Sunburst Logo LLC

Direct to garment printing, also known as DTG printing, digital direct to garment printing, digital apparel printing, and inkjet to garment printing, is a process of printing on textiles and garments using specialized or modified inkjet technology. The two key requirements of a DTG printer are a transport mechanism for the garment and specialty inks (inkjet textile inks) that are applied to the textile directly and are absorbed by the fibers.

Some digital printers have been built using lower-resolution industrial inkjet print heads like those found in large-format printers used to print signs and banners. Some inkjet technology manufacturers offer products designed for direct textile printing, providing heads, printers ,and inks. The resolution and speed of direct-to-garment inkjet printers have been increased greatly over the last 8 years.

Direct to garment (DTG) printing is most commonly implemented on garments that are made of 100% cotton. Digital printing on dark garments requires a pretreatment or underbase on the fabric in order to achieve opacity on dark garments.

The majority of DTG printers are driven from a computer by the use of software known as a RIP (Raster Image Processor). The RIP software allows the printer to print with larger volumes of ink, generate white ink underbases for dark shirts and also provides for more precision color management through color profiles.

DTG was seen as a viable solution for low-quantity orders previously not possible because of the expensive setup process of screen printing. This opened a new market for the consumer who only needs a quantity of one or small runs of 12 or less, for example.

These large fulfillment centers dominated the market until 2007 when ‘design your own’ online designer solutions entered the market and allowed smaller fulfillment centers to afford similar technology for their own websites.

Give us a call for your digital printing needs or any screen printing or embroidery needs if you’re in the St. Louis metropolitan area. We would love to hear from you.

Nothing ties together an outfit or uniform more than a bag or accessory. If a decorator is selling or promoting bags and accessories, they are short-changing themselves. There is much business to be had with these products. In our business, we will often times quote our potential customers for exactly what they asked for, usually t-shirts, but add something else to the table. Often those things are matching custom bags or caps. We will also offer those things at a discount. Yes, it might be offered at a lower profit margin. However, we just gained a sale if they take advantage of the extra promotion. It is a win-win for both the vendor and the customer.

There are many different types of bags and accessories, such as caps. If appropriate to the customer, camouflage is very popular for bags and hats. Today there are many different styles, even within the camo category. For the male sector, there are the standard camouflage colors, such as olive drab or white camo. For the female sector, there are now camo options such as pink camouflage. The important thing to remember is to target your customer and anticipate what they may want in addition to what they asked for.

For example, a typical customer may want 100 custom screenprinted white tee shirts with a one or two color logo on the front. We will give them quote on the tshirts, but also 100 caps or visors. Sometimes we will quote on a custom screenprinted cap, or sometimes on blank apparel. Regardless, we will make more money on the sale if they agree to get the special one time offer. Sometimes they take it and sometimes they don’t.

If you are in St. Louis and interested in anything with custom screenprinting or custom embroidery, please give us a call for a free quote or fill out the Free Quote Request on our web site. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Within the last 50 years, more and more women have joined the corporate world. It is not unusual to find women business owners and corporate executives. Women want to look the part of an executive also. Manufacturers and retailers have come to realize this and have offered such variety of styles, specifically for women.

With a combination of fit and design, a garment’s overall style complements and meets the needs of the female consumer. There are now different features that add to the functionality and comfort of the garment. Some of these details include back pleats on a twill shirt for added range of movement, vent designs to assist with the jacket’s breathability, storm cuffs with thumbholes to prevent drafts through the sleeves, and moisture wicking materials on a jacket lining or shirt.

Here’s the bottom line, whether you are a male or female, you want to be as comfortable as possible in every situation. That could mean comfort in the work environment, social environment, and physical activity. Along with comfort, you want to look good.

For all your custom screen printing and embroidery needs, please give us a call for a free quote. We have well over 20 years in this business so we are confident that we can offer good advise and feedback to all of your challenges. Whether you are looking for custom t-shirts, polos, jackets, or fleece, we would love to hear from you.

There are new trends as far as the golf shirt or plackets are concerned. New trends in the wholesale garment industry in response to what customers are wanting. You and I want not only comfort, but quality at an affordable price. There are new materials on the market now that were not before.

Today’s polo trends are largely influenced by the expansion of 100 percent polyester and polyester blends. Lycra and spandex are now added to the polyester blends and are becoming more popular. With the addition of Lycra and spandex, it brings another level of comfort with stretch and flexibility. Shirts with Lycra will be more expensive because Lycra is an expensive material.

There are some cheaper alternatives. At the lower end, we are seeing value cotton of 60/40 cotton/polyester blends. Although the marketplace is heading further into 100% polyester and polyester blends, there will always be the consumer who wants the cotton and cotton blends, along with their cost advantages.

If you or your company or organization in the St. Louis area are looking for custom screen printing or custom embroidery with your logo, we would love to give you a fair, competitive quote. We offer all sorts of styles of shirts, jackets, caps, virtually any wearable textile. Give us a call any time. We actually answer our phones.

Technology has had a tremendous impact on almost every sector in our economy and custom T-shirt printing is no exception to that rule. Because of new artwork programs such as Photoshop and llustrator, people are rendering intricate artwork like never before. The St. Louis custom screen printing industry has been challenged with the most complex graphics. The common everyday person is now able to access these particular software programs and incorporate them into their apparel requirements. This would have presented a problem for the old-school shops of 10 to 15 years ago. I remember back in the day when the amount of colors that the image was composed of was the biggest part of the equation regarding how complicated the image was going to be to screen print as well as the quantities that the job required. It used to take the same amount of time and effort to set up a job, whether it was for one piece or whether it was for 500 pieces and would also involve the same amount of time to break the press down and clean up after yourself. We used to have to start with color separations which meant all the colors had to be pulled out from one another in order to generate individual films. For example, if an image was made up of five different colors it would require five different screens. Nowadays an up-to-date state-of-the-art shop is capable of digital T-shirt printing which does not require any color separations or films at all. It significantly cuts down on the time as well as labor involved for setting up a job. A typical screen is composed of nylon mesh surrounded by a wooden frame. The size of the mesh will determine how much ink will pass through. The smaller opening the finer detail you were able to hold. Digital T-shirt printing does away with all that. Think of a typical ink jet printer. But instead of feeding it paper, you feed it textiles and of course it uses a different type of ink. It is capable of replicating the most complicated graphics within a matter of minutes. Quantity does not play as significant of a role either, so that customers who were not looking for high volumes can still be able to acquire a small run reasonably.

Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought that we would be where we’re at today when it comes to efficiency. It makes me scratch my head and wonder where we will be at 15 years down the line? Remember the old cliché it’s a small world? Well with the advances in technology that the internet provides it truly is. Artwork can travel halfway around the world in seconds. We outsource our graphics to a company in Thailand and it is usually produced within a 24-hour turnaround. People would rather get on a major search engine and perform a relevant search such as St. Louis screen printing company then get in their car and drive 5 miles down the road and back home. The whole process from start to finish can be performed via website including payment. The finished product can then be shipped anywhere in the country. My point is that someone in California can find someone in St. Louis to process the order and still be working from their kitchen table and never have to leave the house.

What is popular in the headwear industry nowadays? Knit caps and beanies have been and still are popular. Accents of reflective or safety are important add-ons for the knit category. These are a trending category, especially when added to color. Cap fabric also follows retail trends, such as dark denims.

Trucker caps continue to show growth in the industry. These caps are used for outdoor use, different lifestyles, and of course, athletic. Baseball style caps are always in style and popular.

Who is the typical headwear customer? This question can most accurately be answered with a question. That question is “Who isn’t?”. There are so many reasons for a cap. Many employers have their employees wear a cap that has custom embroidery on it as a part of the employees’ uniform. The custom embroidery or custom screen printing on a cap identifies that person with a company, organization, or team. The logo usually has the name of the organization and their logo.

Another reason for a custom embroidered or custom screen printed cap would be for warmth. A knit cap or beanie would supply warmth to the person wearing it. Many employees work outdoors so they need a head covering to keep them warm.

Are you looking for a great looking hat with your company’s logo on it? We have been in business for almost 20 years and we can make that happen. Give us a call if you are in the St. Louis area, then we can discuss the many options to supply you with custom embroidery or custom screen printing on your caps and hats.

New technology has affected every business, including the screen printing business in St. Louis, MO. Wide-format printers are one of those things. Not every silk screening shop has one of these, but there is a place for them.

When you have a wide-format printer, you open yourself to receiving new business from customers that you did not have before because you can supply their needs for shirts that need to be printed on this type of printer.

What are the obstacles in getting into this type of business? Well, the first one is, of course, the cost. When all is said and done, you may have an investment of $10,000 to $20,000 depending on your needs. This would include the printer itself and ink for the sublimation process. It is possible that you may need to purchase a new heat press in addition to the printer. You may consider leasing the equipment with a buy-out option.

You will want to do a feasibility study in order to see if you can recoup these costs in a certain period of time with the increased business from this type of screen printing. With this technology comes an improved production speed. The greatest part about the digital capabilities of sublimation is that you can print different images, sizes, and types of products at the same time.

By purchasing or leasing this type of equipment, you can increase your business and offer services to your customers that you previously could not. More and more customers are requesting this type of printing for their t-shirts and other apparel in the St. Louis, MO area.

Good luck in your endeavors.

Nothing really sets apart your employees like a uniform. This uniform could be something as simple as a custom screen printed t-shirt with your logo on it, to a jacket that has a custom embroidery logo with the employee’s name on it. I am surprised by the number of retail places that I go into that do not have employee uniforms. When I walk into a store or restaurant, I want to know who is working there and not have to guess and maybe be embarrassed when I ask someone which table do I sit at when they do not work there. When an employee wears a uniform of some sort, the result is good promotion for the company and a polished, professional look. When someone walks into a business, whether a retail store or restaurant, one of the first things that makes a huge impression on them are your employees. What image are you trying to portray? Is it one of professionalism? For just a relatively small investment, you can put your employees in uniforms.

Give us a call, whether you are looking for custom silk screened t-shirts or possibly custom embroidered golf shirts. I am confident that we will give you a quality product for a fair, competitive price. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Well, here it is – October already! The leaves are changing. There are fewer hours of daylight. (I hate that one!) The evenings are cooler. There is crispness in the air. It is autumn now. As the change of seasons occurs, a change in our wardrobe happens. We transition from shorts, t-shirts, and flip flops to jeans, long sleeve shirts, and jackets.

Perhaps you, your company, or your organization is in need of cold weather garment. We can supply you with quality custom screen printing and custom embroidery here in the St. Louis area. Whether you are looking for custom long sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, or jackets, we are confident that we can do a great job for you. We have been in business for almost 2 decades. We will supply you with a fair, competitive price and superior customer service.

Please contact us for all your custom silk screening and custom embroidery needs in St. Louis.

Enjoy the cooler weather!!!

Well, the change of seasons is coming upon us again. We know that there is actually another month or so of summer to go, but all the retailers are clearing out of their summer clothes and bringing in the new fall line. The same goes for custom screen printing and custom embroidery. As the cold months are coming soon, companies are putting in their orders for their employees for their outerwear.

Outerwear encompasses jackets, fleece, hoodies, and the like. There are so many options as far as fashion and styling that were not available in recent times. Moisture wicking or Dri-fit materials are among the materials that are being incorporated in outerwear. For example, the moisture wicking material may be in the armpits of a jacket. Also, a heat retaining type of material may be in the chest area. There have been so many advances in technology in the garment industry. The consumer’s desires and demands have driven this.

Our custom screen printing customers and embroidery customers are placing their orders now for their needs in the fall and winter. They are ordering long sleeve t-shirts and outerwear garments, such as jackets, hoodies, and fleece. We would love to talk with you concerning your needs for silk screen printing and embroidery on all your garments. We have very knowledgeable sales people that are ready to receive your call and help you through the entire process of ordering. We could give you wonderful suggestions and advice. If you are in the St. Louis, MO area, please do not hesitate to call. We answer our phones seven days a week.