No doubt that printing loads of bandanas will be part of our “new normal”.  Here are some tips for success…

1) Iron or Steam

Buy a commercial iron and/or steamer and treat every piece prior to printing to flatten wrinkles in the fabric.  It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s not as bad as you might think and it will dramatically speed production and reduce misprints.  Remember, press-time is more expensive than prep-time.

2) Proper Ink Selection

Soft-hand inks all the way.  People will be wearing these things on their faces… Let them breathe!!!

3) Proper Bandana Selection

Bandanas made from cotton fiber and reactive-dye will allow for use of soft-hand discharge inks.  This is the best way to print light colored inks on dark-colored bandanas.

4) Oversized Platens

Typical bandanas measure 18″ – 22″ across.  Assuming a 0.5″ margin on all sides, the max print area will range from 17″ – 21″ across.  Guaranteed, your customer will typically want to use every inch of the printable area, so get your self a set of oversized printing platens to accommodate.

5) Charge Accordingly

Bandana printing is a slower, more labor-intensive process than typical t-shirt printing.  Calculate your production costs, educate your customers, and charge accordingly.