Commercial printers for iPad / iPhone cases.

[Pixel-Snapper]

Question on behalf of SWMBO really.

My other half is a designer / Illustrator, we have been looking at getting her designs printed on to various items but mainly iPad / iPhone cases.

We've been researching into where to get such things done and coming up with mainly high street places like vista print or photo box.

What she really needs is a commercial printer where she can provide the design and get it printed in bulk.

If anyones in the industry or has any ideas it would be most welcome.






(feel free to PM me direct)

[anonymous-user]

What do you mean by "in bulk"? What sort of quantity?

[AndWhyNot]

A friend of mine runs Etch- they laser-etch designs onto all manner of items and materials, having sourced designs from various artists. Depending on the kind of artwork/ illustration your OH produces it might be worth getting in touch. Fair rates of commission as I understand it, but aiming for high quality rather than solely high volume.

[Pixel-Snapper]

We would be looking at upwards of 10 items with the same design.

[KFC]

Pixel-Snapper said:

We would be looking at upwards of 10 items with the same design.

10 of something printed is not 'bulk', its not even in the same ballpark.


You're likely going to be better off just negotiating with one of the high street places for now I'd have thought.

At those volumes I'd rather pay very slightly more and deal with a local firm, then try and save a few pence and be dealing with a company at the other side of the country.

[jon h]

For the sort of quantities you are talking about, digital sublimation printing is the way to do it- the image is printed in reverse onto special paper with sublimation ink- this can be done with a bog standard inkjet printer in some cases, with the special ink in of course, then heat and pressure transfers the image to the object you want to print- the process is used to print polyester based textiles as well as objects such as mugs, tiles, phone cases etc. It might be OTT for you to do it yourself, but these guys sell all the gear and provide a lot of useful information on their website:
http://www.xpres.co.uk/c-41-sublimation-xpres.aspx

At the very least, searching for "sublimation transfer", will probably find you a supplier. I am involved with sublimation printing, but not in this particular market.

[Pixel-Snapper]

Yes 'bulk' was perhaps the wrong word. We could only find places online that would do single numbers at high street prices as this would leave no profit margin for her.

Didn't think to look into local printers just thought they would only do paper printing.

Sublimation printing sounds interesting too.

Cheers

[Red Firecracker]

Might be worth looking at http://www.redbubble.com where you just set your profit margin and let them and their printers do the rest. The iPad cases I've seen from them have been very good.

[HoHoHo]

jon h said:

For the sort of quantities you are talking about, digital sublimation printing is the way to do it- the image is printed in reverse onto special paper with sublimation ink- this can be done with a bog standard inkjet printer in some cases, with the special ink in of course, then heat and pressure transfers the image to the object you want to print- the process is used to print polyester based textiles as well as objects such as mugs, tiles, phone cases etc. It might be OTT for you to do it yourself, but these guys sell all the gear and provide a lot of useful information on their website:
http://www.xpres.co.uk/c-41-sublimation-xpres.aspx

At the very least, searching for "sublimation transfer", will probably find you a supplier. I am involved with sublimation printing, but not in this particular market.

Good idea and I'd have thought a direct to substrate printer will do the job albeit I'm not sure how long the image will stay on the iPhone case!