully prepped our print press will use a squeegee to push the ink through the screen and onto your fabric.
After printing is complete our team will remove the shirt from the press and put it on a conveyer belt where the speed will be timed just right for the article to go into our oven so that the inks may cure.
It is very important to use high quality designs during the screen print process and to properly separate the colors of the design.
What is Embroidery?
Embroidery is a sewing process involving a sewing machine, thread, a needle and “hoops”.
Embroidery can be done on natural (cotton) and man made (synthetic) materials.
The process of embroidery first starts at the digitization stage. Your design must first be digitized in our software. During this process we will add in how many stitches will be necessary for your design.
Once your design is digitized we will take your article of clothing and “hoop” it. This means we will put it in a hoop that is the right size for your design and stretch the material so that it is nice and flat.
Once set we will allow the sewing machine to follow the digitized artwork plan that we have created and it will sew your design onto the article provided.
Embroidery can be done in a traditional flat form or a 3d/puff form. The flat form is used heavily on apparel and the 3d/puff embroidery is commonly used on hats.
Embroidery can be done on natural (cotton) and man made (synthetic) materials.
The process of embroidery first starts at the digitization stage. Your design must first be digitized in our software. During this process we will add in how many stitches will be necessary for your design.
Once your design is digitized we will take your article of clothing and “hoop” it. This means we will put it in a hoop that is the right size for your design and stretch the material so that it is nice and flat.
Once set we will allow the sewing machine to follow the digitized artwork plan that we have created and it will sew your design onto the article provided.
Embroidery can be done in a traditional flat form or a 3d/puff form. The flat form is used heavily on apparel and the 3d/puff embroidery is commonly used on hats.
What is Dye Sublimation?
Unlike Screen Print, Embroidery & Vinyl Applications Dye Sublimation does not go on top of the article of clothing but instead is dyed into the material.
Furthermore, dye sublimation allows you do as many colors as you want without having to digitize, cut or color separate anything.
Dye Sublimation is really popular when dyed onto synthetic (man made) materials such as polyester. The material typically needs to be a really light color and is often white. It can be put onto fabrics, metals, threads and even cups.
Since Dye Sublimation is printed with a printer onto a special type of paper before application you must use a color management software otherwise the colors you choose will not be the same as what is applied.
While there is a lot of flexibility with dye sublimation it must be treated with much attention and delicacy in order to ensure proper colors are being printed.
Dye sublimation is great for photo realism, patterns and graphics with a high amount of detail.
Furthermore, dye sublimation allows you do as many colors as you want without having to digitize, cut or color separate anything.
Dye Sublimation is really popular when dyed onto synthetic (man made) materials such as polyester. The material typically needs to be a really light color and is often white. It can be put onto fabrics, metals, threads and even cups.
Since Dye Sublimation is printed with a printer onto a special type of paper before application you must use a color management software otherwise the colors you choose will not be the same as what is applied.
While there is a lot of flexibility with dye sublimation it must be treated with much attention and delicacy in order to ensure proper colors are being printed.
Dye sublimation is great for photo realism, patterns and graphics with a high amount of detail.
What is the Vinyl/Heat Transfer Technique?
Vinyl is a synthetic flexible plastic material. In our process it comes on a roll of several yards of material. On one side you will have a color of your choosing and on the back of that color you’ll have a heat activated adhesive.
Vinyl can come in most single colors on your color palette but it’s real beauty is in foils, metallics, opals & printable vinyl.
Vinyl can be applied to synthetic materials, natural materials, cars, windows & metals.
Typical vinyl application for us involves shorts, jerseys (numbers), dri-fit materials, stickers, decals & applique.
The process of using vinyl involves cutting the material with a cutter first then using a heat press to apply the vinyl to the material we are using.
Vinyl can come in most single colors on your color palette but it’s real beauty is in foils, metallics, opals & printable vinyl.
Vinyl can be applied to synthetic materials, natural materials, cars, windows & metals.
Typical vinyl application for us involves shorts, jerseys (numbers), dri-fit materials, stickers, decals & applique.
The process of using vinyl involves cutting the material with a cutter first then using a heat press to apply the vinyl to the material we are using.
How long does it take to get an order finished?
This is the age old question. Before we started printing for ourselves I used to get an array of different times on when my order could be finished so that a shop could earn my business. I’ve had shops with many printing presses tell me 1-2 weeks and I’ve had shops with a single printing press tell me 1-2 weeks. I’ve also had those same shops finish my orders in 6-10 weeks.
Delays in orders can happen for several reasons. The process of getting this done efficiently is as much on the customer as it is on the print shop in many occasions. If we get the artwork in the correct way we need it, have colors chosen, have blanks on hand, sign offs on samples as soon as we show them to the customer it’s not hard for us to get an order out rather quickly. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes a designer can have more colors on an order than we can do for screen print, or the colors are not separated, or the customer takes a few days to get back to us when we make a sample or someone just gets busy? These can all delay an order.
Delays in orders can also happen when a shop puts someone else’s order in front of yours due to a long standing business relationship or due to that order just being bigger. We have personally had this done to us on several occasions which is the main reason why we would get our orders in 3-4x the initial time we were given.
In the end – the more prepared you are the easier it is for us to do our job and get you a nice looking product.
Delays in orders can happen for several reasons. The process of getting this done efficiently is as much on the customer as it is on the print shop in many occasions. If we get the artwork in the correct way we need it, have colors chosen, have blanks on hand, sign offs on samples as soon as we show them to the customer it’s not hard for us to get an order out rather quickly. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes a designer can have more colors on an order than we can do for screen print, or the colors are not separated, or the customer takes a few days to get back to us when we make a sample or someone just gets busy? These can all delay an order.
Delays in orders can also happen when a shop puts someone else’s order in front of yours due to a long standing business relationship or due to that order just being bigger. We have personally had this done to us on several occasions which is the main reason why we would get our orders in 3-4x the initial time we were given.
In the end – the more prepared you are the easier it is for us to do our job and get you a nice looking product.
What blank brands do we use?
Cotton Heritage, District, A4, Sport-Tek, Port Authority, Next Level Apparel, AS Color, adidas, Nike, Under Amour & ballislife
How does payment work?
We will need a 50% down payment in order to start the order. Once the order is complete the balance will be due before we can release the order.
Payment can be handled via credit card (3% charge added), wire transfer, business check or bank check.
Payment can be handled via credit card (3% charge added), wire transfer, business check or bank check.
Do we offer drop ship / order fulfillment / storage?
Yes on a case by case basis.
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