Q&A for How to Print on T‐Shirts

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Question

What's the best way to iron a transfer onto a shirt?

Joy Cho
Designer & Style Expert, Oh Joy!
Joy Cho is the Founder and Creative Director of the lifestyle brand and design studio, Oh Joy!, founded in 2005 and based in Los Angeles, California. She has authored six books and consulted for creative businesses around the world. Joy has lectured on business, leadership, and entrepreneurship at conferences and companies such as AltSummit, Pinterest, Target, and Hallmark, while her home and studio have been featured in magazines such as House Beautiful, Parents, and Domino. She has also been named one of Time's 30 Most Influential People on the Internet multiple times and has the most followed account on Pinterest with more than 14 million followers.

Joy Cho

Designer & Style Expert, Oh Joy!

Expert Answer

Read the instructions to make sure the iron is the right temperature, and try to hold the iron in place for as long as possible. People sometimes tend to move the iron around while they're doing it, almost like they're ironing a shirt. You don't want to leave it unattended, but you do need to make sure there's constant heat, since that's what binds the iron-on to the shirt.

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Question

Can I use normal paper to iron a picture onto a t-shirt?

Community Answer

No, you would need t-shirt transfer paper.

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Question

Can the transfer paper image be tie-dyed over without being affected?

Community Answer

No. Tie-die first, then do the steps.

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Question

Does washing after printing affect the color?

Community Answer

As long as the print has dried, the color should be fine. I also recommend using a gentle detergent like Snuggles. If the dye fades after a few washes, don't worry, that's normal. Washing the t-shirt inside out may limit fading.

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Question

Where can I buy transfer paper?

Community Answer

You can buy it online or in office supply stores or craft stores. I’d suggest buying it online if you're buying bulk, as many websites offer discounts.

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Question

How can I print without a computer?

Community Answer

Maybe try going to your local library or an office store that offers printing services.

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Question

What can I print with that's washable?

Community Answer

You can buy certain printer sheets at your local craft store, that are comparable with most printers. This will allow you to print your desired image, and iron it onto a shirt. Once the image has set on the shirt, it will then be washable.

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Question

Can I print from an officejet?

Community Answer

Yes. Get t-shirt transfer paper. You use a household iron to apply it, and it works best on white cotton.

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Question

I want to start a T-shirt printing business in my local area. What can I expect my profit margin to be?

Agstopmotion 36

Community Answer

Well it depends on how much you paid to make the T-shirt. The price should be lower, but not too low, because then you will not make a lot of money.

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Question

How do I print on colored t shirts?

Community Answer

Use transfer paper. If the color is light, use the one for pastel colors. If the color is dark, use the one for darker colors.

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Question

Does the clothing have to be 100% cotton?

Community Answer

No, but you should use a shirt that's at least 65% cotton. (100% is best though.)

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Question

How do I put graffiti on a hoodie or a T shirt?

Community Answer

You could make a stencil by making your design and then cutting it, or make your own graffiti online and then print it.

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Question

Can I use a desktop printer to print on t-shirts?

Community Answer

No, it will give it an effect you really don't want. It's better just to rely on normal t-shirt transfer paper!

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Question

How do I remove the dirt on the printed section of my t-shirt if I didn't wash it after the print dried?

Community Answer

You can just wash the shirt normally after the paint has dried and that will get rid of the dirt.

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Question

Can I use baking paper instead of t-shirt transfer paper?

Community Answer

Yes, you can!

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Question

Can I print it on the paper first and then transfer it to the transparent paper when printing on t-shirts?

Community Answer

No, because you cannot transfer ink from paper to transparent paper. It simply doesn't work. You must print directly onto the transfer paper. You can do this by putting the transfer paper into the paper tray of your printer and then selecting 'print'.

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Question

Can I take a blank T-shirt that I have purchased to a T-shirt printing company and have them print what I want on it?

Community Answer

Yes, you can take it to a printing company or a nearby photographer, since some of them offer this kind of services. There are also online companies that will print on their t-shirts if you send them a photo file.

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Question

Where can I buy transfer sheets when I want to print on t-shirts? Can I purchase them from an online source?

Community Answer

Yes, those are purchasable online from many vendors, just search for t-shirt transfer sheets on Google Shopping, eBay, Amazon, etc. You can buy them in bulk or in small quantities.

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Question

Does the brand of the transfer paper affect the quality of the print?

Community Answer

Yes, of course. A good brand should preserve the original image after applying it to the shirt. Cheap brands could change colour of the image while ironing and may peel off after only a few washes. Do some online research for other people's recommendations first.

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Question

Where do I get the logos to print for t-shirts, or how do I make my own?

Community Answer

You can do your own logos using tools like Photoshop, Paint .NET or GIMP. If you prefer, you can also use Fiverr to get someone to do it for you; just make sure the designer signs over the copyright to you if you plan on selling the t-shirts.

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Question

Would the T-shirt transfer paper work on a skirt?

Community Answer

If the fabric is mostly cotton, then yes, it should. Be sure to check the information on your transfer paper container first to check if your skirt is compatible with the paper.

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Question

What is a negative of a picture when printing on a t-shirt?

Community Answer

An image with opposite colors as the original image. There should be a filter you can select that will do this for you, usually titled "invert" or "negative".

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Question

How do I price my printed t-shirts?

Community Answer

$10 - $20 is a reasonable price for most simple shirts. Just make sure you're covering the cost of materials, time, and overhead expenses like ink and electricity.

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Question

Can I use a laser printer to print onto inkjet transfer paper?

Community Answer

No, it must be an inkjet printer. You could easily ruin your laser printer trying to print on inkjet transfer paper.

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Question

Will the methods work the same if covering the entire shirt with prints?

Community Answer

You could, as long as you do each one carefully. Try to use the same method for each print, if possible.

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Question

How do I go over/reprint the image when an imagine is peeling off my clothing at the corners?

Community Answer

Pull the old one off completely and place a new one on. Once the old ones start peeling off, they can't be fixed.

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Question

Is this print permanent?

Community Answer

Yes. When you wash it, however, put it on a gentle wash. You may even want to turn the t-shirt inside out, just in case.

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Question

Does the printer have to be a sublimation printer?

Warren

Top Answerer

Yes, standard inkjet and laser printers cannot print on fabric. You can use fabric transfer paper though

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Question

Which method of printing gets the longest-lasting or most durable results?

Community Answer

Screen printing is the most durable. Two-year-old printed shirts are likely still to have their full designs even though they've been washed several times.

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