At Conbello Textile, we recommend the most appropriate printing technologies—free of charge—based on your garment's design, print artwork, fabric type, and weight. This ensures the most durable, cost-effective, and visually pleasing result for your brand.
The ideal printing method depends on various factors like fabric type, elastane content, usage, and design complexity.
Water-Based Screen Printing: Best for premium sportswear due to its soft touch, breathability, and deep penetration into the fabric. It's eco-friendly and durable, suitable for cotton and polyester blends with moderate stretch.
Plastic-Based (Plastisol) Screen Printing: Commonly used for budget sportswear. It creates a thick plastic-like layer on the fabric surface. While vibrant in color, it’s not breathable and can crack or peel, especially on elastic fabrics. It also contains PVC and phthalates, which are not environmentally friendly. Ideal for promotional items but not for high-performance sportswear.
Discharge and Primer-Based Screen Printing: For dark polyester fabrics, a primer base is essential to prevent color migration. Discharge inks or specially formulated underbases allow for vibrant, soft, and long-lasting results.
DTG printing provides detailed, full-color designs by spraying ink directly onto the garment. It works best on 100% cotton fabrics with light shades.
Print Durability: On polyester or cotton/poly blends, DTG prints may peel or fade after a few washes. Special treatments and curing processes are needed to enhance longevity.
Cost Factor: DTG is significantly more expensive than screen printing or DTF due to ink cost, slow speed, and post-treatment requirements. It's not ideal for bulk orders unless customization is key. For small cotton batches with intricate designs, it can be cost-effective.
Water-based inks soak into the fabric, resulting in a soft, breathable feel with vivid, long-lasting colors. They don’t sit as a thick layer like plastisol, making them ideal for activewear. They are also environmentally friendly and suitable for sensitive skin.
Heat transfer printing can be used on many fabrics but lacks durability for premium sportswear. It's better for short-term use or fashion items. Sublimation (a type of heat transfer) works excellently on 100% polyester and gives vibrant, fade-proof results.
Elastane (spandex) increases stretch. Printing on high-elastane materials needs flexible inks and careful curing to avoid cracking. Screen printing with stretch additives or silicone inks is ideal.
Conbello Textile uses 40+ years of experience and advanced machinery to choose the right technique. From fabric testing to post-curing, every step ensures durability, sustainability, and visual excellence.
DTF is cost-effective and good for small runs. It bonds film to the fabric surface, creating a plastic-like layer. It lacks durability and may peel or crack after washes. Dye migration can fade colors. Best for casual wear, not performance gear.
Sublimation is used mostly on jerseys and applied to white, 100% polyester. Cotton lowers quality. The surface must be clean and lint-free for best results.
Embroidery depends on fabric type, weight, and stitch density. Wrong combinations cause puckering or thread breaks. Appliqué and towel-stitching add texture. Conbello ensures professional execution aligned with garment specs.