You see all these cool custom-made T-shirts, tote bags,caps, and you think it might be a great idea to start printing your own stuff.Now that you have decided to go into this business, or you want just to do itfor fun, you may discover finding the right type of printer to be quiteconfusing. Heat Press Review helps decide by explaining the difference betweenthese two options.

Screen printingversus heat press

Both these methods need to be understood individuallybefore we make comparisons. If you want to screen print at home, there are 12steps involved: getting supplies, preparing screen, selecting emulsion,spreading emulsion, drying screen, making print transparent, exposing screen,checking screen, cleaning screen, preparing to print, inking the image andfinishing.

Now we move on to the steps involved in heat pressprinting:

-           Selectthe image you want to print

-           Printyour image onto transfer paper

-           Trim theimage to be printed

-           Setup theheat press (temperature, timer)

-           Place thematerial to be printed on the heat press

-           Place theimage on the material

-           Start theheat press

-           Once itstops open the cover and remove the printed material

Now you can easily see that screen printing requires moretime and effort than heat press printing.

Which is moreeconomical?

Now we come to the tricky part-deciding which process ismore economical. Obviously, screen printing is more time consuming and costly.But, how many items are you planning to get printed in one batch. If it is asmall batch of a dozen or two, then screen printing will be costlier.

If you want to print team shirts, then you should go withthe heat press review.But if you are asked to print a batch of 100 or more items, screen printing ismore cost-effective.

But why would you invest in a heat press if you plan toprint a dozen or two items. Investing in this will be something for a hobbyistand not for serious business. If you plan to do bulk printing in largequantities, then you should go down the screen-printing road.

Pros and Cons

Screen printing or heat press? Printing press makers andusers both will insist that their recommendation is the right solution.

Both printing methods have their benefits anddisadvantages. These are just some of the points that are widely discussed.

-           Onlycertain materials can be printed.

-           The imagecolour will fade in washes.

-           The imagewon't be bright.

-           Somecolours won't show in the image

-           Onlycertain colour materials can be printed.

-           The image will seep through the fabric and feel sticky.

What is a feasible solution?

If you want to take up printing as a hobby and do small odd printing jobs, then go for a heat press. If you plan to go big-time into the printing business, then go for screen printing.

But a sensible solution is to opt for both. By investing in both, you offer a wider choice to your customers and are not limited to the items you can print or the material. So you can start small and expand later, or if you have done your homework right, you can invest in both and get on the way to your printing business. Best of luck in whichever venture you choose!