What is Screen Printing?
Screen printing is a centuries-old process by which ink is transferred from a screen (similar to the ones that may be in your windows at home) to another material with a squeegee. While that could be almost any material, In the case of our shop, that is most often a garment like a tee shirt, sweatshirt, or some other apparel. The detail and resolution of the image that is transferred to the garment depends on what kind of stencil is applied to the screen and the density of the mesh used to make the screen. Traditional screen printing also takes longer than printing on an inkjet printer because screens need to be created for every color in the design rather than just clicking “print” from a computer.
About Our Inks
The ink we use falls into two main categories: plastisol and water-based. We are always happy to help our clients to choose the right ink for their projects depending on the desired results.
Plastisol Ink
Sits on the surface of the garment rather than working into the fabric
Typically more brilliant colors with fewer passes of the squeegee
Highly durable
water-based Ink
Sits deeper inside the garment for a softer feel on the surface
More breathable than plastisol
More environmentally friendly
The Cure for the Common Shirt
In order to dry the ink on the garments we print, we run every piece through a high-temperature conveyor dryer (usually over 320 degrees depending the application) to give the ink a long-lasting cure that will last for years of laundering. To learn more about our ink options and what solutions we have to help in telling your story, please drop us a line.
