- Custom Print Experts Serving Boise & Area
- Monday - Friday: 8:30-5:30pm
- 7492 W Lemhi St. Boise, ID 83709 US
Design a custom look for your team, event, or special occasion. Black Signs offers a variety of apparel and printing options to bring your ideas to life. Custom shirts are also perfect for creating memorable gifts for family and friends.
From corporate apparel to custom team clothing, we have you covered. We provide digital previews so you can see exactly how your logo will look on the apparel color and style of your choice before printing. Whether you’re outfitting a business, planning a special event, or preparing for a large concert or gathering, we can help bring your vision to life.
We also offer discounted pricing for teams and local businesses ordering 10 or more items.
Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing is a process where a design is printed onto a special transfer film and then applied to fabric using heat and pressure. This technique produces durable, vibrant prints with excellent detail and works well on a variety of materials, including cotton, polyester, and blended fabrics.
Print to Film: The design is printed onto a specialized transfer film using water-based inks and a digital printer.
Adhesive Application: A fine adhesive powder is applied to the printed design while the ink is still wet, helping the design bond to the fabric.
Heat Curing: The film and adhesive are heated to cure the design, preparing it for the transfer process.
Heat Transfer: The prepared film is placed onto the garment and pressed with heat and pressure to bond the design to the fabric.
Film Removal: Once the transfer has cooled, the film is peeled away, leaving the finished design permanently applied to the garment.
Versatile Fabric Compatibility: Direct-to-Film printing works on a wide variety of materials, including cotton, polyester, nylon, and blended fabrics, and performs well on both light and dark garments.
Vibrant, Detailed Prints: DTF produces bold, opaque colors and sharp details, making it ideal for complex designs and graphics on darker apparel.
Long-Lasting Results: The finished prints are durable and designed to withstand regular washing and everyday wear.
Embroidery is a method of decorating apparel and fabrics by stitching designs, logos, or patterns directly into the material using needle and thread. This process creates a textured, raised design that is both durable and long-lasting. Embroidery can be done by hand or with computerized machines and is commonly used for professional branded apparel such as business shirts, uniforms, hats, and jackets.
Machine Embroidery: Designs are created digitally and uploaded into an embroidery machine, which automatically stitches the design onto the fabric with precision and consistency.
Hand Embroidery: This traditional method uses a needle and thread to stitch designs by hand using techniques such as cross stitch, running stitch, and satin stitch.
Long-Lasting Durability: Embroidered designs are stitched directly into the fabric, making them highly durable and resistant to fading or wear, even after frequent washing.
Professional Appearance: Embroidery creates a refined, dimensional look that is widely used for business apparel, uniforms, and branded logos.
Distinctive Texture: The stitched thread produces a raised, textured finish that adds depth and a high-quality, sophisticated feel to the garment.
Screen printing is a popular method used to apply designs to apparel by pressing ink through a fine mesh screen onto the fabric. Each color in the design requires its own screen, and a squeegee is used to push the ink through the open areas of the mesh. This process produces bold, vibrant prints that are highly durable and designed to last.
Stencil Preparation: The design is first created and transferred onto a fine mesh screen. Areas that are not part of the design are coated with a special material to block ink from passing through.
Ink Application: A separate screen is prepared for each color in the design. Ink is spread across the screen, and a squeegee presses the ink through the open mesh areas onto the garment.
Color Layering: Each color is printed individually, so multi-color designs require multiple screens and print passes to achieve the final look.
Finished Print: Once the ink is applied and properly cured, the result is a vibrant, durable print. The ink sits slightly on top of the fabric, giving it a bold appearance and distinctive feel.
Durable Prints: Screen printing creates long-lasting designs that hold up well through regular wear and repeated washing.
Vibrant Colors: This method produces bold, high-quality colors with sharp detail and excellent consistency.
Versatile Applications: Screen printing works on a wide variety of apparel and materials, making it ideal for shirts, hoodies, team apparel, and promotional clothing.
Great for Bulk Orders: While each color requires its own setup, the printing process is very efficient, making screen printing a cost-effective choice for larger orders.
Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is a material used to customize apparel by applying pre-cut or printed designs onto fabric using heat and pressure. The vinyl includes a heat-activated adhesive that bonds the design to the garment, while a clear carrier sheet keeps the design in place during application. This method produces durable, long-lasting graphics commonly used on sportswear, t-shirts, bags, and hats.
Design Preparation: The design is created using heat transfer vinyl, either by cutting shapes and lettering from colored vinyl sheets or by printing the design onto printable HTV material.
Weeding: The excess vinyl that is not part of the design is carefully removed by hand in a process known as weeding, leaving only the final design on the carrier sheet.
Positioning: The design remains attached to a clear carrier sheet, which helps keep the artwork aligned and allows it to be accurately placed on the garment.
Heat Application: Heat and pressure are applied using a heat press or iron. This activates the adhesive on the vinyl, permanently bonding the design to the fabric.
Final Reveal: After the vinyl has cooled, the clear carrier sheet is peeled away, leaving a clean, durable design on the garment.
Wide Variety of Styles: Heat transfer vinyl is available in many colors and finishes, including glitter, metallic, holographic, and glow-in-the-dark options.
Long-Lasting Results: HTV creates a strong bond with the fabric, producing a durable design that holds up well through regular wear and washing.
Flexible Application: Designs can be applied using professional equipment like a cutting machine and heat press, or with simpler tools such as a household iron.
Specialty Vinyl Options: Different types of HTV are available for specific applications, including stretch vinyl for athletic wear and CPSIA-certified vinyl for children’s apparel that meets safety standards.
Direct-to-Garment (DTG) is a digital printing method that applies designs directly onto fabric using specialized inkjet technology, similar to how a printer applies ink to paper. Water-based inks are printed onto pre-treated garments and then cured, allowing the ink to absorb into the fibers. This process produces soft, smooth prints with vibrant, full-color detail, making it ideal for intricate designs and smaller production runs.
Pre-Treatment: The garment is first treated with a special solution that helps the ink bond properly to the fabric fibers.
Printing Process: The garment is placed into the DTG printer, where the design is printed directly onto the fabric using digital inkjet technology.
Curing: After printing, the garment is heat-pressed to cure the ink, allowing it to set into the fibers and creating a durable, long-lasting design.
Detailed, High-Quality Prints: DTG printing can reproduce intricate artwork, gradients, and even photo-quality images with vibrant, full-color detail.
Soft, Comfortable Finish: The ink absorbs directly into the fabric fibers, creating a smooth print that feels soft to the touch and resists cracking or peeling.
Great for Small Orders: DTG is perfect for single items, custom pieces, and smaller production runs without the need for large quantities.
No Minimum Order Required: This method makes it easy to create custom apparel without minimum order limits.
