Creating Wrap-Around Prints On T-Shirts: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wrap-around T-shirt printing is a unique way to elevate your T-shirts and take them to the next level. This printing method allows you to get creative and use the entire T-shirt as your canvas, from the front to the back, and even the sides. If you're tired of the simple chest logo and want to explore more design options, wrap-around printing is a great choice. This type of printing can be done through screen printing or dye sublimation, each with its own advantages and limitations. With screen printing, you can achieve vibrant colours and seamless wrap-around designs, but it requires specialised equipment and inks. Dye sublimation, on the other hand, uses heat transfer to apply the design to the fabric, resulting in durable and peel-resistant prints. Whether you choose screen printing or dye sublimation, the key to success is understanding the process and working with experienced printers who can bring your creative vision to life.

All-over print shirts: a unique print sublimation method

All-over print shirts are a unique way to showcase your creativity and bring your vibrant ideas to life. This printing technique, also known as All Over Print (AOP), allows you to cover an entire garment with vivid designs, breaking free from the limitations of standard print areas. The key to achieving this seamless, wrap-around effect is a process called dye sublimation.

Dye sublimation is a printing method that uses heat to turn solid sublimation ink into gas. This gas then permeates the fibres of the fabric, typically polyester, and creates a molecular bond, resulting in a permanent, high-quality print. Unlike other printing methods such as heat transfer vinyl or screen printing, dye sublimation ensures that your design becomes a part of the fabric, resulting in a smooth and durable finish.

To create all-over print shirts using dye sublimation, you will need a few key items:

• Sublimation ink: Special ink designed specifically for the sublimation process.
• Sublimation paper: A heat-resistant paper that can withstand high temperatures to transfer your design.
• Protective paper: Used to protect your heat press from any ink transfer and prevent ink from ending up on your heat press.
• Heat-resistant tape: This tape secures the design during the sublimation process, ensuring it stays in place.
• Polyester shirt: The higher the polyester content, the more vibrant the final print will be. Sublimation works best with 100% polyester or a poly-blend containing at least 65%-80% polyester.
• Computer: A computer is necessary to design your prints and send them to your printer.
• Sublimation printer: An inkjet printer designed for sublimation inks, used to print your design onto sublimation paper.
• Heat press: Transfers your design from the paper onto the shirt. Ensure you use a heat press designed for sublimation printing as regular heat presses may not reach the required high temperatures.

Once you have gathered your equipment, the process of creating an all-over print shirt can begin. Firstly, prepare your sublimation design, ensuring it is high-quality and sized correctly for your chosen garment. You can create your own design or choose from existing images, ensuring they have a resolution of at least 300 DPI.

Next, print your design onto the sublimation transfer paper, allowing it to dry completely before trimming the paper to size. Meanwhile, preheat your heat press and prepare your shirt by removing any debris with a lint roller. Place the shirt on the heat press, pre-pressing it to remove wrinkles and moisture.

Now it's time to transfer your design. Position the printed design face down on the shirt, securing it with heat-resistant tape. Add a layer of protective paper on top, then close the heat press and apply pressure. The specific settings will depend on your equipment, but a typical range is around 385 °F for 45–60 seconds.

After the transfer is complete, allow the shirt to cool before carefully removing the transfer paper. And there you have it—your very own all-over print shirt with a seamless, wrap-around design!

Horizontal wrap-around screen print

A horizontal wrap-around screen print is one of the two main types of wrap-around t-shirt printing. This type of print usually covers the entire front of the t-shirt and goes under the armpit, wrapping around to the back.

To achieve this type of print, there are two methods of printing. The first method involves screen printing the front of the t-shirt, flipping it over, and then screen printing the back. The second method involves loading the t-shirt on its side and screen printing it once, with some of the image placed on the front and some on the back.

It is important to note that both methods have their limitations and challenges. For the first method, the connection between the images on the front and back may not be perfectly aligned, resulting in a slight gap or misalignment. The second method is limited by the physical constraints of the t-shirt, making it difficult to stretch the shirt enough to achieve a seamless wrap-around print.

Additionally, screen printing over seams can cause smudging, and multi-colour registration of designs can be challenging for wrap-around prints. The extensive setup required for this type of printing results in a minimum order of 144 pieces, and the price per print can range from $3.00 to $4.50 per side, depending on the artwork.

Despite these challenges, wrap-around designs can be successfully executed with proper planning and expectations.

Vertical wrap-around screen print

It is important to understand the process and limitations of vertical wrap-around screen printing before starting a T-shirt project. The printing can be done in two ways. The first method involves screen printing on the front of the shirt, flipping it over, and then screen printing on the back. This method may result in a slight gap or misalignment at the side where the images should meet. The second method involves loading the shirt on its side and screen printing it once, with part of the image on the front and part on the back. This method is challenging because it is difficult to stretch the shirt far enough to achieve a seamless print.

True wrap-around T-shirt printing is typically done in a cut-and-sew environment, before the T-shirt has been created, using traditional screen printing techniques with specialised equipment and inks. Screen printing over seams can cause smudging, and multi-colour registration of designs is challenging. Therefore, it is important to set realistic expectations for the final product.

To achieve a vertical wrap-around screen print, it is recommended to use a company that specialises in this type of printing, such as AMBRO Manufacturing, which has the necessary equipment and expertise.

Using Saran wrap to print on a T-shirt

If you want to print on a T-shirt without using transfer paper, you can use Saran wrap. This method is easy and quick, and you can do it at home with just a few general household items.

First, print out a graphic of your choice on normal paper. Cut a piece of Saran wrap so that it covers the image entirely, and then cut the Saran wrap in half. Next, sandwich the paper so that the Saran wrap covers both sides. Smooth out the edges to remove any air or bubbles, and then cut around the picture. Place the picture on your T-shirt where you want it, and cut a piece of parchment paper to place on top.

Now, carefully iron the parchment paper, using the lowest setting on your iron. Move the iron slowly over the paper. The Saran wrap should melt from the heat, adhering to the T-shirt. Finally, peel off the parchment paper to reveal your printed design.

This method of T-shirt printing is a great way to upgrade old T-shirts. However, it is important to note that the results may not be perfect. There may be slight misalignments or gaps where the image connects from the front to the back of the T-shirt. Additionally, screen printing over seams can cause smudging.

If you are looking for a more professional finish, you may want to consider other methods such as screen printing or dye-sublimation printing. These methods typically require specialized equipment and inks, and are usually done in a cut-and-sew environment before the T-shirt is created. However, with Saran wrap, you can easily print on a T-shirt at home without any special equipment.

Large-scale screen printing

Understand the Design Requirements:

Before starting, it is important to understand the design requirements for the wrap-around T-shirt print. There are typically two types of requests: a horizontal wrap-around print that goes from the front of the T-shirt, under the armpit, and around to the back; and a vertical wrap-around print that goes from the bottom hem to the shoulder seam on both the front and back of the T-shirt.

Choose the Right Printing Method:

For large-scale screen printing, the traditional screen printing method is used. This involves creating a large screen for each colour in the design. Each screen is used to apply ink over the entire shirt, one colour at a time. This method is better suited for graphic-heavy prints with fewer colours.

Prepare the Artwork:

The quality of the final screen print heavily depends on the quality of the original artwork. If you are designing the artwork yourself, use software like Illustrator, Photoshop, or Procreate to clean up the artwork and separate the colours. This is necessary because each colour in the design will require a separate screen.

Print a Film Positive:

Once the artwork is finalised and the colours are separated, print a film positive transparency. This is similar to an overhead transparency, and it will be used to burn the image onto a silk screen. Print the desired image onto the film positive using black ink.

Expose the Image Onto a Screen:

To make the screen, you will need a screen printing frame made of wood or aluminium, stretched with polyester mesh. The mesh holds the image and allows ink to pass through. Coat the mesh with emulsion and expose it to light using a screen printing exposure unit or an exposure lightbulb. The emulsion hardens where it is exposed to light, and the unexposed areas are rinsed away, leaving a stencil of your design on the screen.

Set Up the Screen Printing Press:

Set up the screens on the screen printing press. A manual press can have as few as one colour arm and one station or as many as eight colour arms and six stations. More colour arms and stations allow for printing more colours and faster production.

Register the Colours:

If your design involves multiple colours, you will need to register the colours together so that they line up correctly when printed on the T-shirt. Use a press with a laser guiding system or micro-registration for more accurate results. Perform a test print to ensure that the colours are aligned correctly.

Prepare the T-shirt and Print:

Apply pallet adhesive to the platen to ensure the T-shirt stays in place during printing. Load the T-shirt onto the press and align the printhead. Before locking the printhead, flood the screen with ink. Lock the printhead and push or pull the ink across the screen to deposit it onto the T-shirt. Repeat this process for each colour in your design.

Cure the Print:

After printing, the ink needs to be cured, or dried and set, in the garment. This can be done using a conveyor dryer or a flash dryer. Refer to the ink container for the proper cure temperature. If the shirt is not cured properly, the ink will not last, and the print will degrade over time.

Frequently asked questions