8 Ways to Embellish T-shirts

8 Ways to Embellish T-shirts

It seems that we have been embellishing garments for centuries, from basic and rudimentary techniques to technological breakthroughs of today. You can personalize and customize almost anything. Here will break down some of the most popular decorating techniques. 

1-Screenprinting

Even though it got its start in China in approximately 960 AD it is still in use today as a modern embellishing technique. Screen Printing involves the use of one or more screens imprinted with a design, each screen representing a different piece of the design and used to layer separate colors of pigment onto the garment. Screen printed designs can last for approximately 60 washes and include some fairly complex designs but also takes up quite a bit of space and takes some time to allow the inks to dry or cure between layers.

2-Heat Transfer Vinyls

Not your mother’s iron on lol. Things have come a long way from the days of your mother’s iron on designs although there are still some comparable forms of printable iron ons. More common are the vinyls of all colors that are cut into images via a cutting machine i.e. Cricut, Silhouette, Siser types of appliances and then pressed onto the garment with a heat press that provides high temps and pressures over the entire surface of the garment. The world of htv is expanding constantly and is now available in a wide variety of colors and finishes ranging from glitter to puff and flock textures.

3-Sublimation

Sublimation is the process of printed inks that are heated to a gas that is then pressed into the garment. A specialized printer is used to lay the inks on a paper specifically made for holding the inks to transfer onto the medium. This process can be done on many items from clothing to tumblers, mugs, license plates and coasters. Sublimation is best done on polyester fabrics of 50% or higher and mostly white. Many decorators have gotten around this by using a bleaching technique that whiten of area of a color shirt large enough for the sublimation design. Due to the amount of bleach used the shirts tend to not last as long before developing holes. It is also a lot of practice finding the perfect time and temperature to get the best looking vivid color transfer. 

4 DTF & DTG

One of the newer processes in the industry is the Direct to Film and Direct to Garment printing. This involves printing designs with a white ink never before used and is as it sounds either printed on to a PET film and coated with a powder that is then melted over the printed image that will then be pressed onto the garment or with DTG printed directly onto the garment. While some decorators have been able to convert specific printers and ovens to duplicate the process on a smaller at home scale it is still a very expensive process to set up.

5-Airbrushing

Believe it or not airbrushing is still a viable and widely used technique in which inks are pressurized through a special air gun and sprayed onto the fabric called atomization The designs are then heat pressed to set and seal the paints. Airbrushing  requires a certain amount of skill and artistic talent compared to some of the other techniques. With proper care airbrushed shirts can last for years 

6-Fabric Paints

While it was the hot thing to do in the late 80s to early 90’s it's believed to have started much longer ago. Printing blocks have been discovered dating back to 3000 BC according to Dharma Trading.  It has given way to the more modern forms of decorating but you can still find supplies in many craft stores and the finished products at craft fairs and farmers markets in many areas. Everything from basic color paints to glow in the dark, glitter and even puff paint in little squeeze bottles were available in a rainbow of colors and safe and easy to use for all ages. Designs can be applied with stencils, stamping inks onto the fabric with all sorts of items including images carved out of a potato. Finger, or hand painting is also fun for the kids.

7-Bedazzle

We can't leave out the Bedazzler, hot in the 90s and the preteen girls to die for accessory was the Bedazzler.It affixed rhinestones, and studs to items with a stapler type gun pushing prongs through and flattening on the back side of items like denim jeans, jackets and totes. The craze is making its comeback and can be found in stores today. Hotfix rhinestones are also available and can be designed using some cutting machines like the Silhouette. TRW, The Rhinestone Warehouse has an extensive line of supplies for affixing rhinestones to garments and hard mediums like tumblers. 

8-Tie Dye

It's not just for Hippies. While it is an artform reminiscent of the 70’s and the flower child tie dying is still a widely practiced technique today. The process involves twisting and tying the garment, usually white t-shirts tightly and securing it in several places with rubber bands and then squirting sections in patterns with different colors resulting in a rainbow of colors in various patterns and designs across the whole of the shirt. Some artists have been able to develop enough skill to design incredible images you wouldn't think achievable in a twisted shirt.

As you can see, garment decorating can be done by anyone of any age and any skill level. It is an artform that has grown and developed consistently over hundreds,  even thousands of years. From dying fabrics with plants to printing images directly onto a shirt it has evolved into an ever growing market projected to reach $99 billion by 2033 tripling from $29.4 billion in 2023. This leaves room for everyone with a passion to decorate and customize apparel. 

Do you practice an embellishing technique that I didn’t mention? Tell us about it and share something you’ve made here.