Best Blank T-shirts for Screen printing, DTG, and Sublimation
By: Diana Posted on: Jun 15, 2022T-shirt customization is all about producing high-quality products that satisfy, and hopefully surpass your client’s expectations. However, your t-shirt choice can make or break a customization project.
Not sure which t-shirts can be relied on for the top print quality? Get the best results every time with these top recommended tees for screen printing, DTG, and sublimation.
Screen Printing on Blank Apparel
Screen printing is an apparel decoration method in which the designs are created on the garment by pushing the ink through a stencil. However, unlike most ink-based technologies, the ink doesn’t get absorbed by the fabric, but rather stays on the surface. The customized t-shirt is also cured in a dryer for making the print durable.
There are a lot of factors to consider before you select a t-shirt for screen printing with your custom design or logo: the quality, the price, fabric, color options, and fit are just a few of them. However, one of the biggest factors will be the heat sensitivity of the product. As 100% polyester, polyester blends, pigment-dyed fabrics, and neon colors are heat sensitive they cannot withstand temperature levels over 320 degrees without risking shrinkage or staining. So don't forget to control the heat using cooling stations.
If you want to dive right into the screen printing project without being bothered by the nitty-gritty, the amazing t-shirt styles given below are reliable choices!
This short-sleeve men’s tee from Anvil comes in a variety of bright colors that keep up with the day's trends. As even the heather colors have less than 10% polyester, your screen printing projects on these ringspun cotton tees will be assuredly effortless. Featuring a semi-fitted tubular construction, this one-piece tee without side seams is an unbeatable choice if you want to go for all-over printing.
Bella Canvas 3001 T-Shirt Wholesale
A crowd favorite, the Bella + Canvas 3001 Jersey Tee, featuring the flawless blend of weight, comfort, and fit for both genders, is a reliable choice for screen printing. Made with 100% combed ringspun cotton, this short-sleeve t-shirt provides you ample room to unleash your designs. With side seams, shoulder tapings, and a retail fit, the BC3001 available in over 60 stunning colors to choose from won't let you down.
Weighing 6 oz. this Gildan tee leaning towards the heavier end offers comfort and durability at affordable pricing. Available in 62 fabulous colors - with solid hues made from 100% cotton and heather from 50/50 polyester blends - this tee is perfect for printing everything from uniforms to day-to-day casuals.
Direct to Garment on Blank Apparel
DTG Printing is an apparel customization method where the ink is directly applied to the fabric. The method is often compared with that of printing on paper using an inkjet printer. The digital design is fed to the printer using a computer, and the printer transfers the digital image onto the blank apparel by spraying water-based ink onto the surface. This technology has gained a lot of popularity because of its ease in printing full-color designs.
With DTG, the more consistent texture of the tee, the better your print will turn out. This means the quality of the transfer gets more reliable as you get close to 100% cotton. Ring-Spun cotton in particular is a great choice with its closer-knit giving the ink more surface to stick to the garment. However, anything that contains at least 50-60% of cotton is a green light.
The District Perfect Tri DTG Tee is one of the few t-shirt styles that's come pre-treated and optimized for direct-to-garment printing. The advanced technology, unmatched softness, and affordability of this tri-blend tee will make your DTG printing faster, cleaner, and economical
American Apparel 2001W T Shirt Wholesale
American Apparel American Apparel is one of the best quality ringspun t-shirts. Offering shoulder-to-shoulder taping and a classic fit, this 30 singles cotton t-shirt is a solid choice for DTG printing.
Port and Company PC450 T Shirts Wholesale
These premium shirts are highly recommended to anyone looking for good quality and affordable t-shirts for printing. The vibrant color palette of the Fan Favorite PC450 tee makes it easy to match your favorite sports team’s colors.
Sublimation on Blank Apparel
Sublimation printing is a process of t-shirt printing that involves printing onto a special sheet of paper, and later transferring the image onto a shirt. Since the ink blends with the fabric, sublimation prints don’t crack, peel, or fade even after multiple washes
Almost any color except white can be sublimated on apparel, as long as the ink is darker than the fabric color. Sublimation gives the best results on white or light-colored apparel. DTG or screenprinting should be considered for black or other dark-colored fabrics.
While stepping into t-shirt sublimation it is natural to get overwhelmed with all of the choices you have. For best results sublimation you need to have fabric blends with no less than 65% polyester. Here are some of the top choices you can pick with any second thoughts.
Jerzees 21M T Shirts Wholesale
This 100% polyester shirt has a cotton-like feel to it and provides utmost comfort and style. You can also find these t-shirts in long-sleeve variations as Jerzees 21ML. When the customer does not ask for a specific brand or style, Jerzees 21M is a reliable choice to default to as its super thin and soft 100% polyester can take extra-vibrant sublimation designs well!
The Port & Company Performance Tee PC380 is a value-priced polyester shirt with a silky polyester feel to it. This Performance Tee will stand lots of wear and tear and is great for creating team jerseys. This shirt is available in a variety of colors, however, the white ones are best recommended for sublimation.
This performance shirt from Gildan also has a soft feel much comparable to cotton. Made from 100% polyester jersey knit tests, this Performance Tee featuring moisture-wicking and anti-odor properties is ideal for team jerseys and more.
Hopefully, this article narrows down your search for the best t-shirt for customization. Of course, this list is not exhaustive by any means, and there are many more styles out there that will fit your needs. Explore our collection of blank t-shirts to find more great styles for your customization projects.