Direct thermal and thermal transfer printing are two different thermal printing methods for producing high-quality labels and other printed media. Both technologies are great choices for printing barcodes, text and images, but understanding the differences between the two technologies will help you select the ideal printer for your application.
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To make the right choice, watch our brief video. Then keep reading to get all the details you need on these distinctive thermal print technologies.
A direct thermal printer prints by applying heat to the material. It does not use any ribbon, ink or toner, but it requires a special type of heat-sensitive material that blackens when heat is applied.
Because the label material is heat sensitive, it fades and the label can become hard to read and scan over time. In addition, direct thermal labels are sensitive to abrasions and exposure to water, chemicals, and strong sunlight.
For these reasons, direct thermal printing is not the best choice for long-term use. By the same token, direct thermal printing still provides a sufficient lifetime for many applications. In general, direct thermal is best for applications that require a label that needs to last less than six months, such as shipping labels, receipts, tickets, and labels for perishable goods.
Due to their simpler, ribbon-free mechanics, direct thermal printers are more compact, and most mobile printers use direct thermal technology.
With no ribbon needed to print, direct thermal printers are also easy to operate and have fewer components that can fail. Usually, these printers have a lower purchase price and require less maintenance and repair attention than thermal transfer printers. And while direct thermal labels are slightly more expensive, you don’t have to spend money on ribbons.
Pros
Cons
Thermal transfer printers use ribbons made of wax or resin-based ink that melt onto the printing media (e.g., a label or similar) and create a long-lasting, high-quality image. This technique provides unmatched printing quality and durability.
Thermal transfer printing is ideal for long-term applications in which the printing media will be used for more than six months or will be exposed to harsh conditions such as chemicals, light, high temperatures or water. For this reason, thermal transfer printing is great for asset tracking, laboratory specimens and blood bags, outdoor applications, permanent identification, and cold and freezer storage.
Thermal transfer offers a large variety of printing materials, including paper, plastic and polyester. These materials have varying levels of longevity, with polyester being the most durable with the longest lifetime. Label materials can be carefully matched with different types of ribbons for maximum durability. In addition, thermal transfer printers provide the option to use colored ribbons to improve label appearance or to streamline operation with color-coded labels.
Some thermal transfer printers can also operate in direct thermal mode without the use of ribbons. This can be a good option for smaller businesses that want the extra flexibility but do not want the hassle or cost of multiple printers.
Pros
Cons
The most important things to consider when selecting between the two technologies are:
Direct thermal printers are great for short-term applications (less than six months), while thermal transfer printers are best suited for long-term applications (more than six months) or if the label will be exposed to extended outdoor use or other harsh conditions.
Because of their unique benefits and drawback, direct thermal and thermal transfer print technologies will continue to coexist and be used for different applications within a given organization. While thermal transfer printers might prove useful for original product marking, direct thermal printers might remain the go-to choice for pick tickets and shipping.
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Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) and screen printing are two processes for making promotional T-shirts or fabric items. If you want to make shirts branded for your company, these are usually the first two options you’ll come across. Here’s what you need to know about screen printing before you make your choice!
Printed promotional apparel is among one of the most popular categories of promo items. From casual to formal, outdoor to accessories, apparel is something everyone loves. This go-to choice turns your recipients into walking billboards for your brand!
When it comes to customizing t-shirts and other apparel items, there are two main ways to get a logo or other artwork onto the product: heat-transfer printing and screen printing. While both methods essentially transfer an image onto fabric, there are plenty of differences and situations where one method might be better suited than the other.
In addition to their advantages and disadvantages, the two designs come out quite differently, so customer preference also comes into play. Let’s take a closer look at these two imprint methods:
A somewhat recent innovation, heat transferring images to fabric has become more popular in the last 20 years. A heat transfer uses a combination of heat and pressure to print images onto t-shirts and other items. There are two main kinds of heat transfer methods: vinyl and digital print. Both methods require the use of a heat-press machine. Here’s a 10 second video to show you:
How Does a Vinyl Heat Transfer Work?
The vinyl heat-transfer process uses a machine to cut out individual letters and designs from pieces of colored vinyl. The full image is then pieced together on the promo item and pressed with heat to transfer the image to the item. This method is best suited for printing sportswear jerseys, slogans, or small, multi-colored graphics.
How Does Digital Print Heat Transfer Work?
A digital print heat transfer is accomplished through a process much like a home printer. The full graphic image is designed on the computer and digitally printed onto high-quality paper using a special, solvent ink. When the paper is pressed to the promo item with heat, the ink adheres to the material and the graphic image transfers to the item. T-shirts and other garments printed using this method offer high-resolution images and are ideal for complex designs with many colors.
Heat transfers are great for smaller print runs or jobs that involve many colors. This method of printing requires a special printer and quality of paper, as well as a heating press to set the design in place.
The Pros:
o More cost-effective for smaller orders
o Easy to print images containing multiple colors and complex designs
o Affordable setup keeps costs down
o Produces high-quality images
o Allows you to easily customize different shirts
o Clean and environmentally friendly
The Cons:
o Not ideal for darker shirts
o Designs don’t last as long as screen printed shirts
o Results in a stiffer feel on the fabric
o Colors aren’t as bright as screen printed shirts
Screen printing basically uses screens and ink to transfer an image onto a t-shirt or promo item. While original forms of this art date back to around 960 AD, screen printing in its current form was not discovered until the 1910s after several printers stumbled upon the modern emulsion process. It wasn’t until Andy Warhol began popularizing the practice in the 1960s that screen printing (or silk screening as it’s also called) really started being used in the mainstream.
To get the desired effect, the screen is first cut to create what is essentially a stencil for the design. The ink is then spread over the screen with a squeegee, passing through the “stencil” to the t-shirt or promo item underneath. Only one color may be used for each screen, so for a design with multiple colors you will need multiple screens.
Screen printing shirts is a simple process. The printer starts by placing a reverse negative of the design on a silk screen.
During the printing process, the printer uses special ink to create the exact colors you want. They flatten the shirt, put it inside a metal press, put the screen down and add the ink, using a squeegee to apply it. Then, the printing company dries the T-shirts and inspects them to ensure the design looks perfect and is positioned in the right location.
This process can be more time-consuming for designs that have many colors; however, screen-printed art tends to last much longer than heat-pressed art. It also requires more chemicals and equipment for it to work.
Here’s a quick 8-second video to show you:
Screen printing T-shirts create a durable, long-lasting design that can endure between 40 and 50 washes in the machine. The ink used for screen printing is extremely thick and penetrates the fabric deeply. Using the gentle cycle, washing the shirt inside out or hand-washing it can prolong the screen printing design even longer.
It’s possible to screen print by hand or with a machine. With either method, the basics of the process are always the same:
Screen printing is an efficient process that makes it easy to get shirts with promotional images or messaging for any business. When you reach out with a design idea, we’ll create a mock-up of it. With your approval, we’ll make it into a stencil on a mesh screen to complete the printing process.
The Pros:
o Screen printing is more cost effective for large quantities
o Results in a softer feel on fabrics
o Designs are more durable and last longer
o Allows for more vibrant colors, even on a dark-colored fabrics
The Cons:
o Limited to simple designs with few colors
o The process can be messy and time consuming up front
o Expensive to set up requiring higher minimums – not suitable for small orders
o Not ideal for photo replication
o Uses more chemicals and equipment than heat transfers
When it comes to printing quality, there are a couple ways to look at it: durability and resolution. While heat-pressed items yield a higher resolution image to start with, the image won’t last as long as one on a screen-printed item.
Freshly printed it will likely appear that the graphic produced using the heat transfer method is of better quality; however, over time graphics produced using the screen-printing method will appear of better quality.
During the screen-printing process, the ink actually becomes part of the fabric as opposed to a heat-pressed ink that just sits on top of the fabric. That’s why heat-transfers don’t hold up as well to machine washing and drying – they may crack and fade over time whereas screen prints tend to hold fast and true.
While screen prints may hold up better in the long run, you’re limited in the complexity of the design with screen prints. Heat transfers allow more freedom in color and sophistication making a more crisp-looking image (but keep in mind the crisp look will not last as long).
Heat transfer vinyl is another option for putting designs onto T-shirts. Both methods offer pros and cons. For example, screen-printed shirts are more durable than HTV because they are made from ink. The ink goes into the shirt material, while an HTV design stays on the surface. This surface-level exposure makes the HTV design more likely to crack or fade during use and wash. A screen-printed shirt should last for numerous washes, if not the entire life of the shirt.
That said, HTV is an easier process than screen printing — so there is a benefit if you’re on a tight timeline! However, because HTV printing is easier and quicker, the results are often of lower quality compared to screen printing.
In terms of budget, both printing methods are often cost-effective in their own ways. Since screen-printed designs can be reused, they often outweigh the low cost of vinyl.
The printing method best for you depends on your individual needs. Consider your answers to following questions when deciding between the two:
• Does your imprint image have a complex, detailed design?
Yes = Heat transfer will cost-effectively produce the crispest image
• Does your imprint image contain more than two or three colors?
Yes = Heat transfer is the more cost-effective method
• What color is the t-shirt fabric you’re printing on?
Dark = Screen printing will produce the more vibrant imprint
Light = Heat transfer will produce the more vibrant image
• Does your target audience value environment-friendly products?
Yes = Heat transfer will add value
• How many shirts or promo items are you ordering?
Less than 500 = Heat transfer is the more cost-effective method
More than 500 = Screen printing is the more cost-effective method
• Does your target audience prefer longer-lasting clothing and promos or a higher-end appearance for the short-term?
Higher quality, short-term = Heat transfer is the best method for you
Lower resolution, lasting image = Screen printing is the best method for you
While both methods offer solutions to getting a design onto a t-shirt or other product, screen printing and heat transfers are each great for different reasons. If you are printing customized designs with different names (such as sports team uniforms), a heat transfer might be the most cost-effective way to go; however, if you are printing a larger order of the same image and want a more durable design, screen printing is likely your best bet.
It all depends on what you need and what’s important to your target audience.
At ePromos, we create screen-printed, HTV and embroidered promotional T-shirts for companies. Whether you want to get a message out or commemorate an event, we can help. Shop our promotional apparel today or contact us for further assistance!
For more imprint method options, check out our glossary. And if you have any questions about heat transfer vs. screen printing or other imprint methods, give us a call! Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is happy to help you find the best possible imprint and item for your unique situation.
Updated August 16, 2022
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