SCREEN PRINTING

Screen printing is achieved by forcing ink through a fine mesh screen with a squeegee onto the product and is ideal for branding most apparel.

Screen printing is one of the most commonly used techniques for decorating custom items in the promotional products industry

The big reason is that it works well with a number of different items. Screen printing can be used on soft fabric products, like t-shirts and tote bags, as well as on products with hard surfaces like tumblers and pens. No matter what kind of promotional item, screen printing is designed to create a crisp, clear logo that stands out.

The Process:-

1. A transparency for each colour of your logo, brand or design is created in solid black. An individual screen is required for each colour to be printed.
2. A layer of emulsion is spread over the screen covering the entire surface. The transparency for each colour is laid on separate screens covered with emulsion.  The screens are then exposed to light.
3. The emulsion in the area of your design to be printed is “softened” ready for the screen to be sprayed with cold water to removed residual emulsion from the design area.
4. The screens are now set up in either a manual or automatic carousel. Ink mixed to match your PMS print colour is added to the screen.
5. Your garment, bag or other promotional item Is laid on a flat bed on the carousel ensuring there are no wrinkles or folds in the material.
6. The screen is placed down onto the item and the ink is pushed through the mesh in the design are of the screen using a squeegee.
7. Your branded product is removed from the carousel and passed through a drying tunnel. Your item is now ready to pack and despatch.

As common as screenprinting is, it’s a rather technical process!  Whoever thought to spread an emulsion across a screen and then treat the screen with a UV-blocking ink must have been a creative chemistry genius. And because the printing pros keep proper print registration in mind, you get a crisp looking print of your logo, every time.

The advantages of Screen Printing include:

• Large print areas are possible on both flat and cylindrical products.
• Half tones are possible as there are various there are various mesh sizes available for making the screens.
• Close PMS matches are possible.
• Ideal for large solid areas of colour.
• Metallic gold and silver are available.

Limitations:-

• Set up charged per colour as each colour printed requires a separate screen

Artwork:-

It is a requirement that artwork is supplied in vector outline format.