T-Shirt Printing and Customization Guide

Customizing t-shirts is a creative and effective way to promote a brand, create merchandise, uniforms, or unique pieces for events.
At Grafipronto , we use different techniques to guarantee the best result depending on the design, fabric, and desired quantity.

In this guide, we explain the main printing techniques we use — DTF , digital transfer printing , and flex vinyl — and also present our premium and creative option: the Fullprint Unisex T-shirt , available exclusively online.

🎯 1. DTF (Direct-to-Film) Printing

How it works:
The design is printed onto a special film with pigmented inks, coated with polyurethane powder, and then transferred to the fabric using heat and pressure.

✅ Advantages:

• High color definition and very small details, ideal for intricate logos, photographic images with shadows, and white printing.

• It works on almost all types of fabric (cotton, polyester, blends, and dark fabrics).

• Good durability even after many washes.

• Allows for small print runs or one-of-a-kind pieces with excellent quality.

⚠️ Disadvantages:

• This process involves several steps, making production slower than simple stamping or vinyl printing.

• Slight embossing on the fabric, perceptible to the touch in highly saturated designs.

💡 Ideal for:
Merchandising, custom uniforms, intricate designs with lots of detail, and colorful clothing items.

🎯 2. Digital Printing with Transfer

How it works:
The design is printed on special transfer paper using a Xerox digital laser printer with high-definition toner.
Then, the transfer is applied to the t-shirt using a heat press , fixing the image onto the fabric.

✅ Advantages:

• Very fast production, ideal for short deadlines and small print runs.

• Vivid and crisp colors, excellent for simple images and logos.

• It allows you to print photos, gradients, and fine details.

• A good option for light-colored fabrics, especially white T-shirts .

⚠️ Disadvantages:

• On black or very dark t-shirts, the result may vary (sometimes it loses contrast or saturation).

• Less breathable in large areas due to the transfer film.

• Lower durability compared to DTF in very common washes.

💡 Ideal for:
White T-shirts for events, giveaways, small print runs, and quick on-the-spot customization.

🎯 3. Printing on Flex Vinyl (Cut or Print)

How it works:
The vinyl is cut (for solid colors) or printed (for complex images) and then applied to the fabric with heat and pressure.

✅ Advantages:

• Very high durability, especially for logos and cut-out images.

• Possibility of special effects such as metallic, glitter, fluorescent or holographic .

• Good resistance to washing.

⚠️ Disadvantages:

• Less suitable for complex images with many details.

• Thicker and more "plastic" to the touch.

• More time-consuming for designs with many small elements.

💡 Ideal for:
Names, numbers, simple logos, and pieces with special effects.

🆕 4. Unisex Fullprint T-Shirt

The Fullprint Unisex T-shirt is the ideal choice for those seeking unlimited customization.
With this technology, the print covers the entire surface of the t-shirt — front, back, sleeves and collar — creating a completely integrated and professional look.

How it works:
The custom design is printed in sections and directly onto the cotton or polyester fabric. After printing, the T-shirt is sewn on, resulting in a complete customization.
The result is a vibrant, comfortable t-shirt with a completely soft feel.

✅ Advantages:

• Full print (front and back) with no visible margins or cutouts.

• Soft and natural to the touch, even in large prints.

• Vibrant colors, resistant to washing, and easy to iron.

• Production is possible in both 100% cotton and polyester , adapting to the desired purpose.

• Ideal for creative designs, advertising visuals, and exclusive collections.

⚠️ Disadvantages:

• Available only online , with a slightly longer production time as it is printed piece by piece and then assembled manually at the end.
  

💡 Ideal for:
Custom brand creations, designer collections, creative events, and high-impact merchandising.

👉 View product in the online store

🏆 Quick Comparison

👕 Grafipronto T-shirts

At Grafipronto we have a variety of t-shirt colors for customization, although black and white models are the most common in stock for immediate production in local stores .

• Physical stores: models for men and women are available at Grafipronto in Shopping Cidade do Porto and at Grafipronto in El Corte Inglés Gaia .

• Online: unisex models and the new Fullprint model, with full front and back printing, are available for direct customization on the website.

T-shirt characteristics:

• 190 g/m², 100% cotton jersey knit (shaded grey: 90% cotton / 10% viscose)

• Carded cotton yarn

• 1x1 ribbed collar

• Jersey reinforcement tape

• Double stitching on the sleeves and bottom.

• Tubular

• Regular cut

• Enzymatic treatment

🌱 Which one is more environmentally friendly?

• DTF: Water-based inks with reduced waste, but the film and dust are plastic.

• Digital Printing (Xerox + Transfer): Consumes little material and energy, but the transfer material is plastic that must be recycled.

• Vinyl Flex: Less sustainable, but very durable, using PVC.

• Fullprint: Solvent-free sublimation technology, with less environmental impact and no plastic waste.

📌 Conclusion

Each technique has its place.
If you're looking for speed , digital printing with transfer is unbeatable.
If you need unique details and versatility , DTF is the right choice.
If your focus is on visual impact and durability , flexible vinyl is ideal.
And if you want total creative freedom , Fullprint is the premium solution — available exclusively online at Grafipronto .

📞 Contact us or visit our stores and discover which technique and T-shirt model is best suited for your project.