RING SPUN YARN

• Much softer hand
• More expensive (like Hanes’ Beefy-T).
• Loose fibers on the fabric’s surface make for a “furry” print surface.
• After laundering the loose fibers break away from the surface (unless matted down with heavy ink layers).
• Result is a print that looks washed out, even after one laundering.
• Small fibers break through the ink layer and reflect light so image looks overcast.
• FIBRILLATION is common — ink is covered by tiny white fibers which have broken through the ink layer.

100% COTTON JERSEY

A plain single-knit fabric treated with a natural dying process.

100% POLY & 50/50 POLY/COTTON BLENDS

• Are dyed with a heated gas, unlike 100% cotton which uses a natural dying process.
• Avoid if printing light colors on dark shirts.
• Avoid if printing light colors on dark shirts.
• The curing process releases dye from the fabric and the dye “SUBLIMATES” the ink (i.e. the dye migrates and dyes the ink color the color of the shirt). This is known as “BLEEDING”. Note that this reaction may not take place or become noticeable for 24 to 48 hours (or longer) after printing. Example: White ink on a Red shirt turns Pink.
• Note that if the same design is printed on different color shirts, the printed ink colors may actually vary on each different color shirt.
• if printing on 100% Poly, choose fabrics that are dyed with catatonic polyester colorants. These dyes are locked into the polyester fibers and resist migration.
• If printing on Poly/Cotton blends, avoid 4 Color Process on White shirts, as these shirts are 5.6 oz. and less, and the weave is not tight enough to achieve a sharp detailed print.