All Over Print on T-Shirts - Answered
T-shirts with all-over printed designs are some of the most popular shirts out today. They are unique and stylish. Some are so intricate, they look like paintings. The artwork is all over the collar, the sleeves, the sides of the shirts, and even the very bottom of the tee. You can find these shirts at just about every clothing store, but at times they can be quite expensive. Many aspiring fashion designers are creating the all-over print tees because they are in popular demand. Both shoppers and designers are turning to screen printers to get the look they want at an affordable price. Unfortunately, many have been disappointed by their results. Many customers even try to overpay t-shirt printers or offer to do business with them exclusively, and they too are told no.
Customers may scratch their head at this dilemma, but the answer is simple. It’s not that vendors don’t want the business; it’s just that the printers used have boundaries that can’t be broken. The t-shirt boundaries are usually 11×11 inches on the front and back of the shirt. Generally, the screen printers cannot stray from the boundaries. If a t-shirt designs is all over the shirt, the printer may cut the design off.
The true definition of all-over printing is artwork that is printed over the seams. The type of printer that prints over the seams is called a belt screen printers. This printer allows you to create the all-over designs you see in the magazines and stores. There are many advantages to using a belt screen printer machine.
- Belt screen print machines allow artwork to cross the seams
- They use discharge inks, which are a higher quality ink that feel as soft as the fabric.
- Front to back printing. Your artwork can stretch from the front of your shirt to the back.
- Continuous designs across the collar
- Oversized prints that won’t be cut off in the printer
- Awesome designs sure to turn heads!
With benefits like these, why wouldn’t every t-shirt vendor use the belt printer, right? Well, with every good machine come its disadvantages.
- Belt printing is quite expensive. So if you think you can create an all-over printed tee cheaper than the stores, think again.
- Belt printers generally have high minimums. The average minimum is 144 pieces.
- Companies that use the belt printer are few and far between.
- Belt printer designs may be difficult to create at times.
- The turnaround from order to delivery is 1-2 weeks longer.
There is hope! It is very possible to create a faux all-over print design with a regular screen printer. The trick is to just make sure your design doesn’t run over the seams! Plenty of people have created their t-shirts like this, and they’ve turned out awesome. See? There are also tons of advantages getting your tee’s screen printed.
- You can create the illusion of an all-over printed tee.
- Lower minimums! No minimums!
- Less expensive to get your shirts printed
- Screen printers use a spot paint process instead of ink on your shirts, which produces a very high quality image on your shirts
At You Design It, we are here to help you create the design you want without changing your design completely. So, if you want your million dollar design for under a million dollars, we would love for you to give us a call and see how we can make the design work you on screen printed t-shirts.
**Update to All Over Print on T-Shirts - Answered**
We have received some good feedback and even a new vendor who is helping us out even further on this subject by taking a way a lot of the limitations we wrote about. Please read our newest post on the subject called Return to All Over T-Shirt Printing.
January 15th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
[...] Interested in how those all-over-print tees are made? They have it. [...]
January 16th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
It may not be clear to the reader what you mean by belt printing. Belt printing is only done in the fabric stage and is very specialized - its operators and machinery are becoming a rare breed.
Alot of set up is required for belt printing and often minimums are much more than 144 pcs perhaps more like 500 linear yards or metres of fabric (by 60 inches wide is standard). Fabric gets printed then goes for cut and sew. You can always tell a belt printed garment when you see part of pattern stop at the seam.
Alternatively an all over look can be done by printing fabric panels (cut pieces) which are then assembled after printing - which is how I believe the white longsleeve above was created.
The black garment was done with a special pallet that has sleeves that swing.
My shop creates all over prints by at the garment stage but it does have limitations - our maximum printable area is 34x 40 inches - easily printing up to XXL.
January 17th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Hey Josh,
Thanks for the input man, it was real insightful. We get inquiries about these kinds of t-shirts all the time and I wish the technology would catch up to the demand.
February 1st, 2008 at 7:31 am
Good Morning,
I wanted to check to see were your located and what are
the costs for the all over belt printing.
Thanks,
Dan Houston
President
OC Designs / Miracles
February 14th, 2008 at 6:22 am
Blake,
I think your a little off on your technology comment. belt printing was a big deal in the fashion industry in the late 80’s and early 90’s.It has been around for a long time in the textile printing field and the rolled fabric industry. It had a big surge and then died out as most large format textile printing moved over seas during the NAFTA deals. It stayed in the states as a small industry based on the coasts but mainly in California because of the way garments come into the country. It is now getting a resurgence of interest because of newer fashions and trends moving away from generally placed logos. But, as for technology, if you want to get into belt printing you need to look back, not forward for most machines that are printing this were built in the 90’s. My shop in Minnesota has 3 belt printers, the smallest frame size being 34″ by 46″ and the largest being 68″ by 72″ to cover 2 full t shirt prints at the same time. Up to 10 colors.
February 14th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Hey Matt,
Can you find in that post where I even used the word technology or even spoke about belt screen printing being new?
Other than just trolling to argue with someone, you have some pretty good information.
February 14th, 2008 at 8:54 am
“Hey Josh,
Thanks for the input man, it was real insightful. We get inquiries about these kinds of t-shirts all the time and I wish the technology would catch up to the demand.”
I was commenting on this post, and I’m not out to argue. I was just making a statement. No need to get bent out of shape friend.
February 14th, 2008 at 9:11 am
The technology I was referring to in the comments section was for the current standard screen printing presses. I just wish they weren’t as limited.
February 15th, 2008 at 5:40 am
I see. I wouldn’t say that the presses are limited, I would say more that the average shop owners pocket books are more limited. Most newer automatic presses can be set up to print these over sized prints and all-overs prints. All it really takes is enough space in between each print head to accommodate the larger frame size and a long enough stroke length to hit the shirt top to bottom. There are also some really expensive but also really cool pallets specifically designed for all over printing. If you check out Action Engineering you can see the boards with the fold out sleeves for seamless printing on the sleeves.
If you search on youtube for “Falcon Duplex” you can see a press that is specifically designed to run large all over prints. You can also check out the action engineering product line on there. And if you search “M&R Predator” you can see one of the newer M&R belt printers running an all over print. I think there are a lot of options for large format t shirt printing but the equipment price will reflect its specialties.
February 15th, 2008 at 6:58 am
Hey Matt,
I think that is how my new vendor is the doing the oversized prints and over the seams. I think he is just using larger pallets on a new automatic.
I have seen the video on the M&R Predator and I had heard that machine was very expensive. I will check out the Falcon Duplex on YouTube because I haven’t seen that before.
February 15th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Yeah, the Predator is pretty expensive. We had one quoted to us at just over $200,000. The downsides to belt printing as apposed to winged board carousel printing is, with a carousel your loading only the top layer of fabric on your pallet. This means that you can hold much tighter registration because the layer your printing on is the layer that is applied to the board. On a belt or a standard over sized pallet (like the falcon duplex) your just laying the shirt down on the board or belt and the top layer of shirt isn’t affixed to the belt, so you have a lot of fabric movement in between screens. Thats why belt printing works best with 1 color designs or designs that don’t have pieces that tightly register together.
February 15th, 2008 at 8:09 am
I am intrested in getting all over t-shirts made for my BJJ team. please contact me by e-mail or 985-688-2607
February 25th, 2008 at 7:49 am
Hi I am Looking to Get a design Printed in your Format For March 13th If you could contact me with info that would be great.
Richard
February 28th, 2008 at 5:19 am
Hi i’am intrested in getting all over custom design t-shirts ( and hoodys) made for the fun club of my soccer team. please contact me by e-mail.
Marios Stokkos
owner / President
Aterego LTD
“WPL X SPORTS” and “PAPHOS CRUSADERS”
March 2nd, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Hi Guys, thanks for the info. I’m also looking to all over prints and I need high volume!!! We’re looking to chage the way we do business and what we offer our customers. Last year we sold over 300,000 custom screen garments and we’d like to shift over to more ‘all over’ prints. Anyone that does this type of printing is welcomed to email me at pfallon67@gmail.com I’m looking forward to it! Thanks much,
Pat Fallon
March 5th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Iam intrested in getting some shirts made for my
clothing line.I’ve put together a catalog with my
designs in it.Now I need a company to do the print
work.Your company is what I need to take me to the next level. contact me 757-543-2092
April 7th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
I am in the process of setting up my shop to print “all over” designs. I am making custom all over platens, and waiting for my oversized screens to come in. Wish me luck
Justin Vaughn
Unik Ink Custom Screenprinting
http://www.unikink.com
April 15th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
[...] Re: Newbie Art Class Project Help that design is possible… are you going to print it yourself? here’s a link to a belt printer website… Belt Screen Printer, All Over T-Shirt Printing [...]
May 4th, 2008 at 5:53 am
hi people i am really looking for a manufacture to make our tshirt line and all over prints,please if anyone has any info please email me or call
http://www.godfatherpaintball.com
store@godfatherpaintballsupply.com
toll free#877-745-8370
ceo Pat D
May 16th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Great article, thanks!!
Just to clarify, discharge prints can definitely be done on any screen press - it’s the ink, not the press, that makes it discharge. Also, non-discharge water-based inks can be used on light-colored garments for that soft ‘no-feel’ hand.
Most garment screen printers can print up to 15″ X 15″ in one location, and many can print larger - just need to shop around. You can also create designs that print multiple locations to get an all-over affect - a print that goes from shoulder to shoulder plus a text reaching down the side plus some scroll across the bottom, for instance. That would require 3 print locations, but most garment screen printers should be able to accommodate that.
Belt printing is done on already-sewn t-shirts. Printing on the fabric before assembly (cut-n-sew) is another thing altogether.
Check out this video of a belt printer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE__us4WbhY
June 5th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I DO THEM AND OUR MACHINE IS BACKED UP. 1000 IS THE MINIMUM AND NO NET 30, YOU MUST PREPAY BEFORE THE PRINTING BEGINS!!
BRAD
714-402-0101
June 17th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Hi I am looking for all over printing please contact me at cesarzap@yahoo.com