SCREEN PRINTING

When you start your own screen printing business, you face many challenges: Procuring the right location, finding the right equipment and formulating a business plan that will help you meet your goals. One challenge that can stump even the most prepared entrepreneur might come as a surprise: Choosing a name.

Tri-blend shirts have become a major force in the fashion industry since their introduction a decade ago. In the custom apparel industry, tri-blend fabrics have become a customer favorite. But these blended garments present their unique blend of decorating challenges. To be able to profit from the popularity of tri-blend garments, screen printers have to know how best to print on them.

The demand for branded corporate apparel will never fade. Corporate uniforms, in particular, allow companies to create a cohesive look for their employees that solidifies the company image and helps customers identify company representatives.

In screen printing, your final product is only as good as your artwork. Working hard to eliminate artwork mistakes — which happen in even the most experienced shops — can help your shop produce higher quality prints with more consistency. To help you create better quality control in your art department, here are some common screen printing artwork mistakes to avoid.

Would you like to decrease profit loss in your screen printing shop? Who wouldn’t! While there are limits on what you can do to reduce costs, one area you do have control over is quality control. In specific, you can save money and cut waste by reducing misprints.

Operating a small apparel decorating business today presents a multitude of choices and dilemmas. It means running your operation in an era where there have never been more opportunities and challenges. If you’re an established shop owner, you may be anxious to see your business grow. However, first you need to determine whether you’re ready for growth.

Have you ever felt a soft, velvet-like screen print and wondered how the image was created? Flock printing, or flocking, creates a unique, soft texture on garments, cardstock and even on car interiors.

Screen printers make a living from reproducing images. Some screen printers lay down a majority of original prints, while others might rely solely on images provided by customers. Whichever end of the spectrum your shop lands on, you need to what to do to protect your shop from copyright infringement.

At this point in the year, everyone has been caught up in the holiday rush. From mid-November through the new year, screen printers can expect to see higher order volumes, special requests for out-of-the-box gifts and last minute rush orders. Even for seasoned screen printers, managing the holiday season can present a challenge. By using some simple strategies, you can successfully navigate the holiday season in your screen printing business.

Screen printing can be a fun and challenging business venture, and it can be a serious money maker. Just like any business, however, there are important steps to take to find success with a screen printing business, as well as pitfalls to avoid to prevent business failure.

Regardless of how small or large your screen printing business is, or who your typical customer is, an online store can help you to grow and maintain your business. Online stores are easy to set up and manage, thanks to specialized software, apps and websites created just for this purpose.

One of the most often overlooked details in screen printing is mesh tension. While brand new screens might print great, over time, your mesh tension will wear down. Poorly tensioned screens can have a major impact on print quality, even if it’s hard to notice that the mesh has become loose or saggy.