Thin Printing on T-Shirts?

[B Money]

I am starting a clothing company and we want to do some shirts that are printed on really lightly kinda like a lot of Ode shirts are. The designs is super clear and boldly on the t-shirt its just printed so lightly when you glide your hand across its almost just part of the shirt.

Does anyone know of a place that could print like this?

Does anyone know how to print like this or what inks are the best for this?

Thank you

Sincerely,

B$ of a secrete company, which will soon be revealed

Destroy the dance floor

[thomas_highstreet]

not 100% what ur thinkin of..

you mean so it almost 'dyes' the fabric, rather than sits paint/ink on top?!

a standard system 3 acrylic and textile print medium gives that exact effect.. thats what i use for most my shirts, or paint straight on top with a brush and acrylic (with a tad of medium in to bind + keep it plyable)..

[vinz]

I've never seen ode shirts, but if you are looking for a smooth print you can either ask the printer to use a light water based screen print ink, or you can get a discharge print if it's one color, sublimation would be another option if you want a multicolor image. Discharge and sublimation can be pretty expensive.

www.youngestincharge.com

www.opticalweapons.com

[ReasonRumRunners]

vinz is right your best option is probably using a waterbased ink- however waterbased inks tend to fade much easier than plastisol (thicker) inks. Printing discharge is a good option but most printers can only do 'white' discharge (bleaching the garment). If you find a good printer, they might be able to do 'plastercharge' which is basically discharge- but after the garment is discharged they replace the color with whatever color you want. Hope this helps.

www.reasonclothing.com

[wild_whiskey]

90% of shirts that I find in American Rag, HTC, etc. that are dark ink on light shirts are just done with water-based ink. This is how I dye my shirts. One of my shirts has gone through many, many washings and is still 75% there.

[msodrew]

I technique i remember using was getting a design and printing the mirror image with a high contrast ink on the "inside-out" part of a shirt. (turn it inside out and silkscreen). That way you get this faint "ghost" of it when the person is actually wearing the shirt correctly.

- drew

eusgro drender

[adsurgo]

this is all me right here.

your gonna want to use water based dyes. alot of companies like speedball label their waterbased dyes as water based inks inks but theyre definitely more of a dye. there are alot of reallly good companies that will give you expensive good quality ink but if you use the cheap shit its going to look older and thinner. id recommend speedball for a low budget. while there are other companies like good ink and shit.