Textile printing/printing

Personalization

Textile printing is widely used to personalise workwear.

It is even a technique suitable for waterproof materials that cannot be embroidered due to the risk of perforation of the garment. Textile printing is divided into 4 main groups: screen printing, sublimation, direct‐to‐textile (DTG) digital printing and thermo‐adhesive technique (transfer).

Below you will find a detailed explanation of each of the techniques so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs:

Screen printing (commonly called embossing)

Screen printing is considered the most artisanal technique of all, the one that is most dependent on manual labour and requires the greatest technical knowledge to be executed.

Very labour‐intensive and costly as it requires a large number of consumables and technical equipment in addition to highly skilled labour.
It is, however, the technique with the highest graphic quality and resistance and, therefore, it is also the most recommended for large quantities of pieces, since this way the production costs can be diluted.
Limited number of colours (4/6 colours).
The more colours the design has, the more expensive the final production will be, as each colour represents the opening of a photolitho, a frame and an ink.
This type of technique is not recommended if the drawing is very complex and has many colours, shades or gradients.
Four‐colour printing is a variant of screen printing and appears to fill the gap in the latter with regard to printing more complex designs with shadows and gradients.

Sublimation

Sublimation can only be used on clear and polyester garments (including rPet).

There is no colour limit for the design to be printed on the piece, allowing for faithful reproduction of gradients and shades.
It lasts forever as the dye chemically fuses with the fibres of the fabric and so no amount of washing will remove it.
Widely used in sports garments because the ink, not covering the pores of the fabric, allows excellent breathability.
Relatively simple technique (only a transfer iron and a specific printer are needed)

Direct to textile (DTG) printing

This technique involves using a printer that prints directly onto the part without using film or paper.

Excellent durability.
Very good definition.
Soft touch; no embossing.
Generally more recommended on cotton garments.
Darker or coloured textiles may need pre‐treatment and a white base coat to bring out some of the colours in the design.

Thermo‐adhesive/transfer technique

In the case of this technique, a print is made on film which is then transferred to the textile using heat.

Relatively good quality.
No colour limit.
Recommended on any type of fabric.
Even if you feel a slight plastic sensation to the touch, it is much less than with vinyl.
Pieces should always be washed inside out and cold to increase the durability of the print.

90% of our fabric suppliers are Portuguese. This way we support and help develop national trade.

At UNIFARDAS® we provide reusable bottles and a water dispenser so that employees can stay hydrated.
We have partnered with a local pharmacy so that our employees can enjoy lower prices on the products they need.

At UNIFARDAS® we ensure the full and effective participation of women and equal opportunities for leadership.
We provide training in a wide range of areas for men and women.

UNIFARDAS® supports Espaço T, which is an inclusive organisation, of all and for all, and our common goal is to increase employment opportunities for young people with special needs and/or who, for some reason, have been excluded from the labour market.

We work hard to provide safe working conditions by going beyond the imposed and mandatory minimums.

We support, nurture and offer continuous training programmes aimed at improving skills.

At UNIFARDAS® we keep up to date with the latest technologies and innovations that can optimise our production process making it more efficient and close to zero waste.

UNIFARDAS® is a partner of Espaço T, an inclusive organisation, of all and for all, with the common goal of increasing employment opportunities for young people with special needs and/or who, for some reason, have been excluded from the labour market. In this organisation, immigrants will also find a support network in finding work and housing.

In addition to the sustainable path we have been taking throughout our production and supply chain, UNIFARDAS® participates, supports and organises a beach clean-up every year after the bathing season, in partnership with World Clean-up Day. We are also partners of Seaqual, an entity that, together with some other partners, promotes the collection of ocean waste and its transformation into upcycled marine plastic that will then be used in the production of fabric and other sustainable products.

We call goal 12 our major goal. It is with it that we achieve a large part of the sustainable development goals proposed by the United Nations. More than producing garments with recycled/recyclable fabric, UNIFARDAS® made a commitment in 2019 to become the leading company in Portugal to develop environmentally sustainable uniform solutions, based on a circular supply chain. This means that we are on the path to making our entire chain more sustainable, from product design, through production and ending with the delivery of the product to the customer's home/company. Our mission is to make waste close to zero through a more efficient and sustainable chain.

In addition to the sustainable path we have been taking throughout our production and supply chain, UNIFARDAS® participates, supports and organises a beach clean-up every year after the bathing season, in partnership with World Clean-up Day. We are also partners of Seaqual, an entity that, together with some other partners, promotes the collection of ocean waste and its transformation into upcycled marine plastic that will then be used in the production of fabric and other sustainable products.