Help with transfer to dark tshirt

[phoenixalpha]

Although I've been doing vinyl logos, graphics & texts for tshirts for a while, I keep being asked to provide dark tshirts with pics of friends/pets/loved ones etc on them. I do the occasional sub tshirt but most people want the cheap option and a dark tshirt.

If you were doing dark tshirts with picture transfers (as I know a lot of you do) what would be your preferred option. I know DTG is probably *the* best quality wise and cant be beaten but I don't think I have a spare £5k for a half decent setup

I'd ideally like to offer an option where it isn't just a square pic, but can offer things like pictures within graphics ie the customer's face inside a star shape or if they want a circular image...

Whats the best option in your mind to do this?

[NASH]

Transfer paper from Yolo and a printer with pigment ink ie; Epson Durabrite Ink will do the job

[Paul]

^... Add to it contour cutting machine and you are ready to go.

[Jeff]

Thanks for the tips, really helpful for me as well!

[phoenixalpha]

How long does the transfer paper + durabrite ink last? Is it long lasting (ie wash and dry once a week for a year) or are we talking half a dozen washes and its gone?

[Johnny]

Before we got into solvent printing we were using a B1100 ink-jet printer and a GX-24 cut machine.
I believe we used something called 'Ink-Jet Dark' from The Magic Touch. It's quite a thick transfer material and comes in A4 or A3 sheets. Worth a look if you're doing one-offs.
J.

[Ask_Alan]

I think years ago we (TheMagicTouch) had an inkjet dark, that is long discontinued. For dark garments now we sell our laser papers. OBM 5.6 for photographs and cutting around and the WoW products for fancy work .
There is a solvent product (soldark) but that is on the roll and only suitable for solvent printers (Versacam / Mimaki and similar)

DTG on darks is a different ball game - needs pretreatment, white inks (clog problems) and time.... very different to DTG on white garments, good ones don't come in at 5k :rolleyes:

We're down at the signUK show at the NEC this week, pop by if your visiting, I'm sataing in the office to answer the phones

alan

[purpledragon]

I mad a tshirt for myself about 3 years ago using yolo dark transfer paper the pic is a breast pocket size so about 10cm round . Its just begininning to look a bit creased now but still pretty darn good

[Scotty@BMS]

You may not have five grand James, but £500 would get you an Oki Laser printer which you could use TMT OBM papers on. They look keen as! Talk to Purple Dragon, I believe he has one for sale!

[purpledragon]

ay up did some one say purple dragon 3 times oi oi
yup i got one goin beggin