We are all aware of the age-old saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. Being adults, most of our time is taken up either by our jobs or by household duties, with little or no time for hobbies. As a result, a majority of the adult population of the world suffers from severe stress and anxiety disorders. Therefore, pursuing any kind of hobby is extremely important for the wellbeing of an individual.
In recent days, the whole world is locked down in the wake of the ongoing global pandemic. While being on the premises of your own home, it is the perfect time to pursue a hobby. Out of the innumerable hobbies that one can pursue, T-Shirt printing is a good one.
What is T-Shirt Printing?
T-Shirt printing is not different from fabric printing. It can be defined as the application of multiple colors in a T-Shirt in a pattern or design in such a way that the colors stick to the T-Shirt material against washes and friction. While colors in various patterns are the primary methods of T-shirt printing, rubber stamps, and embroidered patterns can also be considered as part of the process.
Ways of T-Shirt Printing
There are various ways by which T-Shirts can be printed. Primarily any fabric including T-Shirts are printed by either of the below mentioned four ways:
Direct Printing
Direct to garment printing (DTG), as the name suggests, this process involves directly applying color and its accessories like thickeners, dyes, etc. to the patterns created in the T-Shirt material. There are many high-quality DTG printers that you could look into and one of the more popular ones is the Epson F2100.
DTG is best for short-run full-color delivery of custom apparel, ideal for businesses needing quick turnaround times or individuals seeking personalized garments. Screen print vendors use this method as it is suitable for designs with intricate details or gradients.
Mordant Printing
Mordant is a compound that is used for setting colors or dyes on fabrics. First, the mordant is printed on the T-Shirt and then the color is used. The color infuses with the mordant thereby creating the desired pattern on the T-Shirt.
Resist Dye Printing
In this method, first, the T-shirt is printed with wax or any other color resistant material. After that, color is applied. Because of the color repelling waxed areas, only those parts retain the color, which is not pre-printed, thus creating patterns on the T-Shirts.
Discharge Printing
This process is just the opposite of the above one. In this method, first, the color is printed in the whole of the T-Shirt. After that, some bleaching agent is used to remove the color from defined areas so that the desired pattern emerges onto the T-Shirts.
Using the fundamentals of the above types, other common methods like block printing, transfer printing, screen-printing, etc. are widely used not only for hobbies but also on an industrial scale.
Be natural
The most important part of T-Shirt printing is in its colors. While chemically synthesized colors are generally used, we must not forget about the natural colors that are readily available. For example, onion peels and vinegar bring out a nice green color, the natural red of beetroot and many more. In this way, we would not only be saving money but also take care of the environment.
There are many online blogs available as well for t shirt printing at home.
so nice
This is a good idea!