How is my item made?
Each garment is hand selected, custom printed directly to your garment, and quality checked beforeshipping. (We don’t have a bunch of shirts already printed sitting around.) The process for printing is called “Direct to Garment” or DTG. We generally print on Bella + Canvas garments.
For all-over items, we use a process called “Sublimation” to print. These garments, as with our others, are hand selected, custom printed and inspected for quality before shipping. These are printed on Los Angeles Apparel garments.
Our hats are hand selected, custom embroidered and inspected for quality before shipping. We use Yupoong or Otto Cap hats.
Direct to Garment (DTG): how does it work?
With DTG printing, a printer directly applies the ink onto the t-shirt with inkjet technology. It’s sort of like printing on paper, except on a t-shirt. A special printer prints the ink directly onto the garment in the desired design. DTG uses specialty water-based inks, which are absorbed by the fibers of the garment.
How durable are DTG printed shirts compared to Screen Printed shirts?
When it comes to washability, our experience shows us that DTG printed shirts are just as durable as screen printed shirts.
Sublimation: How does it work?
Sublimation is the process of infusing a layer of ink directly onto the fabric. Unlike the DTG printing process, sublimation gives us the ability to cover a larger surface.
How should I wash my printed garments?
The DTG ink in this process is different from the ink screen printers use. Keep in mind that the original manufacturer’s care instructions don’t take into consideration the DTG printing process.
Be wary of washing and drying on a high setting, especially when the garment is 100% cotton. High-temperature washes can fade and crack the print, and high-temperature dryer settings can shrink the garment, as well as damage the print.
In order for you to prolong the life of your custom print, we suggest following the care instructions below:
Machine wash your garment with mild detergent, inside-out with like colors in cold water, using your machine’s gentle cycle. Use non-chlorine bleach, only when necessary. Your shirt is amazingly soft, so do not use fabric softeners. For longest life, tumble dry on low or air-dry. If necessary, use a cool iron on the inside-out if necessary. Do not iron decoration. Do not dry clean.
Sublimation apparel can be washed at any temperature setting without affecting quality. But we recommend washing with like colors, as the polyester fabric may make colors run. High temperatures during washing and drying may shrink the fabric.
Disclaimer about Direct to Garment and Sublimation
DTG: You may notice some discoloration or off-white residue on your apparel. Do not worry! This is a special solution used for printing and can sometimes leave marks during the drying process. These are not stains and will wash off after the first wash cycle. Our apparel is created with the latest in garment printing technology. Additionally, our inks are water-based and eco-friendly. This makes them feel much softer than traditional screen printed shirts, but just as durable!
Sublimation: White streaks will appear on all t-shirts around the seams, especially around the shoulders, under the armpits, and around the collar. White streaks are more noticeable with darker designs but less noticeable on lighter designs.