another how would you print this? detailed colorful LC

[Stinkhorn Press]

whew. attached, they do have an clean vector .ai file of the thing too.

left chest on 50 various colored sport tek (Sanmar house brand) poly shirts.
new customer (we service other local dd boards, which is how they know of us) - don't know if they're going to want 12 in he future, none in the future or 500 in the future.

I assume screen printing this is probably going to be more hassle than it's worth? i am half aware that transfers have gotten much much better lately - is that a route I should look into? Something else?

[Dottonedan]

Due to the various color garments, I'd do the Digital full color heat transfers, but you want to make sure you locate a source that does the white underbase digital full color transfers.

I know they are out there. I only know of one, but not sure if they are doing contract work for this. Maybe tho. It's a pretty easy thing for them to do and make some small change from. It might be more common now than I know of.

[screenxpress]

I prolly should not weigh in on the thread but I've a curious question. 

Wouldn't the white underbase actually be the last color printed on the transfer, i.e. be on top?

[Dottonedan]

Yes, but the print...is printed down in reverse. To the White you see on top, would get flipped and be heat set showing the colors.

1st Top white
2nd Black,
3rd Blue,
4th Red
5th Yellow
6th White Underbase.

No blending going on like in wet on wet, but you get better image detail (finer blends), therefore, not needing to blend inks.

[kingscreen]

I'm with Dan.  Get transfers. 

Freedom Heat Transfers from F&M:
http://www.fmexpressions.com/store/custom/

[Crazy Mike]

This is where print and cut vinyl works well.

[Stinkhorn Press]

This is where print and cut vinyl works well.

Due to the various color garments, I'd do the Digital full color heat transfers, but you want to make sure you locate a source that does the white underbase digital full color transfers.

I guess I'm not real clear on what the differences are between these two - in terms of how it's made, how it's applied (pretty much the same, with heat press?), what sort of print quality/longevity you're looking at for each?

We have ordered a couple of heat pressed, uh, stuff from transferexpress.com.
they do good work, decent prices, have the options for "white glow"  or "black glow" or "zero glow" on some pieces. this particular art already has a white glow in it (will have to check that the customer is aware of that and wants that...)
the confusing part for me is they seem to have 3,4,5 different things that mostly do the same thing in the end (yeah they are good at walking me through the options for each job) but they have proprietary NAMES for each process and I feel I never really understand what the differences are...

[Frog]

Let me weigh in with what little I know, especially since more and more I seem to be attracting the small runs which especially favor transfers.
Let me emphasize that this field has grown much faster than my own knowledge.
Dan mentioned "digital" with white underbase. I'm unaware of digital inks, besides sublimation on white, which stand on their own as the transfer material (unlike screen printing). Digital transfers on colors, in my mind, pretty much will be the same as Mikes's print and cut suggestion, since the transfers are printed on white media. Depending on whether these particular Sport Tek garments are the bleed blocking Posicharge type or not, bleed blocking material can be used, but tends to be less supple.
I assume, that screenprinted transfers are another route, though, once again, depending on the actual fabric, may add the need for bleed-blocking inks (at least the last applied white base)

btw, these methods are great for the possible 12 in the future but pretty labor intensive for 500 as the OP mentioned the wide possible range.

On further examination of the image, I realize that print and cut may need to be modified a bit to be friendlier to the process. Little tiny narrow lines aren't going to work, so the free standing "balloons" with the white contours but open space will need to be modified. Though we can often fake the effect with printing the shirt color where small open areas are needed, with different shirt color shirts being involved, that option is out.

[rusty]

if you were to go the screen printing route couldn't this be done  with CMYK on a poly white underbase? or as spot process?

The colors are pretty simple

I don't know much about transfers so I am probably showing my ignorance....

[TH Apparel]

if they made it a solid white background, digital transfers would be the way to go.
I would find a local sign shop.  They should be able to print them off in a day.
Just make sure the material they use is good for polyester.  We use specialty materials 2160.