There are several different ways to print your own T-shirts, including painting, using transfer paper and a computer printer and screen printing. Explore these techniques to create T-shirts to commemorate an event or investigate the easiest and most cost-effective way to start your own T-shirt design business.
Painting
There are many varieties of paint and dye you can use when printing on T-shirts. Look for products specifically made for fabric. Techniques to apply paint include brushing, rolling, sponging and stenciling.
Fabric paint or textile paint is easy to use and available in a wide variety of colors. Fabric markers with a fine, medium or wide tip can be used to draw on T-shirts. Dimensional paint puffs when dried and can be used to add texture and detail. Fabric transfer crayons or paint crayons resemble children's crayons. The design is drawn on a white piece of paper and then ironed to the T-shirt. The heat transfers the design.
Along with paint, dye is another easy way to print on T-shirts. Pastel dye sticks are similar to regular pastels and set with heat. Fiber reactive dyes can be applied with a paint brush and will not stiffen the fabric like paint. Discharge dyeing removes the color from a colored T-shirt through the use of a bleach solution.
Transfer Paper
You can also print images from a computer onto transfer paper. They are then transferred to a T-shirt by using an iron. This method is very versatile; however, the transfer paper can only be used once. The method works best on white T-shirts and can be used for intricate designs. Because the color comes from the printer and then is transferred to the T-shirt, no hand coloring is needed. There are transfer papers for dark fabrics, but quality varies.
Screen Printing
Screen printing is the most labor intensive of the T-shirt printing methods. You first take a wooden frame attached with a screen fabric, usually polyester. The shirt design is attached to the screen by stencils, either paper or lacquer, and you use a squeegee to push the paint or dye onto the shirt through the stencils and the screen. This method works well to create multiple T-shirts. For the beginner, there are screen printing kits available with frames already assembled.
