T-shirt Options

Screen printing is no longer just ink on a shirt. Communigrapihcs is up to date in the latest in ink and printing technology. For something that looks and feels great, CommuniGraphics can't be beat! Here are some of the printing options we offer:

FUN IN THE SUN INK - Want something new and different this is it! Print your tshirt with inks that become visible only in the sunlight. They disappear when you go indoors. Great for all types of programs, outdoor events, kids tees and just for making a statement. Our designers are fabulous at working in permeant inks with inks that show up in sunlight to make fun creative designs that say WOW!

DISCHARGE - What the public call "soft prints" or "soft inks" is the result of discharge printing. Discharge ink is a transparent ink that deactivates the dye in 100% cotton garments effectively "bleaching" the area it is printed on. We use this as an "underboss" on dark garments or as a print on lighter ones. Because of the nature of the bleaching agent you can't always get real, clean crisp prints but you do get an "old" look that is very popular with manufacturers like "Old Navy, Abercrombie and Polo". The soft feel or "hand" as we call it in the industry makes it a popular alternative to traditional screenprint inks. It is a little more expensive than regular printing inks, but so worth it!

WATERBASE - The actual softest prints (with actual ink) come from waterbase printing. A process that has been used for years on towels but has recently made it's way onto T-shirts. CommuniGraphics often uses waterbed ink on light (white, pink, grey) garments for a soft hand or feel to the print. By combining waterbase ink with discharge ink (read above) we can also create soft hand on dark color garments. Because all screenprint inks are transparent we have to first use the discharge ink on dark garments to remove the color from them and then print with the waterbase ink. This creates a true color and doesn't combine the ink color with the T-shirt color (remember inks are transparent). This is very learned skill in the industry and is not found in your average screenprint shop. Very few printers do it and do it well. CommuniGraphics prides itself on doing discharge and waterbase printing for companies like Budweiser and Coke. Again using these inks is more expensive, but it is the T-shirt that is everyone's favorite in the drawer and gets worn over and over and over!

ALL OVER PRINTS - Communigraphics can print your garments from one seam to the other. We will also print over the color and sleeves or around the side of thirst. We maintain a minimum of 12 pieces on this type of printing.

SMEAR - CommuniGraphics loves to smear prints. This is the process of putting multiple colors of ink in a screen and pulling the squeegee over the screen not being real sure what the results might be. It can be compared to tye dying. With the right artwork this process creates fun looks were every shirt is a little bit different but the results can be very impressive and eye catching.

FOIL - CommuniGraphics screen print your design with an adhesive and apply thin foil to the areas (available in different colors) . The customer ends up with a shiny metallic print. Our graphics artist love to use foil in designs especially for school spirit events. They shirts say "wow" and wash well.

FULL COLOR PROCESS - Process printing is mixing black and the 3 primary colors (red, yellow and blue) to create full color, photo quality images. CommuniGraphics has been doing full color process printing on thirst for over 7 years. We have it down, know what does and doesn't print well and can help you create full color images on t-shrits that will outlast the T-shirt with the right art. Digitally printed T-shirt technology is not perfected yet to outlast wash after wash with the quality detergents that companies like Proctor and Gamble provide (ie: Tide, Cheer, etc). Therefore CommuniGraphics does not offer digitally printed garments. We do however do full color process printing on a minimum of 72 piece T-shirt orders. You will be happy with the results.

GLITTER - Want t-shirts that really sparkle? Glitter is every screenprinters nightmare and our biggest challenge. Printing glitter is truly like making glitter designs on paper with Elmers Glue when you were a child. We print the t-shirt, shake glitter (not the kind you buy in Walmart!) on the print and dump the excess and run it thru our conveyor dryer. The results are usually fun and fantastic. This process is popular with cheer, dance and gymnastic teams as well as women's spirit apparel.

TRANSFERS - Back in the 70's you could go to the beach, pick out a piece of art off a big wall of designs and they would heat press it onto a T-shirt for you. Well that process is still alive and well in heat transfers. For some companies, manufacturers and recreation leagues who own their own heat press machine, transfers are a real cost savings to have to print garments "as you need them". This is a service we are happy to provide at CommuniGraphics.

SCREENPRINTED TEAM NUMBERS - There are variety of ways to put player numbers on T-shirts and jerseys. Of course applique numbers (we also do) is most popular with major league and college teams. This is fabric sewn onto the jersey. High schools, church league and recreation leagues usually go with the less expensive vinyl or screenprinted number. Vinyl numbers are heavier and are put on thirst by being heat pressed into the shirt. While we offer this service our preferred method is to screenprint numbers (not everyone does this so always ask how your numbers are being done). Screenprinted numbers are softer (it gets hot, if you playing an outdoor sport and vinyl numbers can feel like a heat patch on your back.), but harder to print, line up and keep straight than heat pressed. So while it's more time consuming to do, it is more comfortable and again your print (number) should outlast your T-shirt.

REGULAR SCREENPRINTING - Weather you need 12 shirts with one color on one side of a shirt or 1000 t-shirts with 10 colors on both sides, CommuniGraphics knows the best, most cost effective ways to get it done. We do it fast and we do it right. Regular screenprinting is done with transparent, plastisol inks. That means dark shirts will not look as good without a white underbase printed below the desired print color. Or if you want white ink on a dark shirt it must be printed, heated and then printed at LEAST once again and often three times to get a good bright white print. These are ways lower cost printers cut corner and save money. So although you often think you are getting a better deal somewhere else, you may not be. At CommuniGraphics we pride ourselves on our quality so much we guarantee our work. The fabric you choose can make a difference too, our customer service reps are trained to teach you the difference between 100% cotton and 50/50 or other blend shirts as well as dry tech poly shirts, so you can make a selection you will really be satisfied with for the long run.
  • Polo or golf shirts
  • Sweatshirts
  • T-shirts
  • Aprons
  • Towels
  • Jackets
  • Uniforms
  • Jerseys
  • Caps
  • Golf attire
  • Windvest
  • Wind pullovers
  • Safety apparel
  • Infant and toddler apparel
  • Women's Apparel
  • Children's Apparel
  • Denim
  • Dress and Twill Button Down Shirts
CommuniGraphics has stock designs you can choose from and have your event, team or school name dropped on. In a hurry, don't want to think about art? Browse our stock designs and choose one for your upcoming event or team. We send you a proof and you're done! If you need it simple, it can be simple. Save time and get it faster by choosing fro our stock designs files. We can change copy and color and have you looking fabulous in no time. Our stock designs include:
  • Family reunions
  • Elementary schools
  • Middle schools
  • High schools
  • Teams
  • All types of ball tournaments