A question often asked in the printed tablecloth industry is, “Can I print on a gray tablecloth?” The answer is yes, you can print on a gray tablecloth.
You can achieve printing on gray fabric by printing the entire cover through the dye-sublimation method; or if screen printing or using a heat transfer.
Understanding the digital printing process helps to understand why gray seems to be the unicorn of printed fabric colors.
It also helps to understand how tablecloths are manufactured during production. Here, we will explain and discuss how the printing process affects the choice of gray as a fabric color.
50 Shades Freed: Movie
Did you know that there are 256 different shades of gray?
There are over 250 different shades of gray. It is generated on screen using RGB and printed using a mixture of CMYK.
A true gray color is actually the lack of color, a mixture of white and black.
Printing in CMYK can cause the color gray to come out slightly blue or green.
This is dependent on the values within the art file and the equipment being used to print. Spot colors are used in the printing world in place of CMYK and will produce a more accurate gray.
Front Panel Print Dye-Sublimated Tablecloths
To manufacture a front panel sublimated tablecloth, one printed panel is sewn together with other panels.
The other panels have been previously dyed. The background color of the printed panel is printed using CMYK to match the other panels.
Some fabric colors are harder to match with ink than others and gray is one of the most difficult.
This means that once constructed the front panel which is printed will not accurately match the other panels. The color may be slightly darker or lighter.
For this reason, the gray fabric is not offered for front panel printed, dye-sublimated tablecloths among a few other colors.
All-Over Logo Printed Tablecloths
If a gray fabric is not offered for front panel printed tablecloths, how then can you obtain a gray printed tablecloth?
You will need a tablecloth that includes an all-over print, also known as a full-dye sublimated tablecloth.
This will ensure the color is uniform throughout.
With a tablecloth that is printed all over, the entire surface area is printed. This includes the background color if you are printing a simple logo only.
By printing the entire surface area at once the color is laid down evenly causing a uniform color.
With all-over printed tablecloths you can print the cover to match any of a thousand colors.
There is no limit to the color combinations, are not limited to “in-stock fabric colors”.
Other Ways to Print on Gray Fabric
There are other ways to achieve a uniform gray for your printed table cover.
You can print on a gray colored tablecloth when screen printing or when using a heat transfer to print.
When screen printing, ink is painted directly on top of the fabric.
Screen printing comes with some limitations in regards to what can be printed but due to the process, you can print on a uniform fabric color.
Another way to print on a uniform gray color is to print using a heat-applied vinyl or heat transfer.
Heat transfers are like ironed-on stickers which are pressed onto the surface area.
Since the print is going directly on top of the fabric, like with screen printing, you can print on a gray fabric color and not have to worry about the different panels matching.
You Can Print on Gray Logo Printed Tablecloths
Next time you are told, “we can not print on gray fabric” you will be the wiser.
You now know that depending on the method of printing employed and the construction process it is possible to print on gray fabric.
Gray is not the only color which is difficult to match for front panel printed tablecloths.
With the fully-dye sublimated tablecloths you can achieve many different shades of gray along with thousands of other custom colors.
You can also print without any limitations or restrictions when printing on an all-over, fully-dye sublimated tablecloth.
If you are needing a gray logo printed tablecloth, call Logoclothz at 833-420-5646. You can also visit our website at Logoclothz.com and view the All-Over printed tablecloths.