Printing over the seams is a specialty print style service that can take your custom t-shirt to the next level—but it's also a pretty tricky method that can yield some inconsistent (or unideal) results. Printing imperfections are definitely a possibility—so it's good to know what you're getting yourself into when you opt for this style. We consider ourselves screen printing experts—and for us, a big part of that is being completely upfront with you about technical limitations, and how your vision may not translate exactly the way that you want it to.

The long and short of it

Anytime an image hits a seam, or is very close to hitting a seam, ink deposit inconsistencies are possible and should be expected and understood as acceptable. Certain seams may cause worse inconsistencies, but all seams run the risk of causing imperfect prints.

The style of seam (and the design you're printing) can definitely influence your final product. We'll break that down a bit more below.

‍The seams in question

There are five main over-the-seam print locations—each with some risks to be aware of when making the decision to print over seams.

SLEEVE TO CHEST - high-risk!

This is the most common seam that people run into printing imperfections. At Real Thread, we see a lot of rather large designs hit the press; the kind that where people want the entire body of the shirt printed on, but not the sleeves. When printing a size run of XS – 2XL, it’s always important to understand that the amount of print space varies. This means your design may print over the seam on sizes XS – S, but not on M – 2XL.

COLLAR SEAM - moderate risk (depends on the garment!) 

This seam is frequently printed over when using an all over printing method. Shirt collars are constructed in a variety of different manners, so some print much better than others. Being that this is also a much thicker seam, printing imperfections tend to be a little more drastic here than other places.

BOTTOM SEAM - lower risk

This seam generally yields a nice smooth print result. It’s usually only two layers of fabric thick and has a nice smooth stitch. Inconsistencies are still common, but far less dramatic.

SIDE SEAMS - moderate risk (depends on the garment!) 

This seam is often times a hit or miss. Some shirts are manufactured using “tubular construction” and therefore won’t have any side seams. Others aren’t made this way, which yields a print imperfection. If you work with an experienced printer, there often times isn’t a problem printing over side seams.

SHOULDER SEAM – high-risk!

This seam comes into play most often when using an all-over printing method (in which the design literally covers the entirety of the garment). Being that this seam is thicker than most others, printing imperfections tend to be more drastic—which is why we don't usually recommend using this method.

close of up yellow print seam of blue shirt

Avoiding imperfections

So how can you avoid printing imperfections? There are a few different ways.

Working with the seam: 

One over-the-seam print method is to work with the seam (and its design limitations) instead of against it. What does this mean? Create a design that has a decent amount of distress on it so a number of breaks throughout your design already exist. This will make any printing imperfections a lot less obvious, and make them seem like an intentional part of your finished product.

Working against the seam:

Another way to avoid printing imperfections is by working against the seams—but helping to lessen the amount of imperfections that can occur by using a Seam Setup. This method includes adding a layer of foam to the pallets on a screen printing press to absorb some of the pressure and help disperse the ink across the shirt in a much smoother way. It's important to note that using this method requires a bit more setup and labor time—which means that it may end up increasing the unit price on your order.

teal shirt with black all over it

Talk to us

Let us help you make the best decisions when it comes to printing to yield the highest quality product possible. We believe in quality over everything—from the experience that you have with our team to the finished product you receive. A big part of quality assurance is making sure that you understand the potential risks of your chosen customization method—and that you are given alternative options for bringing your vision to life! Have questions about how to make your design dreams come true? Contact our printing pros today and we'll have you set up in no time.

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