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Best Printing Techniques for All-Over Printing

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All-over printing can be achieved through several methods, today we’re going to explore two of the most popular: large scale screen and sublimation printing.

Screen PrintingLarge-Scale Screen Printing:

It works pretty much in the same way as the regular screen printing, the only difference being that it uses screens of considerable size, usually large enough to cover an entire men’s XL t-shirt. This process can be done by hand or with an industrial machine called belt screen printer. Screen printing works with any type of fabric.

Benefits:

  • It can be performed on any fabric
  • Great finish quality
  • Durable
  • It’s fast compared to other techniques

Disadvantages:

  • Price increases with every colour since each tone requires its own screen
  • It isn’t price effective for small orders
  • Not recommended for hyperrealistic or complex images

sublimationSublimation Printing

Is a complex printing process that involves a computer printer that works with polyester and polymer-coated substrates. First, the artwork is loaded onto high-quality transfer paper. Then a commercial heat press is used to transfer the design onto the t-shirt. The actual dye then becomes a gas without becoming a liquid (sublimates) which is transferred to the fabric and absorbed by the fibres. This means the dye is now actually part of the make-up of the fabric, which is why the t-shirt will wash well and not fade.

Benefits:

  • Very durable
  • Ability to replicate intricate designs in detail
  • Usually the production costs don’t change regardless if you order one or many garments
  • Sustainable method since it requires very little water

Disadvantages:

  • Only compatible with t-shirts that contain polyester
  • Expensive
  • The process is slow compared to other printing techniques

Important to keep in mind

As a new printing option, all-over printing has opened the doors to all kinds of new possibilities, but it is still on early stages of development and therefore not free of faults. The most important of them being that any crease or wrinkle the t-shirt might have during the printing process will mess up the print and leave an obvious white spot instead of color. The person conducting the procedure must be very careful and make sure the t-shirt is perfectly flat at the time of printing, otherwise the final product may end up looking like a white spotted dalmatian.

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Antonio-Massey

Antonio Massey

Production Team: Folder

Antonio Massey recently joined NWCA in June of 2022. His role on the Production Team has greatly improved our processes and productivity. Antonio is always willing to lift heavy boxes or help his co-workers during busy times. In his free time, he enjoys playing with his dog and mastering video games.

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Alicia Wada is passionate about helping her co-workers at Northwest Custom Apparel in any way that she can. She works in our Shipping and Logistics department. Alicia, who goes by Ali, has a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics. She lived in Japan for ten years and recently brought her family to America in 2019. She is interested in learning crafts and textile art from around the world.

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Erik Mickelson

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Erik Mickelson’s position as Manager is more than a job, it’s a passion. It’s always fun and exciting because he enjoys marketing, computers, and coming up with innovative ideas to help NWCA grow. He majored in accounting and finance at Washington State University, graduating in 1996, and returned to school to obtain his Master of Business from WGU, graduating in 2016. Erik continually strives to advance his education through podcasts, audiobooks, and industry tradeshows. He is married to a remarkable and caring wife named Wendy, a Registered Nurse, with whom he shares his many hobbies and a love for the outdoors.

 

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Steve Deland

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Bradley Wright has been a vital team member of NWCA since 2017. As our accountant and knower-of-all-things, Bradley is proud to work closely with his wonderful colleagues. He studied at the University of Washington. These days he dedicates his free time to his new house.

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Sothea Tann

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Brian Beardsley

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Brian Beardsley has been with Northwest Custom Apparel since 2018. He is our DTG Supervisor. Brian loves that he gets to work with high-tech machines in a fun atmosphere. He has a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. He said, “I always wanted to create visually interesting assets in a variety of mediums”. In his free time, he enjoys building and painting models, playing video games, designing, and playing his guitar.

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UT Tri Tran

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Kanha Chhorn has been an Embroidery Operator with Northwest Custom Apparel since 2018. She is delightful and always makes everyone smile and laugh. Kanha takes on additional tasks that allow us to exceed our customers’ expectations. In her free time, she can be found at her local temple or spending quality time with her family and friends.

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SorphornSorm

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Jim Mickelson

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Jim Mickelson, after a successful career with a major oil company, founded Northwest Embroidery in 1977. This was the first commercial embroidery in the Pacific Northwest. Over the years, Jim has become the guru of embroidery never refusing to answer a question or offer advice to his fellow embroiders. Jim and his wife Leeanna raised four wonderful children who went on to successful business careers.