Bulk Orders
Bulk orders are large-volume orders of custom printed garments, typically for businesses looking to create custom t-shirts, hoodies, or uniforms for employees or events.
This glossary explains common terms used in custom apparel, garment printing, and decoration. It’s designed to help you understand printing methods, fabrics, and other industry terms without the confusion. If you’re new to custom printing or just need a quick explanation, this page makes it easy to find clear and helpful definitions.
Bulk orders are large-volume orders of custom printed garments, typically for businesses looking to create custom t-shirts, hoodies, or uniforms for employees or events.
Embroidery involves stitching a design onto fabric using thread. It’s commonly used for logos on custom polo shirts, hats, and hoodies.
Clothing customised with unique elements like names, initials, or designs, tailored for individuals or businesses.
Artwork
Artwork refers to the design file provided by the customer for printing on garments like t-shirts, hoodies, or tote bags. It can be in vector or raster format.
Appliqué
Appliqué is a technique where fabric pieces are sewn onto a garment to create a design. It's popular for custom logo placement on hoodies or tote bags.
All-Over Print
All-over print refers to a design that covers the entire surface of a garment, from edge to edge. This is often used for t-shirts, hoodies, and other clothing.
Acid Wash
Acid wash is a garment treatment that gives a faded, distressed look by washing with chemicals. It is often used in custom t-shirt and hoodie production to create a vintage or worn appearance.
Artboard
An artboard is the workspace in graphic design software where the custom design for garment printing is created. It's the area where artwork is arranged before it's transferred to print.
Art Request
A document filled out by the customer to request a virtual representation of a custom product.
Abrader
A screen cleaning agent with small particles that roughen the surface of the mesh, helping with capillary adhesion.
.ai
The file extension for Adobe Illustrator, a vector-based image format commonly used in screen printing.
Air Dry
A term for ink that dries naturally without the use of heat.
Artwork Approval
The process of reviewing and confirming design proofs before production begins to ensure the final product meets expectations.
Athletic
Wear: Clothing designed for physical activity, combining comfort, flexibility, and performance-enhancing features.
Blanks
Blanks are unprinted garments, such as plain t-shirts, hoodies, and tote bags, that are ready to be customised with designs via printing or embroidery.
Burnout Fabric
Burnout fabric is a material that has been partially "burned out" to create a transparent or semi-transparent effect, often used in custom apparel for a unique look.
Back Print
A back print refers to a design printed on the back of a garment, commonly seen in custom t-shirts and hoodies with logos or graphic designs.
Bleeding
Bleeding occurs when the ink spreads outside the design area during printing, resulting in smudged or blurry prints. It’s more common in certain printing methods like screen printing.
Branding
Branding refers to the process of printing or embroidering a company logo or name on promotional products such as custom t-shirts or tote bags for business marketing.
Bulk Orders
Bulk orders are large-volume orders of custom printed garments, typically for businesses looking to create custom t-shirts, hoodies, or uniforms for employees or events.
Black and White Artwork
Artwork consisting of black imagery on a white background, commonly used in designs for printing.
Back Clamps
Also known as Rear Clamps, these are used to hold the screen in place on a screen printing press, located at the back of the print head.
Belt Oven
A machine used to cure printed ink on fabric, utilizing infrared panels to heat the ink to around 330°F (165°C).
Bit Map
A type of image (also called raster graphics), consisting of a matrix of dots where each pixel is visible at 100% resolution.
Blend
The use of two or more inks simultaneously to create a smooth, graduated effect in the design.
Blockout
The process of covering parts of the screen using an emulsion to prevent ink from being transferred to the garment.
Build Up
The accumulation of ink at the bottom of the screen as printing progresses, affecting print quality.
Butt Registration
A technique where two different colored sections of artwork meet without overlapping.
Boxy Fit
A loose-fitting garment style with a square silhouette, offering a relaxed and contemporary look.
Branded Apparel
Clothing customised with company logos or designs, used to promote brand identity or unify a team or staff.
Branded Merchandise
Custom products featuring company logos or designs, used for marketing or promotional efforts.
Breathable Fabric
A material that allows air to circulate, reducing heat and moisture buildup, ideal for activewear and warm climates.
Breathable Mesh
A lightweight, ventilated fabric that allows air circulation, commonly used in sports and activewear.
Breathable Panels
Sections of fabric designed with enhanced ventilation to improve airflow and comfort in garments.
Custom Apparel
Custom apparel refers to clothing items, such as t-shirts, hoodies, and tote bags, that are personalised with custom designs, logos, or artwork for promotional or personal use.
Cotton Blend
Cotton blend refers to a fabric made from cotton mixed with other materials like polyester. It is common for printing custom t-shirts as it provides comfort and durability.
Cut-and-Sew
Cut-and-sew refers to a custom garment production process where pieces of fabric are cut, sewn, and then printed with designs, offering unique, made-to-order items like custom hoodies or tote bags.
Crop Top Printing
Crop top printing involves applying custom designs to cropped garments. These can be used for promotional products or personalised fashion items.
Chroma Print
Chroma print refers to printing vibrant, high-quality colours that stand out on the garment. This is commonly used in custom t-shirts or fashion apparel for a bold statement.
Clamshell Heat Press
A clamshell heat press is a machine that opens and closes like a clam to apply heat and pressure, commonly used in heat transfer printing for custom garments like t-shirts and hoodies.
Clip Art
Pre-made, ready-to-use artwork, typically in vector format and often free of copyright restrictions.
Contrast
The difference between light and dark areas in an image, contributing to visual depth.
Camera Ready Art
Digital artwork prepared and ready to be printed without needing further modifications.
Capillary Film
A light-sensitive emulsion used to create stencils for screen printing by adhering to the mesh using capillary action.
Carousel
A screen printing press with multiple print heads arranged around a central point, often referred to as a Rotary Printer.
Catalyst
A substance added to ink to help it adhere better to difficult fabrics, ensuring proper ink transfer.
Cristalina
Small flakes of metal or plastic suspended in Plastisol ink to create specialty glitter prints.
Choking
A technique used to prevent colors from overlapping in the printed design.
Clogging
A term for ink that has dried in the screen and is preventing further printing.
CMYK
The four colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) used in full-color process printing to create various colors by mixing them in different proportions.
Coating
The application of emulsion to a screen to prepare it for the exposure process.
Colorfast
The ability of a fabric to retain its color after multiple washes.
Colour Separation
The process of breaking down a full-color image into individual colors that are printed one at a time.
Conveyor Dryer
A fixed heat source with a conveyor belt that is used to cure inks after screen printing.
Coverage
The amount of ink applied to a garment during printing, often referring to how much of the fabric is covered by the ink.
Cure
The process of using heat to permanently bond the ink to the garment, making the print durable.
Customisation
The process of tailoring apparel with unique designs, logos, or patterns to meet specific preferences or branding needs.
100% Cotton
A natural fiber fabric known for its softness, breathability, and comfort, commonly used for casual and high-quality apparel.
Camo Prints
A camouflage pattern applied to garments, offering a rugged, trendy, or military-inspired look.
Colour Block Designs
Garment styles featuring large blocks of contrasting colours, creating bold and eye-catching apparel.
Compression Wear
Tight-fitting garments that provide support and improve circulation, commonly used in sports and fitness.
Crew Neck
A rounded neckline style without a collar, commonly found in t-shirts and sweatshirts, offering a classic, comfortable look.
DTG (Direct-to-Garment)
DTG is a printing method where designs are printed directly onto the fabric using inkjet technology. It’s popular for printing full-colour, detailed designs on custom t-shirts and hoodies.
Dye Sublimation
Dye sublimation is a printing technique that uses heat to transfer dye onto polyester garments. It’s ideal for vibrant, all-over prints on products like custom tote bags.
Design Proof
A design proof is a sample of the custom print or embroidery design on a garment, provided to the customer for approval before the full production run.
Dot Gain
Dot gain refers to the effect where the size of printed dots increases, causing the design to look darker. This phenomenon is important to consider in custom garment printing to ensure accurate colour reproduction.
Dark Garment Printing
Dark garment printing refers to the process of printing on dark-coloured fabrics, requiring additional steps like underbase printing (white ink beneath the design) for proper colour visibility.
Dots per inch (DPI)
A measurement of print resolution, indicating the number of ink dots per linear inch. Higher DPI means higher print resolution and better image quality.
Drop Shadow
A graphical effect that simulates a shadow behind an image to give it a three-dimensional appearance.
Discharge
A chemical process that removes dye from a garment, enabling water-based ink printing directly on the fabric.
Design Mockup
A visual representation of how a custom design will appear on a garment, used for review and approval before production.
Digital Printing
A printing technique that directly applies ink onto fabric using digital technology, ideal for high-detail, full-colour designs.
Drop Shoulder
A design style where the shoulder seam extends past the natural shoulder line, creating a relaxed and oversized look.
Embroidery
Embroidery involves stitching a design onto fabric using thread. It’s commonly used for logos on custom polo shirts, hats, and hoodies.
Eco-Friendly Printing
Eco-friendly printing refers to using sustainable, non-toxic inks and methods, like water-based inks or DTG printing, to reduce environmental impact in custom garment production.
Embellishments
Embellishments are decorative additions to garments, such as rhinestones, studs, or embroidery, often used to enhance custom t-shirts or hoodies.
Embossing
Embossing involves creating a raised effect on fabric by pressing a design into it. It’s commonly used in custom t-shirt or hoodie printing to add texture and sophistication.
Edge Stitching
Edge stitching is a technique used to reinforce the edges of custom garments. It ensures durability and is commonly applied to hems or sleeve openings.
Epoxy Inks
Epoxy inks are durable inks used for creating glossy, hard-wearing prints on custom garments. They are often used for more premium, long-lasting designs.
Embroidless
Refers to a garment decoration technique that replaces traditional embroidery, often used in performance fabrics where traditional embroidery is not possible.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
Sustainable packaging solutions made from recyclable or biodegradable materials, often used for shipping custom apparel.
Embroidered Monograms
Custom-stitched initials or small symbols added to garments for a personalised and sophisticated touch.
Embroidered Patches
Custom-made fabric patches featuring stitched designs, used for branding, personalisation, or decorative purposes on apparel.
Embroidery Digitizing
The process of converting designs into digital embroidery files, enabling precise stitching on garments.
Foil Printing
Foil printing is a method where a metallic foil is applied to the design for a shiny, reflective effect. It is commonly used on custom t-shirts and hoodies for a standout look.
Full-colour Printing
Full-colour printing involves printing designs using a wide spectrum of colours, often using DTG printing or sublimation methods for garments like t-shirts, hoodies, and tote bags.
Fabric Pre-Treatment
Fabric pre-treatment is the process of preparing garments before printing, ensuring the ink adheres properly and the final print is vibrant and long-lasting.
Flash Cure
Flash cure is a step in screen printing where the ink is partially cured with heat, allowing for multiple layers of ink to be applied without smudging.
Fade Effect
A fade effect in garment printing is where the colour transitions from intense to lighter shades. This effect is commonly used for custom t-shirt designs to create a vintage or worn look.
Fluorescent
A material’s ability to reflect more visible color by absorbing ultraviolet light and emitting it as a different visible color, often used for vibrant prints.
Fabric Durability
The ability of fabric to withstand wear, tear, and repeated washing, crucial for long-lasting custom apparel.
Fabric Swatches
Small fabric samples used to showcase material, colour , or texture options for custom clothing projects.
Fabric Weight
The thickness or heaviness of fabric, typically measured in GSM (grams per square meter), affecting garment durability and feel.
Fashion Fit
A style of garment that contours to the body for a modern, flattering look, popular in casual and custom apparel.
Festival Wear
Apparel tailored for festivals, incorporating vibrant designs, bold patterns, or logos for branding or personal expression.
Fit Types (Slim, Regular, Oversized)
Categories of garment fits that describe how clothing contours to the body, catering to different style preferences and comfort levels.
Fitted Caps
Caps tailored to specific sizes without adjustable closures, providing a sleek and snug fit for personalised designs.
Flame-Resistant Clothing
Garments made from materials designed to resist ignition and protect against fire hazards, ensuring wearer safety.
Flat-Lock Stitching
A sewing technique that joins fabric edges without overlapping, creating a smooth, flat seam ideal for activewear.
Fleece Fabric
A soft, warm, and lightweight material often used in hoodies and jackets, ideal for cool weather.
Full-Zip
A garment with a zipper that runs from top to bottom, commonly found in jackets and hoodies for easy wear.
Grainline
Grainline refers to the direction in which the fibres in fabric are woven. It affects how the fabric drapes and can influence the appearance of custom prints.
Garment Care Instructions
Garment care instructions are labels sewn into garments that provide information on how to wash, dry, and care for the item, essential for ensuring custom prints remain intact.
Gloss
A high-shine finish that enhances color vibrancy, typically associated with plastisol inks and gloss-coated Pantone color guides.
Garment Dyeing
Garment dyeing is the process of dyeing the garment itself before any printing is done. It is commonly used for custom t-shirts, hoodies, and other apparel in a range of colours.
Garment Printing
Garment printing refers to the process of applying designs or artwork to fabric using various techniques like screen printing, DTG, or heat transfers.
Gildan
Gildan is a popular brand known for providing blank apparel for custom printing, such as t-shirts, hoodies, and other promotional garments.
GSM
GSM (Grams per Square Meter) measures the weight of fabric, indicating its density and thickness. A higher GSM signifies a heavier fabric, often used to assess the quality and suitability for custom garment printing.
Garment-Dyed
A process where finished garments are dyed, giving them a unique, vintage look with rich, deep colour tones.
Glow-in-the-Dark Printing
A printing technique using luminescent ink that makes designs visible in the dark, ideal for creative or promotional use.
Gradients
A design element where colour s blend smoothly from one shade to another, adding depth and dimension to prints.
Graduation Apparel
Specialised clothing such as gowns, caps, and sashes customised with logos or designs to celebrate graduation ceremonies.
Graphic Design
The creation of visual content, such as logos, patterns, or artwork, used to customise and enhance apparel.
Graphic Tee
A t-shirt featuring bold, printed designs, logos, or artwork, often used for personal expression or marketing.
Heat Press
A heat press is a machine that applies heat and pressure to transfer a design from paper or vinyl to a garment. It’s often used for custom t-shirt printing and hoodie designs.
Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV)
HTV is a type of vinyl that can be cut into custom shapes and designs and then applied to fabric using a heat press. It’s popular for creating vibrant custom designs on t-shirts and hoodies.
Hoodie Printing
Hoodie printing refers to the process of customising hooded sweatshirts with designs, logos, or text, often using screen printing, DTG, or heat transfer methods.
Hem Tag
A hem tag is a small label or tag placed at the bottom hem of a custom garment. It is commonly used for branding and can be a part of the overall custom design.
Hand
The tactile feel of a printed design on fabric. A print can be described as having a soft, rough, or smooth hand, depending on the type of ink and amount used.
Halftone Screen
A technique used to break continuous-tone images, like photographs, into dots to reproduce the image for printing.
High Density
A printing technique using thick inks to create textured effects, giving designs depth, often used in lenticular printing.
Hip Print
A design printed on or around the hip area of a garment, either in a standard or oversized format.
Half-Zip
A zippered top that extends halfway down the garment, providing versatility and comfort.
Halftone Printing
A printing method using dots of varying sizes to create gradients or shading in designs.
Heat-Sealed Logos
Logos applied to fabric using heat and pressure, creating a durable and seamless design integration.
Heavyweight Fabric
Thick, durable material used for apparel requiring added warmth or longevity, ideal for hoodies and jackets.
Hemp Clothing
Garments made from hemp fibres, known for their durability, breathability, and sustainable production process.
High-Visibility Clothing
Apparel featuring bright colour s and reflective materials to ensure visibility, commonly used in construction or roadwork.
Holiday-Themed Apparel
Clothing customised with festive designs, such as Christmas or Easter motifs, for seasonal events or promotions.
Inside Out
A print technique where the design is printed on the inside of the garment and pushed through, offering a vintage or worn look.
Inkjet Printing
Inkjet printing is a method where ink is sprayed onto the fabric in small droplets to create a design. It's often used in DTG printing for full-colour designs on custom garments.
Industrial Wash
Industrial wash is a washing process used to give garments like t-shirts and hoodies a pre-worn, distressed look. This is often used for custom apparel in the fashion industry.
Invisible Print
Invisible print refers to designs printed in a way that they are only visible under certain conditions, such as UV light or heat-sensitive inks on custom t-shirts or hoodies.
Inside Label
The inside label is the tag on the interior of a garment, usually near the collar, where branding, care instructions, and size information are placed.
Iron-On Transfers
Iron-on transfers are pre-printed designs applied to garments using an iron or heat press. This method is often used for small custom print runs.
Insulated Jackets
Outerwear featuring padded layers to trap warmth, providing protection and comfort in cold conditions.
Jersey Knit
Jersey knit is a soft, stretchy fabric commonly used in custom t-shirt production. It’s lightweight, breathable, and ideal for printing or embroidery designs.
Jacket Printing
Jacket printing is the process of customising jackets, often for corporate apparel, sports teams, or promotional events, using techniques like embroidery or screen printing.
Jersey Fabric
Jersey fabric is a soft, stretchy knit fabric commonly used for custom t-shirts and other apparel. It is comfortable and holds prints well.
Jumbo Print
A large-scale print that exceeds the standard size, typically up to 18” wide by 30” high.
Knit Fabric
Knit fabric is a stretchy fabric made from interlocking loops of yarn. It is commonly used in custom apparel like t-shirts, hoodies, and activewear.
Koozie Printing
Koozie printing refers to printing on custom beverage holders or drink sleeves. This type of custom printing is popular for promotional events and giveaways.
Kangaroo Pocket
A kangaroo pocket is a large front pocket often found on hoodies. Custom designs can be printed or embroidered on this area for personalised garments.
Kaleidoscope
A design that creates a visual illusion using high-density dots and a mix of cyan, magenta, and yellow for contrast, which changes when viewed from different angles.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting is used to precisely cut designs out of fabric or vinyl, often used in custom garment production for unique shapes or intricate detailing.
Lamination
Lamination is the process of applying a protective layer over a design to ensure it lasts longer and resists wear. It’s commonly used on printed tote bags or promotional products.
Logo Placement
Logo placement refers to the specific positioning of a company logo or design on a garment, such as on the left chest of a t-shirt or across the back of a hoodie.
Layered Looks
A styling approach combining multiple garments, such as jackets, shirts, and accessories, to create a fashionable and versatile outfit.
Lightweight Fabric
Thin, breathable material ideal for warm-weather clothing, ensuring comfort and ease of movement.
Long Sleeve Shirts
Shirts with full-length sleeves, often customised with designs for professional, promotional, or casual wear.
Mockup
A mockup is a digital representation of how a custom design will look on a garment, such as a t-shirt or hoodie, before production begins.
Mill-Direct
Mill-direct refers to sourcing garments directly from the manufacturer, often at a lower cost, to be used in custom garment printing.
Mesh Fabric
Mesh fabric is a lightweight, breathable fabric used for sportswear or athletic custom apparel. It's ideal for printing and embroidery due to its texture.
Matte
A non-shiny or low-gloss finish, typically seen with water-based or discharge inks, providing a soft touch.
Metallic Ink
Ink that contains metallic particles, producing a shiny, glitter-like effect when printed on garments.
Moiré
A distorted pattern created when lines or halftone screens overlap incorrectly, typically caused by a low mesh count in screen printing.
Monochromatic Matte
A design that uses one colour printed with water-based inks, resulting in a soft feel.
Monochromatic Gloss
A tonal design printed with a glossy overlay, offering a medium tactile feel.
Matching Sets
Coordinated tops and bottoms with complementary designs or patterns, often personalised for style or branding purposes.
Medical Scrubs
Lightweight, comfortable uniforms worn by healthcare professionals, often customised with embroidered names or logos.
Metallic Foil Printing
A decorative printing process that applies shiny, metallic foil to fabric, creating a bold and eye-catching effect.
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)
The smallest number of items that must be ordered for production to be feasible, varying by printing or customisation method.
Mock Neck
A collar style that sits high on the neck without folding over, offering a sleek, modern look.
Moisture-Wicking
A fabric feature that pulls sweat away from the skin and dries quickly, keeping the wearer cool and comfortable.
Monogramming
Embroidering initials or a small design onto garments, often for personalisation or branding purposes.
Multi-colour Printing
A technique that incorporates multiple ink colour s to create vibrant and detailed designs on garments.
Neck Label
A neck label is a small label sewn inside the collar of a garment, often featuring brand or care information. Custom neck labels can be added for branded merchandise.
Nonwoven Fabric
Nonwoven fabric is a fabric made from fibres bonded together without weaving. It's often used in custom bags, tote bags, or promotional items.
Newspaper Printing
Newspaper printing is a unique style of printing that often uses vintage, black-and-white designs. It can be used for custom apparel or tote bags with retro designs.
Nailheads
A pattern created by using small dot-like shapes, often foiled to simulate a “nailhead” look.
NFC (Near Field Communication)
A technology integrated into garments that enables communication between the garment and smart devices by proximity, often used for interactive branding.
Name Patches
Custom fabric patches featuring embroidered names, commonly used for identification on uniforms or workwear.
Opacity
Opacity refers to the transparency of a printed design. More opaque inks provide a solid, vibrant design, while less opaque inks offer a more subtle finish.
Offset Printing
Offset printing is a method used to transfer designs onto custom garments, especially for large quantities. It is cost-effective for large bulk orders of t-shirts and hoodies.
One-Off Custom
A one-off custom refers to a single custom garment made to order, typically for personal use, events, or one-time promotional campaigns.
Over-the-Pocket Print
A print applied over the seams of a pocket that is sewn onto the garment, creating a custom look.
Ombré Designs
A gradient effect where colours transition smoothly from light to dark, adding depth and a trendy look to garments.
Overlocking
A sewing technique that trims and finishes raw fabric edges with stitching, preventing fraying and creating a clean, professional look.
Oversized Apparel
Clothing designed with a loose, roomy fit, often customised for casual, trendy, or relaxed wear.
Oxford Shirts
Timeless collared shirts made from durable Oxford cloth, often customised with embroidered logos for a polished, professional look.
Pantone Matching System
Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a standardised colour system used to ensure colour consistency across custom garments, especially for logos and branding.
Plastisol Ink
Plastisol ink is a thick, durable ink used in screen printing that remains on the surface of the fabric, creating a vibrant, long-lasting print.
Puff Printing
Puff printing is a technique where special ink is used to create a raised, 3D effect on the printed design, often used for custom t-shirts and hoodies.
Pigment
A colorant that gives ink its hue, usually finely ground solids that are bound to the fabric using a vehicle or binder.
Plastisol
A thick, liquid vinyl ink that is cured by heat to form a solid, durable print. Commonly used for custom garment printing when water-based inks are unsuitable.
Polydome/Dome
A flexible, durable emblem applied to garments as an alternative to traditional embroidery, often used for custom logos.
Private Label
A custom, tagless label typically found inside a garment, displaying the brand, size, and care instructions.
Puff Ink
A type of ink that expands during curing, creating a raised, three-dimensional effect, commonly used in custom t-shirt prints.
Pattern Printing
A printing method that applies repeated designs or motifs onto fabric, offering endless creative possibilities for custom apparel.
personalised Apparel
Clothing customised with unique elements like names, initials, or designs, tailored for individuals or businesses.
Polo Dresses
Dresses styled like polo shirts, featuring collars and buttoned necklines, often customised for branding or fashion purposes.
Poly-Cotton Blend
A fabric combining polyester and cotton, offering a balance of softness, durability, and wrinkle resistance.
Post-Treatment
Steps taken after printing or embroidery, such as curing or steaming, to set the design and enhance durability.
Pre-Treatment
A preparatory process for fabrics, often in DTG printing, to ensure ink adheres properly and colour s appear vibrant.
Printing Resolution
The quality and clarity of printed designs, measured in DPI (dots per inch), affecting the sharpness and detail of the print.
Promotional Apparel
Custom clothing designed for marketing purposes, featuring logos or slogans to promote brands, events, or campaigns.
Promotional Giveaways
Custom-branded items distributed for free at events or campaigns to promote a brand or message.
Puffer Jackets
Lightweight, padded jackets with a distinctive "puffy" appearance, designed for maximum warmth and comfort.
Pullover Hoodies
Hooded sweatshirts without a zipper, offering a clean and comfortable look, often customised for personal or promotional use.
Quick Turnaround
Quick turnaround refers to the speed at which a custom garment printing order is completed, ensuring that customers receive their printed t-shirts, hoodies, or tote bags promptly.
Quilted Printing
Quilted printing adds a textured, padded effect to custom designs, often used on jackets or hoodies to create a stylish, warm look.
Quality Control
Quality control is the process of inspecting custom printed or embroidered garments to ensure that the print is accurate, the garment is free of defects, and the order meets customer expectations.
Quarter-Zip
A garment with a zipper that extends to the chest, blending style and functionality for casual or athletic wear.
Quick-Dry Clothing
Garments crafted with moisture-wicking fabrics that dry rapidly, ideal for activewear or travel.
Quilted Jackets
Jackets with stitched patterns that create padded sections, offering a stylish and warm option for cooler weather.
Raster Image
A raster image is a type of graphic made up of pixels. It's commonly used in garment printing for detailed designs like photographs or complex artwork.
Reinforced Stitching
Reinforced stitching is used in garment production to strengthen high-stress areas, like seams or hems, ensuring durability for custom printed garments.
Roller Printing
Roller printing is a fast, high-volume method of printing used for continuous designs, often used for custom t-shirt printing in large runs.
RolReflective Ink
Ink containing reflective particles, which appear to glow when exposed to light, commonly used for visibility in dark conditions.
Ragged Hemlines
A design feature with intentionally frayed or uneven edges, offering a casual, distressed aesthetic.
Recycled Materials
Fabrics or components made from repurposed materials, promoting sustainability in custom apparel.
Reflective Logos
Logos made with reflective materials that enhance visibility in low-light conditions, ideal for safety or athletic wear.
Reflective Printing
A method of printing designs that reflect light, enhancing visibility, commonly used for safety gear or activewear.
Reflective Strips
Strips of material that reflect light, enhancing visibility in low-light conditions, often used in safety gear.
Ribbed Knit
A stretchy fabric with raised vertical lines, offering comfort and elasticity, commonly used for cuffs, collars, and hems.
Screen Printing
Screen printing is a popular method where ink is forced through a mesh screen to create designs on garments. It is ideal for bold, solid prints on t-shirts, hoodies, and bags.
Soft Hand Ink
Soft hand ink refers to ink that leaves a soft, smooth finish on fabric after printing. It’s often used for custom t-shirt prints where a soft feel is desired.
Saturation
The intensity or purity of a color, used to describe how vivid or rich a color appears in a design.
Simulated Process
A method of screen printing used to reproduce full-color images, especially photographs, by using a series of opaque inks in specific order.
Smart Dome
A polydome with an integrated NFC chip, allowing for interaction with smart devices.
Special-Effects Inks (Specialty Inks)
Inks used to create textures, finishes, and other unique visual effects, such as glow-in-the-dark, metallic, or velvet-like textures.
Standard Print
A basic design printed within a standard print size, typically 12” x 12” or smaller.
Safety Apparel
Clothing designed for protection in hazardous environments, often customised with reflective elements or branding.
Screen Mesh
A fine mesh screen used in screen printing to transfer ink onto fabric, with mesh size determining design detail and ink flow.
Seams
The stitched line where two fabric pieces meet, contributing to the garment's structure and durability.
Sew-On Patches
Embroidered patches designed to be stitched onto garments for customisation, branding, or decorative purposes.
Short Sleeve Shirts
Shirts with sleeves that extend to the upper arm, often personalised with designs or logos for casual or promotional use.
Side-Seamed
A garment construction method with seams running along the sides, providing a tailored fit and clean finish.
Single-colour Printing
A printing method using one colour of ink, ideal for simple, bold designs or logos.
Sleeveless Apparel
Garments without sleeves, offering comfort and mobility, popular for casual or athletic wear.
Snapback Caps
Adjustable caps with a flat brim and a snap closure at the back, popular for custom branding or casual wear.
Softshell Jackets
Lightweight, flexible jackets offering warmth and weather resistance, ideal for outdoor activities and customisation.
Sports Jerseys
customised athletic shirts featuring team names, logos, or player numbers, ideal for branding and team identification.
Spot colour Printing
A process using pre-mixed inks for specific colour s, ensuring consistency and vibrancy in custom designs.
Stain-Resistant Fabric
Material treated to repel stains, ensuring garments remain clean and easy to maintain.
Stitching Patterns
Decorative or functional sewing designs used in garment construction, adding style or reinforcement to apparel.
Sustainable Apparel
Clothing produced with environmentally friendly processes and materials, focusing on reducing ecological impact.
Sustainable Dyeing
Eco-conscious dyeing methods that minimise water usage and chemical waste, promoting environmentally friendly clothing production.
Tote Bag Printing
Tote bag printing refers to the process of applying custom designs or logos to fabric tote bags using methods like screen printing or DTG printing.
Thermal Transfer
Thermal transfer is a printing method where heat is used to transfer a design onto fabric. It’s commonly used for custom t-shirts and promotional garments.
Textile Printing
Textile printing is the process of applying designs to fabric using various techniques like screen printing, DTG, or sublimation. It is commonly used for custom garments and accessories.
Translucent
The property of ink or material that allows some light to pass through, making the fabric color partially visible.
Transparent
The property of ink or material that fully allows light to pass through, making the fabric color clearly visible.
Tank Tops
Sleeveless shirts with a lightweight design, often used for casual wear, sports, or warm weather.
Thread Count
A measure of fabric quality, indicating the number of threads per square inch, with higher counts providing smoother, denser material.
Tie-Dye Apparel
Clothing featuring vibrant, swirled patterns created using a dye-resist technique, popular for a casual and retro aesthetic.
Trucker Hats
Caps with a foam front and mesh back, often customised with logos or designs for casual branding or promotional events.
Turnaround Time
The total time taken to complete a custom apparel order, from design approval to delivery.
Typography Prints
Designs that use stylish text or fonts to convey messages, logos, or branding on custom clothing.
UV Printing
UV printing uses ultraviolet light to cure ink as it’s printed. This method creates vibrant, long-lasting prints on custom apparel.
Unique Design
A unique design is a custom-created design tailored specifically for a customer, such as a logo or personalised graphic for apparel.
Under-the-Pocket Print
A design printed before a pocket is sewn onto a garment. The pocket typically covers the design, creating a layered look.
Underbase
A thin layer of white ink printed first to create a solid base, ensuring that all other colours appear clearly on dark fabrics.
Uniform Printing
The process of customising uniforms with logos, designs, or text to create a cohesive and professional appearance.
UV Protection Apparel
Clothing made with fabrics designed to block harmful ultraviolet rays, providing added sun protection for outdoor activities.
Vinyl Printing
Vinyl printing involves cutting out designs from vinyl sheets and then heat-pressing them onto garments, often used for custom lettering and logos.
Vector Artwork
Vector artwork refers to graphics created using vector-based software, where the design can be scaled to any size without losing quality. Ideal for custom garment printing.
Vibrant colours
Vibrant colours refer to bright, eye-catching hues used in garment printing to make the design stand out, often seen in custom t-shirts or promotional apparel.
V-Neck
A neckline style shaped like the letter "V," providing a sleek and modern aesthetic in t-shirts and other tops.
Varsity Jackets
Classic sports jackets featuring customisable patches or embroidery, popular for branding or school representation.
Vector File
A graphic file type made of scalable paths, ensuring designs retain high quality regardless of resizing, often used for printing.
Water-Based Ink
Water-based ink is an eco-friendly ink used in garment printing that’s absorbed by fabric, creating a soft, breathable print ideal for custom t-shirts.
Wholesale Printing
Wholesale printing refers to bulk printing services where customers order large quantities of custom printed garments at discounted prices.
Woven Labels
Woven labels are tags sewn into garments, typically used for branding purposes. Custom woven labels can be added to t-shirts, hoodies, and bags.
Wrap Print
A design that wraps around the side of the garment, visible on both the front and back.
Wind-Resistant Fabric
Material designed to block or reduce wind penetration, providing comfort and protection in breezy conditions.
Windbreakers
Lightweight, water-resistant jackets designed to protect against wind, often customised with logos or designs.
Workwear
Durable, practical clothing designed for specific industries, often customised with logos or branding for professional use.
Wrinkle-Resistant Fabric
Fabric treated or woven to resist wrinkles, maintaining a smooth appearance with minimal ironing.
X-Press Printing
X-Press printing is a term used for fast, on-demand garment printing, often used for quick turnaround custom t-shirt orders.
X-Stitch Embroidery
X-stitch embroidery involves stitching designs where the thread forms an "X" pattern, often used in detailed custom embroidery.
X-Ray Inspection
X-ray inspection is a rare process used in garment manufacturing to detect fabric flaws that might affect the quality of custom printed garments.
Yellow Ink
Yellow ink is one of the primary colours used in printing, particularly in CMYK printing. It is commonly used for bright designs on custom t-shirts or other apparel.
Yarn-Dyed Fabric
Yarn-dyed fabric is fabric where the yarns are dyed before weaving. This method creates rich, multi-coloured effects often used in custom apparel.
Year-Round Apparel
Year-round apparel refers to garments like t-shirts and hoodies that are versatile and suitable for printing throughout the year.
Yoke Print
A print placed on the center-back of a garment, typically 3.5” x 3.5” in size, located just below the neck.
Zero-Waste Printing
Zero-waste printing refers to the process of reducing waste in custom garment production by using efficient cutting and printing techniques.
Zipper Print
Zipper print refers to the process of printing or embroidery near the zipper area of garments, often done on jackets, hoodies, and custom bags.
Zigzag Stitch
A zigzag stitch is a sewing technique used in embroidery or garment finishing. It is used for decorative effects or to secure the edges of custom designs.
Zinc Printing
Zinc printing uses a metal plate made of zinc to transfer designs onto fabric. It is often used in high-quality, intricate prints.
