Find out how silkscreen printing helps you get the design of your dreams! Having your ideal customised design printed on fabric is both thrilling yet very much achievable.
- What It Is
With a rich history dating back to over a hundred years ago, silkscreen printing is one of the most well-liked printing methods available. It is also commonly known as spot printing and often used to print designs on textiles like t-shirts and bags.
- Behind the Scenes
Curious to know how designs get printed onto t-shirts?
A variety of materials are used for successful silkscreen printing. The process kicks off with the creation of a screen. To do this, a fine mesh, typically made of nylon or polyester, is stretched tightly onto a wooden or aluminium frame.
Next, a stencil is produced. Parts of the screen in the negative image of the design are blocked off. This leaves exposed spaces for the ink to be transferred.
Before the actual printing takes place, the mesh screen needs to be filled with a photographic emulsion. A positive film with your desired design printed in black will be put on the stencil.
Once done, the unnecessary emulsion on the stencil will be exposed to ultraviolet light and burnt away in the exposure unit. The screen will be thoroughly washed. This leaves a clean part in the mesh with your intended design, thus showing your design on the screen.
After preparing the stencil, the screen is placed on top of a substrate, and ink will be flooded onto it. Using a squeegee, screening of the colours takes place. With silkscreen printing, up to eight colours can be used – one layer per colour.
Subsequently, after each layer’s application of the ink, the print is left to dry before continuing with further applications.
Thanks to modern technology’s wonders, companies no longer need to do this manually. With the help of ink and machinery, detailed quality printouts can be procured.
- The Good and the Bad
As with any other textile printing method, silkscreen printing comes with its own set of pros and cons. Advocates love its excellent colour accuracy that is both high quality, long-lasting and wash-resistant. Since a screen, once made, can be used many times, it offers economical costs for mass printing.
It is also especially useful if you have designs that need a high degree of colour vibrancy, such as printing on dark or dim products. The specially created stencils give amazing accuracy, resulting in clear edges for the images printed.
Want to print on a wide range of materials? You’ll be delighted to know that silkscreen printing can be conducted on different materials like polyester and cotton, to Teflon and nylon.
On the other end, this printing process can be tiring. It needs much planning and preparation, and usually has minimum order quantities. If you’re looking at a complex design, more screens will be needed to carry it out.
All in all, it really depends on your printing requirements – every need suits a certain printing technique!
Therefore, T-Shirt Guys will recommend the type of printing methods that is suitable for your design and type of t-shirt material to go with! Visit our website www.tshirtguys.com.sg. Enquire with us now at enquiry@tshirtguys.com.sg or alternately Whatsapp us @97117732 to get your T-Shirt QUOTE NOW!
