Screen printing, also known as silk screening, is a versatile and popular printing technique that has been used for over a thousand years through history. From custom apparel to posters and art prints, screen printing offers unique advantages that make it the perfect printing technique for artists, businesses, and hobbyists alike. Through this blog, we’ll dive into the world of screen printing, learning what it is, its rich history, and why it remains a favored method for custom apparel printing! Let’s get started…
What is Screen Printing?
Screen printing is a printing technique where ink is pushed through a fine mesh or silk screen that has been stenciled with a design. The ink passes through the open areas of the screen onto the printing surface. For Underground Printing, this surface is usually fabric but it could also be paper or other materials. Each color in the design requires a separate screen, making the process ideal for designs with bold, vibrant colors and complex designs. When choosing screen printing as your custom apparel printing method, we suggest using anywhere from 1 to 10 colors max. Adding more colors to your screen printed design can increase the cost so if you’re looking to print a photo or a design with more than 10 colors, we suggest Digital Printing.
Also Read: Screen Printing vs. Digital Printing - Everything You Need to Know
Key Components of Screen Printing
The key components of screen printing are the screen, stencil, squeegee, ink, and substrate. As stated above, the screen is typically either a mesh or silk screen, often made of polyester, stretched over a frame. The stencil is a template created to block out areas where ink should not pass through. In the world of custom printing, this stencil would be your logo or design! Squeegees are a tool used to push the ink through the screen to bring your design to life. Screen printing inks are specialty inks that are made to adhere very well to the chosen material or garment. Lastly, the substrate refers to the material being printed on such as fabric, paper, or plastic. All of these different components work together with our skilled team of custom printers to create the perfect screen-printed art on our high quality apparel!
The Screen Printing Process
Underground Printing’s screen printing process is broken into 5 parts: design creation and order placement, screen preparation, printing, curing, and shipping.
1. Design Creation & Order Placement: You create or upload your design or logo and place your order. Your design is then transferred onto a transparent film.
2. Screen Preparation: The screen is coated with a light-sensitive emulsion in our darkroom and then exposed to light with the transparent film featuring your design on top. The light hardens the emulsion except where the design blocks it, resulting in a stencil.
3. Printing: The screen or screens are then added to our screen printing machine. Fun Fact - UGP’s logo, the “pinwheel” is a screen printing machine, viewed from above! Once in place, our stellar production team adds your chosen substrate or garments and ink is pushed through the open areas of the stencil using a squeegee.
4. Curing: Once the design has been printed, your apparel is dried or cured to set the ink, ensuring it adheres properly and lasts through use.
5. Shipping: After curing, the custom apparel is checked by our quality team to ensure everything is perfect then it’s shipped off to you, your group, business, or just wherever you need it to be!
A Brief History of Screen Printing
Screen printing has its origins in ancient China during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), where it was used to print patterns on fabric. The technique spread to Japan and other Asian countries, evolving with each culture’s unique artistic style.
In the early 20th century, screen printing gained popularity in the West, particularly in the advertising and commercial art sectors. The advent of photo-reactive chemicals in the 1960s revolutionized the process, making it more accessible and precise. Artists like Andy Warhol popularized screen printing in the art world, using it to create iconic works like his Campbell's Soup Cans series.
Today at UGP, we use screen printing every day to create great apparel for all of our customers! The screen printing technique is used by almost everyone from smaller groups of 6 looking for matching shirts for vacation to large businesses needing 1,000 new polos for their company.
The Future of Screen Printing
While digital printing technologies are on the rise, screen printing continues to thrive due to its unique qualities. Advances in materials and techniques are expanding the possibilities, making it an ever-evolving form of art!
Screen Printing Techniques and Trends
While screen printing has changed and evolved over the years, we’re seeing great new techniques and trends! Some of these techniques and trends include plastisol inks, water-based inks, discharge printing, and specialty inks.
Plastisol inks are popular in screen printing for their versatility and durability. They sit on top of the fabric rather than soaking in, providing a vibrant finish. Water-based inks are what we at Underground Printing use the most. Water-based inks penetrate the fabric, resulting in a softer feel. They are also eco-friendly and ideal for lightweight garments as they feel lighter on the shirt! Discharge printing involves removing the dye from the fabric to create the design, resulting in a super soft feel and vintage look. Specialty inks that are available may vary but some examples are glow-in-the-dark, metallic, and puff. Specialty inks add unique effects to screen-printing items adding an extra layer of customization that can really make designs pop!
Why Choose Screen Printing?
At Underground Printing, we offer a wide range of services and printing methods. Our most popular printing methods are screen printing, digital or direct-to-garment printing, and embroidery. What sets screen printing apart is its durability, versatility, cost-effectiveness, and customization.
For durability and quality, screen printing is known to produce vibrant and long-lasting prints. The inks used are thick and pigmented ensuring the colors remain vivid after many washes. While other methods of custom printing like embroidery may be just as durable, the vibrancy may not be as bright as you’d find with screen printing.
When talking about versatility, this technique can be applied to a wide range of materials ranging from fabric substrates like cotton, polyester, and blends, to non-fabric materials such as paper and plastic. The versatility of screen printing makes it ideal for custom apparel and beyond!
If you’re comparing costs between methods, screen printing is highly cost-effective for larger orders of 6 or more. Once the screens are prepared, the printing process is quick, allowing for high-volume production with consistent quality. In some cases, you may only need one shirt, making Digital Printing your best and most cost-effective option as single-order screen printed shirts still require the same amount of set up as large orders of 100 or more.
Lastly, screen printing allows for a very high level of customization. From intricate designs to multi-color prints and marbled ink colors, this method can handle complex artwork with precision. At UGP, you can also easily change ink and garment colors with little to no extra cost! This is due to the stenciled screen your design is on. With embroidery or digital printing, you may be limited to the colors and apparel chosen or may need to pay quite a bit more to add variety to your order. Screen printing’s most expensive factor is the creation of the screen making it easier to change out ink colors and garments. Screen printing is also great for businesses who may need to restock apparel from time to time as we keep the screens for the next time an order needs to be printed!
Also Read: Digital Printing 101 and Embroidery 101
Compare Methods
Screen printing is a timeless and adaptable method for custom apparel printing. Its rich history, coupled with its enduring qualities of durability, versatility, and vibrant results, ensures branded merchandise or an artist exploring new mediums, screen printing offers a world of creative possibilities.
Looking to see how screen printing can bring your design to life? We’re here to help! At Underground Printing, we’re not happy until you’re happy and our team of experts are ready to help you find the best printing method to create the perfect custom gear. Feel free to reach out in person at one of our locations or via email to help@undergroundshirts.com. We can’t wait to screen print the great designs you come up with!