Textile Printing Solutions Comparison

	Traditional Screen Printing	Plastisol Heat Transfers	Brother GT-541 DTG Printer	Dye Sublimation Digital Transfers	Dye Sublimation Digital Transfers with Subli-Dark^#
Setup Costs	$$	$$	$$$	$	$
Highlights	Large production runs very cost effective Print longevity High-impact/opaque colours Dye allows air circulation in fabric Print fluorescent and phosphorescent (glow-in-the-dark) images	Print many small designs/logos onto one large transfer sheet No need to inventory different printed t-shirts; transfer onto shirt when there is demand Eliminates the need to store screens Excellent for fine and halftone printing Quick transfer process Produce foil transfers using a printable adhesive first	You cannot 'feel' the print on the garment Very easy to use Prints full-colour detailed photographs, text or logos Quick setup time Effectively no cleanup process No chemicals, screens/frames Transfer cannot be felt on the garment Excellent washability Limited equipment required: computer, DTG printer & press Printer accurately displays ink consumption per job for accurate quoting	Limited equipment required: Computer, printer & press Print full-colour detailed photographs, text or logos Quick setup time Effectively no cleanup process No chemicals, screens/frames Transfer cannot be felt on the garment Print will not wash out Not limited to just printing textiles - mugs, ceramic tiles, glass ...	Limited equipment required: computer, printer & press Print full-colour detailed photographs, text or logos Quick setup time Effectively no cleanup process No chemicals, screens/frames Using Subli-Dark allows you to transfer dye sublimation image onto cotton and dark garments Very easy to weed No application tape required Transfer is very thin Choose between glossy or matt transfer finish Excellent washability
Limitations	One-off jobs not cost effective due to setup required Requires a range of positives, chemicals, screens/frames, mesh and ink stock Full colour photographs require a 4 colour process print; 4 screens, 4 stencils, 4 positives, proofing, colour separations, etc	One-off jobs not cost effective due to setup required Transfer can be felt on the garment Transfer promotes perspiration Requires a range of positives, chemicals, screens/frames, mesh and ink stock Can’t iron plastisol	Cost of equipment	Transfer size limited to printer, press & paper size Limited choice of polyester garments	Transfer size limited to printer, press & paper size Transfer can be felt on the garment however is very thin Requires a vinyl cutter with optical eye for best results otherwise scissors can be used for less complex images Transfer process is finalised with a 'finishing sheet' to improve washability
Garment Fabric	Any^{^}	Any^{^}	Any^%	Polyester Only	Any^{^}
Garment Colour	Light & Dark	Light & Dark	Light	Light Only	Light & Dark
Production Runs	Medium to Large	Medium to Large	One-offs to Large	One-offs to Medium	One-offs to Medium
Starter Kits From	$7,900.00 View Textile Screen Printing Starter Kits	$9,850.00 View Plastisol Heat Transfer Starter Kits	Brother GT-541 DTG Printer Starter Package	$2,300.00 View Dye Sublimation Starter Kits
Read More	Coming Soon	Coming Soon		What is the Dye Sublimation Heat Transfer system?

	ChromaBlast Digital Cotton Transfers	Thermal Vinyl Film for Textiles	Digital Printable Film for Textiles	Colour Laser Digital Heat Transfers
Setup Costs	$$	$	$$$	$
Highlights	Limited equipment required: computer, printer & press Print full-colour detailed photographs, text or logos Quick setup time Effectively no cleanup process No chemicals, screens/frames You cannot ‘feel’ the transfer on the garment Very soft hand that is reduced after the first wash Excellent washability Very simple 'Print & Press' operation - no additional steps required	Ideal for names, numbers and logos Very easy to use Excellent durability Works on almost everything Wide colour range available	Excellent durability Works on almost everything Easy to use Combines durability of heat transfer vinyl with full colour capability of digital printing Good solution for dark garments	Ideal for small runs of photo gifts Very fast print speeds Most companies have a colour laser printer already - just add a heat press.
Limitations	Transfer size limited to printer, press & paper size Slight over-print that is reduced after the first wash Cotton garments ‘fluff-up’ after the first wash though can be minimised with higher quality garments	Photo quality, gradients, continuous tone is not possible More than 3 colours, or intricate detail becomes labour intensive Weeding is time consuming	Transfer can be felt on the garment however is very thin Cost of equipment Learning curve associated with more advanced technology Weeding is time consuming	Transfer can be felt on the garment More obvious on the dark papers
Garment Fabric	Cotton Only^{^}	Any^{^}	Any^{^}	Any^{^}
Garment Colour	White Only	Light & Dark	Light & Dark	Light & Dark^~
Production Runs	One-offs to Small	One-offs to Medium	One-offs to Medium	One-offs to Small
Starter Kits From	$3,390.00 View ChromaBlast Starter Kits	$5,210.00 View Thermal Vinyl Film for Textiles Starter Kit	$17,500.00 View Digital Printable Film for Textiles Starter Kit
Read More	What is the ChromaBlast Heat Transfer system?	What is the Thermal Vinyl Film for Textiles system?	What is the Digital Printable Film for Textiles system?

^{^} GJS Machinery encourages users to conduct their own tests on specific garments. Certain fabric, media and ink combinations may not be suitable for certain garments. Contact us if you have any concerns.

^# Subli-Dark 301: The dye sublimation printed transfer is first cut-out (using hand scissors or a cutter with optical eye) and then transferred onto the garment. Backing paper removed and then pressed again with a 'Finishing Sheet' to improve washability.

^~ Depending on which Laser Transfer Paper you use - different paper for light and dark garments is available.

^% Washability will be affected for fabric other than cotton.