GLOSSARY OF TERMS

All-Over Pocket Print: A full pocket printed from edge to edge before being sewn on.

Art Request: A document filled out by the customer to request a virtual representation of a product.

Artwork: Common term for an image or text that will be used for printing.

Black and White Artwork: Also known as one of many forms of line art; a style of art that consists of a black image on a white background.

Clip Art: Ready-to-use artwork, usually in vector format, and typically copyright free.

CMYK: Four base colors used in standard color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (K). In process printing, all other colors are created using screens of the CMYK colors.

Color Separation: The separating of each color in a design into a separate image. Each individual separated color will then be printed in a certain order to reproduce the original composite image.

Contrast: The difference between light and dark tones in an image.

Copyright: Laws governing the ownership and use of artwork.

Distress Pattern/Texture: An effect added to a graphic to mimic age and wear. Usually applied as a mask so as not to damage the original image.

Dot Gain: The tendency of the printed halftone dot to change in size at the moment of imprinting, thus changing the overall visual quality of the print. Due to a number of variables, the printed dot will be larger than its film counterpart. Also called Dot Growth or Dot Spread.

Dots per inch (DPI): Print resolution. The number of pixels of toner or ink dots the device can display or print for each linear inch. Higher DPI equals higher resolution and a higher quality image.

Drop Shadow: A graphic “shadow” effect that gives an image a three dimensional look.

.EPS: A file extension for a graphics file format used in vector-based images in Adobe Illustrator. EPS stands for Encapsulated PostScript. An EPS file can contain text as well as graphics.

Font: A specific typeface.

Four-Color Process Printing: A method of reproducing full-color artwork by photographically separating the art into its three subtractive primary colors: yellow, magenta and cyan, plus black and then printed through a set of color-separated halftone printing screens.

Gradient: Two colors or shades are blended to create a gradual change from one color to another; also called blends, graduated fills, or gradation.

Grayscale: A continuous-tone image devoid of color consisting only of white to gray to black shadings.

Halftone: A color or grayscale image that has been converted into a series of large and small dots used to represent a continuous-tone image (photograph).

Halftone Dot Types: Shapes of halftone dots. An elliptical dot is the ideal dot shape for screen printing. Round, square and diamond shaped dots are also used.

Jaggy or Jagged: Term referring to a “stepped” or pixilated look that you see along curves or shapes in low resolution or poorly pixilated images.

Knockout: Area where color has been dropped out of the image area allowing the substrate to show through; for example, white type on a colored background.

Line Art: Black and white artwork consisting of no halftone patterns or color using spot color type designs.

Logo: A special symbol or graphic used to identify a particular business or organization.

Masks: Masks in image editing software are a way of protecting specific areas of your image, preserving the unseen areas. Used to add distress or texture to a graphic without compromising the original artwork.

Name Drop: Adding a custom name to a generic design.

Opaque: The condition when all visible light is absorbed or reflected, and none is transmitted through the fabric or material.

Outlines (Text): Converting editable text (fonts) into graphical elements (vector) to preserve the size, shape, and scale for those machines without the identical font files installed.

Pantone color: Pantone Matching System (PMS), a standard color matching system for spot colors and simulated process.

.PDF: Portable document format; an Adobe Acrobat file.

Photo Negative: Artwork in which the light and dark areas are inverted.

Pixilated: In computer graphics, pixilation is an effect caused by displaying or printing a bitmap at such a large size that the individual pixels are visible to the eye.

Presentation Proof: A document showing the initial layout of a design concept on the chosen garment with all important information called out. Often referred to as the “mock-up” or a “virtual”.

Print Ready Art: Artwork that requires no alterations or modifications and is ready for color separations/production.

Production Proof: A controlling document outlining information necessary to execute an order. Includes information on ink colors, print locations and dimensions, quantities, fabric content, and a digital representation of the finished product.

.PSD: Photo Shop Document; an Adobe Photoshop file.

Raster Graphics: (jpg, jpeg, png, tif, bmp, gif) Rasterized graphics are made up of a grid of pixels, commonly referred to as a bitmap. They can typically be scaled down with no loss of quality, but enlarging a bitmap image causes it to look blocky and “pixelated.” For this reason, vector graphics are preferred.

Resolution: In computer graphics, resolution refers to the quality of an image as measured in DPI (dots per inch).

Stroke: An outline added to a design element to create dimension, spacing, or aesthetic effects.

.SVG: Scalable Vector Graphic. A file extension for a graphics file format used in vector-based images.

Tonal Range: The difference between the lightest and darkest color in an image.

Vector: (ai, eps, svg) a computer image that is stored in memory as lines rather than a series of dots, allowing it to be rotated or proportionally scaled to any size while keeping its original visual integrity.

Virtual: A digital representation of a design on a flat blank to show size, placement, and color.

Work Order: Document used to show all of the necessary information required for the efficient production of an order.

Advantage: An imported garment usually sourced for lower pricing.

Blank: A term used to refer to a blank garment.

Butter Wash: A technique used during the finishing process to make a garment super soft.

Contrast Stitching: Custom stitching added to a garment or a custom pocket to add contrast to the fabric color.

Cool: The “Made-to-Order” collection from T-Tycoon. Includes Butter washing, PMS color matching, pigment dyes, mineral washes, and custom pockets.

Custom: The “Made-From-Scratch” collection from T-Tycoon. Includes Custom made garments, color blocking, custom ringers, custom ribbing, and custom thread and neck tape combinations.

Hang Tag: A tag attached to a garment that includes information about the manufacturer or designer, the fabric or material used, the model number, care instructions, and sometimes the price.

Heather: Interwoven yarns of mixed colors/fabrics producing flecks of an alternate color. Usually containing 2 different fabric types (ex: 60/40 cotton/polyester blends)

Mineral Wash: A unique dying process giving the garment an organic vintage look and feel.

Overdye: The process of dying a garment to a new color or shade. Can be done before or after printing.

Performance (Fabrics): Fabrics which provide functional qualities, such as moisture management, UV protection, anti-microbial, thermo-regulation, and wind/water resistance. Typically 100% polyester.

Pigment Dye: The process of overdying a garment using pigment dyes giving it a super worn, vintage look.

PMS Color Matching: Dying a garment to match a color chosen from the Pantone booklet.

Pocket Print: Referring to a print on the pocket. (May also be used when referring to the Under-the-Pocket Print, Over-the-Pocket Print, and the All-Over Printed Pocket.)

Poly Bag: A type of packaging made of thin, flexible, plastic film used to store/ship retail-ready folded garments.

Pre-Pro (Pre-Production Sample): A sample request by sourcing put out by the vendor for the purpose of setting the standard of the final product to achieve final approval for full production.

Quick: The “In Stock” collection from T-Tycoon.

Silhouette: Refers to the body shape or cut of a blank garment. (crew, tank, raglan, etc)

Tru Vintage: A collection from T-Tycoon in which a garment is printed with soft hand inks then pigment dyed for a super vintage look and feel.

Woven Label: A branded label that can be sewn onto a garment. Usually sewn on the hem of a sleeve, the bottom of a garment, or on a pocket.

Belt Print: Our largest print format. Maximum printable area is approx. 34” x 34”.

Cure: To harden a binder to a substantially insoluble condition by a chemical reaction, often with heat. This occurs in water-based inks after full evaporation of water in the ink and garment. Plastisols “fuse” (a physical change) rather than “cure.”

Discharge: A chemical process of discharging or removing the dye from a garment to allow for printing with water-based inks.

Dischargability Rating: A grading scale based on a garment’s ability to be discharged for water-based printing.

DTG (Direct-to-Garment): Printing process utilizing a special inkjet-based printer that uses special textile inks to print directly onto a garment using water-based inks.

Embroidless: A term used to describe the decoration of a garment which replaces traditional embroidery. Usually used on performance garments where traditional printing is not possible.

Fluorescent: The property whereby a material reflects more of a visible color than is striking it from the available light source. This is accomplished by absorbing and altering invisible ultraviolet light, and emitting it as additional visible color.

Foil: A high-sheen effect added to a garment by printing a design in clear adhesive then “leafing” a metallic foil coating over the design.

Gloss: A high-gloss or gloss-coated finish. Plastisol inks have a gloss finish, and the Pantone Matching System has a coated (gloss finish) color booklet for reference during the color and ink selection process.

Hand: How a print feels when touched. A print is commonly described as having a soft hand deriving from minimal ink deposit or ink type (water-based, discharge, or plastisol with extender base) or a rough hand deriving from a thick ink deposit or ink type (basic plastisol, soft plastisol textures, hard plastisol textures, or high densities).

Halftone Screen: Used to break a continuous-tone image (photograph) into individual dots to create a halftone for printing.

High Density: A special effect also known as lenticular printing; a method by which normally flat static images convey depth. This is done by using an extremely thick stencil and with inks made especially for this purpose, simulating certain textures, surfaces, and effects.

Hip Print: A print located around the “hip” area of the wearer either in a standard or oversized format size.

Inside Out: A design printed on the inside of the garment pushed through for a brand approved vintage look.

Jumbo Print: A large format print exceeding a standard print but maxing out at approx. 18”w X 30”h.

Kaleidoscope: A print creating a visual illusion using high density dots overprinted with cyan, magenta, and yellow for best contrast. Color changes when viewed at different angles.

Left Chest Print: A print on the wearer’s left chest area. Maximum 3.5” wide.

Lenticular: A specialty print using high-density inks to create a secondary design that changes when viewed at different angles.

Matte: A low-gloss or uncoated finish. Water-based or discharge inks have a matte finish.

Metallic Ink: A plastisol and water-based ink base containing metallic glitter-type particles ranging in size from small to large.

Moiré (pronounced “moray”): An unwanted herringbone-like pattern that appears in a print as the result of misalignment of overlapping lines, halftones, and screens. Typically the mesh count used is too low and needs to go up in number to ensure that overlapping doesn’t occur in the newly burned screen.

Monochromatic Matte: A one color, tonal design printed with waterbased inks for a soft hand.

Monochromatic Gloss: A one color, tonal design with a glossy overlay resulting in a medium hand.

Nailheads: A design created using small dots then foiled to simulate a patterned “nailhead” print.

NFC: Near Field Communication technology enables smart phones and other devices to establish radio communication with an NFC enabled chip when touched or brought into proximity. Can be integrated into garments.

Opacity: An ink’s ability to fully cover the underlying color or fabric while holding the nice opaque ink color, which is opposite of translucent. Plastisol inks are opaque and have high opacity. Water-based inks are translucent and will take on the background color to an extent.

Over-the-Pocket Print: A design printed over the seams of a sewn-on pocket.

Pigment: Substances that impart color. Finely divided solid, organic or inorganic coloring material insoluble in the medium in which it is applied. Pigments must be bound to the receptor surface by dispersing in a vehicle or binder, such as resins in screen-printing inks.

Plastisol: A liquid form of vinyl that is cured by heat to form a solid end product. Used to print on certain garments that do not allow for waterbase or discharge printing. Results in a medium to rough hand.

Polydome/Dome: A tough, flexible, scratch resistant emblem that can be applied to garments in place of traditional embroidery.

Private Label: A custom, tagless label usually placed in the inside neck of a garment to show brand, size, and care instructions.

Puff Ink: A special effect type of plastisol ink that “rises up in all directions” or expands three dimensionally through blowing agents triggered from a specific temperature point during the curing process.

Reflective Ink: A special effect plastisol ink containing tiny reflective elements.

Saturation: The intensity of a color.

Simulated Process: A screen-printing technique typically used for the reproduction of photographic or full color images. It involves the use of color separation software and printing certain colors of opaque inks in a certain order on high mesh count screens.

Smart Dome: A polydome containing an NFC chip.

Soft Density: A soft and flexible high density ink with crisp edges and a rubber-like matte finish.

Soft Hand: Usually referring to the soft feel of a water-based or discharge print. See hand.

Special-Effects Inks (Specialty Inks): Special effect inks include metallic, shimmer, glitter, high-density, glow-in-the-dark, puff, reflective, photochromic (color change), thermochromic, suede, gel, and black light; used to create simulated textures, finishes, and other creative looks.

Standard Print: A design printed on a garment that fits within a 12” x 12” format.

Sublimation: A heat transfer that is made by printing a special type of ink onto paper and applying it to 100% polyester and nylon.

Translucent: The property of allowing light to pass through diffusely. The state where a material transmits a significant amount of visible light, but images cannot be seen clearly through it.

Transparent: The state where a material transmits sufficient visible light such that images can be seen clearly through it, such as, water-base inks. This type of inks should be used on lighter colored fabrics or the ink must be darker than the fabric color in order to show up on the fabric.

Under-the-Pocket Print: Referring to a print on a garment printed before a pocket is added. Pocket is usually sewn directly over or partially covering the print.

Underbase: A thin coating of ink printed first and cured to act as a base for which all other colors are to be printed on. Underbasing is usually required when printing multi-color designs on colored shirts using plastisol inks.

Waterbased Ink: Inks containing a vehicle whose binder is water soluble or water dispersible; non-plastisol inks that can be air dried by evaporating the H2O out of the ink. This ink type is utilized for soft hand feels and vintage style designs on light colored fabrics.

Wrap Print: A design printed on the side of a garment that can be seen on both the front and back of the garment.

Yoke Print: A design printed 3.5” x 3.5” max on the center-back area of a garment directly below the neck.