Garment printing
Vinyl, DTF &
heat press printing.
Embroidery is not always the right answer. Big artwork, photographic detail, fine gradients, names and numbers on sportswear, or a run of five t-shirts — all of it prints better than it stitches, and costs less. We do both under one roof, so you get the honest recommendation rather than the one that suits our machines.
Three methods
Which printing
you actually need.
These get used interchangeably by most suppliers. They are not the same thing, and picking wrong is what produces the cracked, peeling print you have seen on somebody’s work polo.
Vinyl printing (heat transfer vinyl)
Solid-colour film cut to the shape of your artwork, then heat pressed on. Unbeatable for names, numbers, text and simple one- or two-colour logos, and the most economical option for very small runs — there is no setup, so a single shirt is viable. Comes in matt, gloss, metallic, flock, reflective and glitter finishes.
DTF printing (direct-to-film)
Your artwork is printed onto a film in full colour with a white underbase, then heat pressed. This is what to use for photographs, gradients, distressed textures and logos with more colours than vinyl can sensibly cut. It works on cotton, polyester and blends, and because there is a white base it looks identical on a black garment as on a white one.
Heat pressing
The application step both of the above depend on, and where most print failures actually happen. Time, temperature and pressure have to be matched to the fabric — polyester needs a lower temperature than cotton or it scorches and dye-migrates, and waterproof fabrics need different handling again. We press to the film manufacturer’s spec, not a single setting for everything.
Print or embroider?
Embroidery wins on durability, perceived value and anything worn hard — workwear, jackets, caps. Print wins on large artwork, many colours, thin technical fabrics that a needle would damage, and on price for small quantities. Send us the design and we’ll tell you which we would use and why.
What we print on
Garments we handle.
T-shirts · Hoodies & sweatshirts · Polo shirts · Sports & team kit · Football and rugby shirts · Hi-vis & workwear · Softshells · Tote bags · Aprons · Caps
Supply your own stock or buy through us at trade prices. Names and numbers for a full squad, a one-off leaver’s hoodie, or a printed run to go alongside an embroidered order — all one quote.
The practical bits
Good to know.
- No minimum order. One shirt is fine. Vinyl has no setup cost, which is exactly why it suits one-offs and last-minute jobs.
- Turnaround. Usually quicker than embroidery — small print runs often go out within a few working days, and same-day is sometimes possible.
- Washing. Inside out, 40°C, no fabric conditioner directly on the print, and don’t iron over it. Treated that way a good transfer easily outlasts the garment.
- Artwork. Vector (AI, EPS, PDF) is ideal for vinyl. For DTF a high-resolution PNG with a transparent background works well — 300dpi at the size it will be printed.
Ready to see your logo stitched?
Send us the artwork and a rough quantity. You’ll have a price the same working day — no obligation, no sales calls.