T-shirt Printing Supplies
Supplies, equipment sources and trade resources for professional t-shirt printers.
Are you a professional t-shirt printer looking for t-shirt printing supplies? This page gathers the supply side of the trade: the product suppliers who stock inks, equipment and consumables, the machinery and materials categories a working shop buys against — mesh, squeegees, dryers, rotary screens, adhesives, chemicals, emulsions and inks — and the trade publications that test products and teach technique. Supplies are not a footnote to printing; ink, mesh and emulsion choices decide print quality as directly as the press does.
Two supplier profiles lead the page because they represent the two buying patterns in the trade: the full-line screen printing supplier a shop orders everything from, and the digital transfer specialist serving the do-it-yourself and short-run customization market.
Supplies & Equipment Categories
- Apparel Printing
- T-shirt Printers Guide
- T-shirt Printers Directory
- Custom Apparel Printing
- Embellishment
- Comprehensive T-shirt Printers Guide
- Printing Machinery Manufacturer
- Printing Equipment Wholesalers
- Mesh — for Screen Printers
- Squeegee — for Screen Printing
- Heating / Drying / Curing Machinery
- Rotary Screens
- Adhesives — for Printing Process
- Chemicals — for Printing Industry
- Emulsion
- Ink — for Textile Printing
The Consumables a Print Shop Runs On
A screen printing shop consumes a short list of materials on every job. Ink — plastisol for opacity and durability, water-based for a soft hand — is chosen per garment and design. Mesh count decides detail and ink deposit: coarse mesh for heavy deposits and athletic prints, fine mesh for halftones and process work. The squeegee, its durometer and edge, pushes the ink through that mesh and is replaced as it dulls. Emulsion coats the screen so the design can be exposed into it; adhesives hold the garment to the platen through the print run; chemicals reclaim screens for the next job; and the dryer or curing unit sets the ink so the print survives washing. Each category above has its own page in this directory, because each is a purchasing specialty with its own suppliers and specifications.
Trade Publications for Printers
Screen Web, part of ST Media Group, is the online home of Screen Printing magazine — a trusted source of information for the screen-printing industry since its debut in 1953, relied on for coverage of the techniques and technologies that save time, energy and money. Impressions is a one-stop source for authoritative business and technical information for starting and building a profitable decorated apparel business; the magazine and the Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS) together provide business education and how-to instruction on the software and equipment behind the four major processes of the digitally driven decorated apparel marketplace — screen printing, embroidery, heat-applied graphics and digital decorating. Both are linked in the resources below.
Supplier Listings
Companies supplying t-shirt printers with products, equipment and transfer materials.
Screen Printing Products Inc.
Screen Printing Products Inc. is a one-stop source for screen printing needs, with an online store alongside phone ordering. They have products for digital t-shirt printing and traditional screen printing methods, and supply printing inks, printing equipment, screen stretching devices, roller frames, adhesives, spot remover and more.
TransferMagic.com
TransferMagic.com is a supplier of digital transfer products and services for the do-it-yourself customization of apparel and other blank imprintables, headquartered in Anderson, Indiana. They partner with top brands and leading product developers, with a mission to use computer software and the internet to change how individuals, groups, organizations, schools and businesses design and personalize apparel and blank items.
Textile Printing Resources
More Manufacturing Resources
Common Questions
What supplies does a screen printing shop use on every job?
Ink matched to the garment, screens coated with emulsion and stretched with the right mesh count, squeegees, platen adhesive to hold the garment, reclaiming chemicals, and a dryer or curing unit to set the ink. These consumables decide print quality alongside the press.
How does mesh count affect a print?
Mesh count controls detail and ink deposit. Coarse mesh lays down heavy ink deposits for bold and athletic prints, while fine mesh holds halftone dots and process-color detail. Choosing mesh is matching the screen to the artwork and the garment.
Where do printers follow new products and techniques?
The trade press. Screen Printing magazine has covered techniques and technologies for the screen printing industry since 1953, and Impressions covers the decorated apparel business across screen printing, embroidery, heat-applied graphics and digital decorating.