Business Details
49 Years
experience
Custom Garment Printing Services in London
Fifth Column was founded in 1977 as a small punk rock print shop in London, where we hand-printed t-shirts for iconic bands like The Clash and The Damned. Over four decades, we've evolved into a 11,000 sq. ft. facility in North London, maintaining our passion for quality while embracing advanced technologies like automated screen printing carousels that produce thousands of garments daily. Our expertise spans screen printing, embroidery, direct-to-garment (DTG), and direct-to-film (DTF) printing, serving diverse clients from charities to sports teams. We prioritise ethical practices, sourcing GOTS-certified organic cotton and partnering with sustainable brands like Stanley Stella. Our commitment to excellence is demonstrated through our in-house garment finishing services, 24-hour express printing option, and decades of experience in creating high-impact promotional merchandise.We combine technical proficiency with creative problem-solving, offering tailored solutions for small businesses and large-scale operations alike. Our team's deep industry knowledge ensures every project benefits from precise colour matching, durable inks, and meticulous quality control. As an Official Stanley Stella Dealer, we guarantee responsibly manufactured merchandise that meets rigorous environmental standards. Our heritage of innovation continues today, blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge digital technologies to deliver superior custom apparel solutions.
Services
Screen Printing
Embroidery
DTG Printing
DTF Printing
Garment Finishing
Bulk Wholesale
Charity T-Shirts
Workwear Printing
Sportswear Printing
Logo Printing
Details
- Year established: 1977
Highlights and features
- 45 years of garment printing expertise with state-of-the-art equipment
- Sustainable practices using organic cotton and eco-friendly inks
- Full-service solution from design to finished product
- 24-hour express printing service available
- Official Stanley Stella Dealer for premium sustainable apparel
Associations and certifications
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
- Fair Wear
- Fairtrade
Services
Screen Printing
Our automated screen printing carousels produce 600 garments hourly while maintaining exceptional quality. This method excels for large quantities with bold, vibrant designs that resist fading. We use premium plastisol, discharge, and water-based inks matched to your Pantone specifications. Ideal for corporate uniforms, event merchandise, and retail apparel where durability and colour accuracy matter most. Our 45 years of experience ensure perfect registration and consistent results across thousands of garments daily.
Embroidery
Precision embroidery adds premium branding to jackets, caps, and workwear using 12-colour digital stitching. Our digitisation process converts logos into intricate thread patterns that maintain detail even on curved surfaces. Particularly popular for corporate uniforms and sports team wear, this durable decoration method withstands repeated washing without fading. We handle complex crest designs and small text with equal proficiency using computer-controlled embroidery machines.
Direct-to-Garment Printing
DTG printing delivers photographic quality on 100% cotton garments without setup costs, ideal for one-off designs and small batches. Our industrial-grade printers apply water-based inks directly to fabric, producing soft-hand prints with unlimited colour gradients. Perfect for detailed artwork and photo-realistic designs where vibrancy matters. This eco-friendly process uses only the required ink with minimal waste compared to traditional methods.
Direct-to-Film Printing
DTF printing creates flexible, durable transfers applicable to cotton, polyester, and blended fabrics without minimum order requirements. We print designs onto special film then apply heat-activated adhesive for permanent bonding. Particularly effective for dark garments and synthetic materials where traditional methods struggle. This versatile technique maintains detail across complex shapes and curved surfaces like sportswear and performance apparel.
Garment Finishing
Our finishing services include custom labelling, hem tagging, poly-bagging, and sticker application to prepare garments for retail. We remove manufacturer tags and replace with client-branded labels using contrasting thread for visibility. Eco-friendly packaging options maintain freshness during transport. Additional services like barcode application and swing-tag attachment ensure products arrive ready for immediate sale or distribution.
Questions
Which type of printing is best on T-shirts?
Direct-to-film printing (DTF) is ideal for intricate designs, while screen printing offers cost-effective bulk production. DTG works well for small runs with complex artwork.
What material is best for t-shirt printing?
Cotton provides optimal ink absorption, though we also handle polyester and blended fabrics using appropriate printing methods like DTF for synthetic materials.
How much does printing shirts cost?
Prices start at £4.00 per shirt for DTG. Screen printing offers bulk discounts from 100+ units, with costs varying by design complexity and garment type.
What is your turnaround time?
Standard orders take 7-10 working days, with express printing available for completion within 24 hours when required.
Reviews (5)
Brunella Giannangeli
Dec 02, 2021
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The printing quality of the jobs we have done so far with Fifth column were top-notch, the colour matching was impeccable and also the communication. they answered to all of our questions with an incredible patience too.
Tuuli Platner
Nov 18, 2021
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Positive:Professionalism,Quality,Responsiveness
So grateful to Lily and the team at Fifth Column for top-notch customer service and excellent custom t-shirts. We couldn't be more pleased with how they helped us throughout the process from initial inquiry to ordeirng to delivery. Thank you!
So grateful to Lily and the team at Fifth Column for top-notch customer service and excellent custom t-shirts. We couldn't be more pleased with how they helped us throughout the process from initial inquiry to ordeirng to delivery. Thank you!
InCrowd Events
Oct 01, 2021
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Positive:Quality,Value
Great value for money, quality products and very helpful when ordering. Would definitely recommend.
Great value for money, quality products and very helpful when ordering. Would definitely recommend.
Hamish Morrow
Aug 05, 2021
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Positive:Professionalism,Quality,Responsiveness,Value
The team at Fifth Column turned around a bulk order of uniform with only a week's notice and they turned out great. Extremely prompt and reassuring customer service, with the ability to go the extra mile to meet a deadline. Well recommended!
The team at Fifth Column turned around a bulk order of uniform with only a week's notice and they turned out great. Extremely prompt and reassuring customer service, with the ability to go the extra mile to meet a deadline. Well recommended!
Edel O'Keeffe
Jul 26, 2021
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Positive:Professionalism,Responsiveness
Really professional, highly responsive to any questions and the final product (printed t-shirts) came out perfect. Will definitely use again.
Really professional, highly responsive to any questions and the final product (printed t-shirts) came out perfect. Will definitely use again.
