There are times when you get an order to make T-shirts for certain activities, such as healthy walking, committee activities, school reunions or alumni ties, and other activities or even used for yourself, birthday gifts and others.
Of course, at the event, T-shirts are needed to support these activities to be more lively and at the same time a memento for the participants. On this occasion I will try to provide an easy way to make t-shirt screenings by using transfer paper.
Transfer paper is a paper that functions as an intermediary medium to bridge the printer media and the shirt you are printing. By transferring the paper, colleagues can easily use a colorful design from a computer that has been designed using Coreldraw or Photoshop to be attached to the shirt according to the user’s needs.
Some steps to make t-shirt screenings include:
1. Make a design on your computer with a corel draw graphics program, photoshop or other design program.
2. Prepare transfer paper
There are two types of transfer paper having different usage methods:
– For light fabric, the standard transfer paper is clear for bright colors.
– For dark fabric, the transfer of dark paper for dark shirts.
3. Ready printer and printer ink with the following specifications:
1). Original ink (Epson Durabrite), it is recommended to use the original because the best results are here.
2). If you use ink infusion, use pigment ink.
3). Laserjet ink is also good but unfortunately the toner is very expensive.
We recommend that you do not use dye ink infusion ink because the results quickly fade, only the color is brighter but quickly damaged.
4. T-shirt screen printing process
– For bright or bright t-shirts
First print your design in a mirrored way on transfer paper.
The printed scissors on the paper transfer paper match the image leaving some 0.02 mm for the border.
Put the shirt that will be printed on cardboard that is thick enough.
Put the printed paper facing the shirt.
Press with a heatpress machine (100-150 degrees, 5-10 seconds) or use the rubbing iron (if you need a steam iron, you can read review here) gently and evenly and do not overheat because it can stick to the paper (just do it for 30 seconds).
Remove (peel) the paper transfer paper slowly and the work is finished.
For dark or black t-shirts
Normal print t-shirt design on paper transfer paper (not mirrored) on the printer with the best quality.
Place it on the shirt that will be screened (the part that is printed is facing up).
Cover (protect) paper transfer paper with special paper (eg oil paper obtained when buying transfer paper dark).
Press with a heatpress machine (100-150 degrees, 5-10 seconds) or use an iron for 30 seconds and do not overheat, remove the protective paper after cold.
Advantages of using transfer paper.
1. Screen printing work is easy to do and fast process.
2. Picture the full color of the design that you have made.
3. Can be made on cotton, Polyester, polycotton, silk, canvas and others.
Lack of using transfer paper
Special care is needed for t-shirts printed with transfer paper for example when washing should not be chopped / brushed, not using bleach, should not soak for too long, do not use dryer machine dryer, preferably aerated, the iron is not directly subject to paper transfer, do not use sleep )
If using ink infusion, dye ink quickly wears off.
No matter how good it is to take care of the shirt, transfer paper will be damaged, broken, or peeled off after a few washings (10-20X washing).