Are you shopping for new team apparel? Searching for the best imprint for custom journals or t-shirts for an upcoming event? When exploring different swag items for your marketing campaign, the printing method for promotional products is arguably the most important part. The promotional product printing adds a branded touch to the products of your choice. When exploring the options, you want to ensure you choose an option that complements your brand identity and marketing initiatives.
It's important to note that printing on promotional products can vary. There are various different tools and techniques used to get an enhanced finish.
Not sure which promotional product printing is best for your project? Here's a quick rundown of how product printing works and which imprints are the best for your next project.
Silkscreen Imprint
Silkscreen is one of the most popular promotional product printing methods. Silkscreening is possible on fabrics, metal, paper, and plastic. It's also relatively low cost, especially if you only need a one-color, one-location imprint. However, if you have a multi-color design, you'll need to pay an additional setup charge and run charge for the colors. Here's how the process works:
- A mesh screen with a design is stretched over a frame
- The screen is covered in a light-sensitive emulsion to ensure ink is only applied to specific areas of the design
- The screen printer chooses the type of ink depending on the fabric
- The screen is placed over the promotional product, and a squeegee is used to apply the ink
- Once the ink is applied, the ink is cured using a heat process
- Affordable
- Durable
- Versatile
- Expensive for multi-color designs
- Not cost-effective for small orders
- Time-consuming
Embroidery
Embroidery uses thread or yarn to recreate designs and logos on fabric. This promotional product imprint method is ideal for shirts, hats, backpacks, or jackets. It offers a high-end, professional finish and is long-lasting. Most products come with a set number of stitches included in the price. Here's how the process works:
- Your design or logo goes through a digitizing process
- The digitized art file is uploaded to the machine
- The imprint is physically stitched into the product
- The design is trimmed, ironed, and cleaned up before being finished
- A great option for various materials and fabric-based products
- High-quality finish
- Higher upfront cost
- Not suitable for complex designs
Sublimation
Sublimation is a high-quality promotional product printing process. This method is ideal for full-color, edge-to-edge designs. It offers a high-end store-bought finish. Here's how the process works:
- The design is made and finalized before being placed on transfer paper for the sublimation printer
- The surface of the product is prepped before positioning the transfer paper onto the item
- A heat press machine is used to apply the design to the item
- After it's applied, the transfer paper is removed
- Low-cost printing option for full-color designs
- Imprint won't bleed or crack over time
- Great for vibrant designs or creative concepts
- Works best on polyester
- Not ideal for one-color designs or logos
Light Thermal Transfer
A light thermal transfer uses heat and pressure to apply an imprint to a promotional product. This method offers a high-quality, vibrant finish and is ideal for items made with fabric or plastic. Here's how the process works:
- The design is uploaded into the thermal printer.
- It is then transferred to a thermal ribbon that is used to apply the design to the product
- Heat is then used to physically melt the design into the product
- The design is then cooled and cured
- Long-lasting and durable design
- Sharp, high-quality finish
- Doesn't work well on natural fibers-based fabrics
Dark Thermal Transfer
This promotional product printing method is typically used on dark-colored fabrics. During this process, heat presses the design onto dark fabrics. This method is ideal for high-quality, photo-realistic images. The process is similar to light thermal transfers, but during this printing process, an additional white ink layer is added to ensure the imprint has a vibrant finish on the dark fabric.
Pros- Ideal for dark or black fabrics
- Long-lasting finish
- Great for photo-realistic imprints
- Requires a white ink base, which causes the ink to feel thicker
Deboss
If you're looking for something simple with a smooth, subtle touch - deboss is the best decoration method for your promotional product. With this process, your design is physically pressed into the material.
- A design is turned into a debossing die
- The debossing die is placed into the debossing press
- The debossing press uses heat and pressure to physically push the design into the material
- Elegant, professional finish
- Great for subtle branding
- Long-lasting
- Only works well with certain materials
- Higher upfront cost
- Doesn't have any color
Exploring High-End Printing on Promotional Products With Bagmasters
It doesn't matter which promotional product imprint method you choose - at Bagmasters, we always strive to provide a crisp, professional finish. We do all of our decorating in-house, which allows us to have strict quality assurance requirements.
If you aren't sure which decoration method is best for you, our team will also make expert recommendations based on your goals and design.
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