apparel printing options

 Screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate through a stencil.  The stencil is created in a screen using a photo emulsion process.   Ink is placed in the screen and a squeegee is used to push the ink through the stencil.  Each color is printed individually, so multiple color images require multiple screens.  

DTF (Direct To Film) transfers are a more recent addition to printed apparel.   Transfers are printed digitally onto transfer film using textile pigment inks.  An image is printed in reverse, then a powder adhesive is applied to the back of it either inline with the machine or manually.  The transfers are then cut from the film individually and applied to the apparel using a heat fusion process.

Dye-sublimation printing  is a digital printing technology using the heat-transfer method.  In this case the a dye is used that diffuses with a white polyester substrate at a molecular level,    For apparel that is full-sublimation, this is done before the garment is sewn together.