T-Shirt Printing Alton, IL
T-Shirt Printing Alton, IL. When you have a group trip, work event, or fundraising endeavor to organize, custom screen printed t-shirts are a fun and effective tool. Alton, IL t-shirt printing is meant for everything from marketing a brand to enhancing team-building efforts to having some fun with a life event. When it comes to t-shirt printing, the options are virtually limitless. To get the best possible design and print, you need a reliable t-shirt printing shop with talented print and design team members who serve the Alton, IL area. You know that with STL Shirt Co., you are receiving great care from the top professionals.
STL Shirt Co. is the leading screen printing shop serving the Alton, IL area. We have been meeting your screen printing and embroidery needs for nearly half a century. You will always experience the best Alton, IL t-shirt printing experience at STL Shirt Co. To begin your order or to speak to us about our capabilities, call 636-926-2777 or send us a text at 636-299-0162 right away.
The T-Shirt Printing Process
STEP ONE – Place your order.
You know you want to have some t-shirt printing done for your upcoming occassion, school group, athletic team, or some other use. You place the order and the Alton, IL t-shirt printing process is set into motion. When you order your shirts, you will have to decide on the:
- Brand, cut, style, material, and color of the shirts
- Ink type and color(s)
- Design to be printed
If this already feels overwhelming, don’t fret! STL Shirt Co. will offer counsel and assurance during every step of the t-shirt printing process. Our professional screen printers and designers are available to help you. Need help designing a logo that perfectly captures your vision? You can rely on our professional design team. If you want to know which shirt or colors will work best for your needs, we can help with that too.
STEP TWO – We make the screen
After you have created your design, we go about preparing the screen that allows us to get your design printed on your shirts. The design is first printed on a transparent sheet of film. Depending on the specifics of your order, our t-shirt printing team will select the best mesh screen to use in printing your shirts. To the screen, we apply a photo-sensitive substance called emulsion. That film we printed your design on is placed on the screen and the screen is exposed to light. Light is blocked from reaching the screen wherever the design is on the film and the rest of the emulsion hardens in the light. This is how we create the stencil.
For designs with more than one color ink, we repeat the process above, making a screen for each color in the design.
STEP THREE – We print.
Then, it is time to add the ink. Screen printing such as t-shirt printing usually uses a special ink called plastisol. Have you ever noticed how, on a printed shirt, you can feel the texture of the design, but it is still soft and flexible? What you are feeling is the plastisol ink. Plastisol is ideal for screen printing because it withstands washes, moves with the fabric material of your shirt, and shows up vibrantly on any color t-shirt.
The screens we made are attached to a printing press, with each shirt pulled taut and placed on a plate below. We work deliberately to make sure everything is registered and lined up precisely so to make sure the design is printed in the right position on your t-shirt. We apply ink on top of the screen and pull a squeegee across the entire screen to apply and press the ink onto the shirt. This process is repeated for every single t-shirt we print, and if your design has more than one color, we repeat it for each color on every shirt. There is an art to applying the ink precisely so it shows up nicely and retains the sharp lines in the original design. Lucky for you, our t-shirt printing team has mad skills.
STEP FOUR – The ink cures.
Now your awesome design is on your shirts! But they aren’t ready to go yet. After the ink is applied, the ink has to cure. In other words, we have to turn the ink from a liquid into a solid so it becomes permanent on your t-shirts. To do this we introduce the ink to heat. It takes research and trial and error to perfect the curing process. It is possible to damage the shirt or the print when you don’t use the correct temperature or amount of time. We know what we’re doing, though, so you know your prints will turn out great.
STEP FIVE – You get your shirts!
After the ink is cured, it means that your t-shirts are officially printed! Next, we fold the shirts up nicely and pass them off to you. We will package them up and have your shirts or other printed items ready in just a handful of days. If you need it, ask us about shipping your order to you. If you find your self in a tight spot and need your t-shirts printed even faster, we even offer rush printing services.
T-Shirt Printing Orders
In our humble opinion, [t-shirt printing is a magical, beautiful thing. What can we say — we’re passionate about what we do. Now that we’ve gotten you thoroughly excited about the idea of screen printing t-shirt, you are likely ready to place an order. If you don’t have an immediate need for t-shirt printing, keep in mind the following reasons and occasions for which t-shirt printing is ideal.
Try Alton, IL t-shirt printing for…
- Athletic teams
- Team fans
- School groups and organizations
- Fundraising
- Event and organization volunteers
- Bachelor & bachelorette parties
- Corporate events
- Class reunions
- Family vacations
- Company picnics
- Birthdays
- Clubs
- Swag for businesses and organizations
- Work shirts
- Union events and organizations
The list goes on! There are a million different occasions that t-shirt printing and other screen printing can make even better. You name it, we have probably printed for it. No matter what Alton, IL t-shirt printing services you need, you can trust STL Shirt Co..
Choosing a Partner for Alton, IL T-Shirt Printing
Screen printing custom t-shirts are fun, effective, and personalized. But not all t-shirt printing is equal. When you are looking for printed garments or any screen printed items, the difference between what an established and respected printing shop can do and what school children ironing on decals in their basement can do is immense. We are rooting for aspiring printers and certainly don’t have anything against out-of-the-basement operations (many great screen printing shops have started out this way!). Still, as the customer, you will see a distinct difference in the quality, customer service, and capabilities available to you when you choose an accomplished and well-regarded t-shirt printing company for the Alton, IL area like STL Shirt Co.
To top it all off, we are a union screen printing shop. Having your Alton, IL t-shirt printing done by a union shop means that the people printing your t-shirts have had extensive training and have demonstrated their talent in what they do. Not only that, but shopping at a union shop for t-shirt printing or anything else allows you to endorse fair labor conditions and support the local and US economy. The next time you have a Alton, IL t-shirt printing order, make the choice to support a union print shop.
Screen Printing Services
Embroidery
Basic Polo
With Embroidery
STL Shirt Co.: A Top T-Shirt Printing Company for Alton, IL
At STL Shirt Co., we are all about t-shirt printing. You may think us a bit biased, but the fact is that screen printing on t-shirts, hoodies, and other garments is a reliable and versatile method for creating quality custom apparel for your next event. Whatever the reason, whether you have a school sports team in need of cotton jerseys for the upcoming season or a group or organization you are a part of needs new swag, STL Shirt Co.’s t-shirt printing services are ready to help. When you need t-shirts printed for a special occasion, you expect great quality and helpful service. With STL Shirt Co., that is what you get.
STL Shirt Co. has been providing quality t-shirt printing and other screen printing services for people in the Alton, IL area and beyond for over 45 years. With highly skilled union-member screen printing technicians, a exceptional turnaround time, and professional design services, our t-shirt printing services are the best around. Any time you need t-shirt printing in Alton, IL, count on STL Shirt Co. Speak to us today at 636-926-2777, text us at 636-299-0162, or request a quote online to begin your t-shirt printing order today.