However, whether you should go for small desktop cutter, would depend on the width of the media you want to use. The first thing I would say, is that in my opinion, whether you’re going to be using Tshirt vinyl, or cutting out the background on laser or inkjet transfers, the Silhouette Cameo will do the job fine. If you’ve decided you’re going to be using a Tshirt printing method which does require a cutter plotter, the next question would be, what is the best vinyl cutter plotter for Tshirts, and is it the Silhouette Cameo? Is the Silhouette Cameo machine, the best vinyl cutter plotter for Tshirts? You print the text or design in black, using a CMYK laser printer, and then heat press the media to create the transfer, and during this process, the text or image automatically becomes separate from the background, which is known as “self weed”. There is also self weeding Tshirt transfer vinyl or flex, for which you don’t need a cutter. You’ll buy the vinyl either on the roll, or in sheets, then cut it using a cutter plotter such as the Silhouette Cameo, before finally weeding out the background, and heat pressing onto the Tshirt, hoodie or sweatshirt. You’ll also need a cutter plotter of course, for Tshirt transfer vinyl. You can get away without doing this for white or light coloured Tshirts if you prefer, although if there is a lot of white background in a design, cutting and then weeding it out will enhance the handle of the garment once the transfer has been applied. You’ll need the contour cutter for cutting out the unwanted background. If you’re going to be using either CMYK laser transfer printing or inkjet transfer printing, you’ll need a cutter, especially when it comes to printing on dark garments. You don’t need a cutter plotter for Tshirt screen printing, or DTG printing, or for self weed laser transfer printing with a white toner laser printer. If you’re going to be using bought in transfers, or bought in embroidered heat transfer appliques, all you’ll need is a heat press.
If you’re planning on only printing via dye sublimation printing for example, then you won’t need a vinyl cutter potter – just a dye sublimation printing set up and a heat press. I’d recommend starting out asking this question, and this comes down to understanding which Tshirt printing method or methods you are going to be employing.
You may have heard about the Silhouette Cameo, in which case you may be wondering whether the Cameo is the best contour cutter for you, or whether there’s another cutter you should be looking at? Do I actually need a vinyl cutter? If you’re considering inkjet transfer Tshirt printing, or CYMK laser transfer printing, and/or contour cut heat transfer vinyl, then you’ll probably be wondering which is the best cutter plotter to go for.