With so many different t-shirts to pick from its hard to know which one will work best for your screen-printing designs. Which are the best promotional t-shirts for screen printing? T-shirts are available in a wide range of styles, materials, weights, blends, fits and colours… so how do you decide?
Which style or fit ?
To choose a style, you need to know who will be wearing your shirt, so you can select one that appeals to your audience. A slimmer fit and longer lengths are popular for ladies. Younger men may prefer a trimmer fit which is slightly narrower at the shoulders. A sportsman may be looking for something loose or lightweight.
What is the best t-shirt weight to choose?
Weights of shirts vary immensely from light 5oz up to a heavier 10oz shirt. Lighter weights are more often use in more fashionable fits or for performance/sports, while heavier weights are used for more durable applications or colder climates.
Which fabric is best for screen-printing?
Each fabric offers its own properties, so consider how the shirt will be worn before deciding on the fabric.
- Combed cotton: Very soft, smooth and strong type of cotton made by using fine brushes to eliminate short strands and straighten fibers.
- Organic cotton: Cotton grown with minimal use of chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides, making it softer and more expensive than treated cotton.
- Ring-spun cotton: Ring-spun cotton is softer and more durable than regular cotton but can also be more expensive. It can also feel heavier than regular cotton.
- Jersey: Stretchy, flexible and comfy, this knit typically made from cotton or synthetic fibers and offers a nice drape. (see picture above)
- Polyester: Polyester fabric is durable, quick drying, maintains its shape well and is less prone shrinking and wrinkles. However it is not breathable so is often blended with other fabrics – for example a 50:50 cotton blend is frequently used in screen printing.
- Rayon: Also called viscose, rayon is soft and comfortable and silk-like. A breathable fabric, it is absorbent making it an excellent summer fabric – however it tends to wrinkle.
What are the best colours for your t-shirt design?
Artwork designs or logos with pastel colours such as yellow, light blue or pale pink, may not show up well at a distance if screen-printed on a lighter colour shirt. However you could add a darker outline to the design to emphasize it.
Artwork or logos with lighter ink can look great against dark coloured shirts. However dark colour inks can be lost against a dark background.
Rogue Star offers a wide range of t-shirt colours for you to choose that will complement your logo or artwork.
Still not sure which t-shirt to use for your screen-printing needs? Contact us today and we can recommend the best one for your needs!