SCREEN PRINTING TECHNIQUES

While many factors determine the quality of your screen prints, it’s especially important not to overlook the condition of your pallets!  This article was written for Printwearmag.com by Michael Jirasek  It’s a part of the screen printing press that is known by many names – pallet, platen, shirtboard – to name a few of the more common descriptions. They’ve […]

When it comes to printing basic garments, most screen printers turn to 100-percent cotton substrates. More and more, however, customers are looking for alternatives. For that reason, cotton/polyester blends are becoming more common. These blended garments have plenty of advantages, but they also pose some of the same challenges that come with printing on fully […]

Jagged, blurry or fuzzy edges on screen prints can render products unsellable. If the edges of your screen prints aren’t clear and crisp, there could be several issues at work. Here are some ways you can prevent rough edges on your screen prints. Sawtoothing: Eliminating jagged edges A common screen printing problem, when it comes […]

Heat presses are great tools to use to quickly and easily apply designs to apparel, accessories, mugs and other promotional items. As easy as the process is, there’s still a learning curve involved in applying heat transfers. Here are some of the most common heat transfer mistakes and how to avoid them. 1. Misplaced, crooked or backward […]

The market for screen printing on metal provides ample opportunities for screen printing businesses. To succeed in that market, screen printers have to understand the technical aspects of screen printing on metal substrates. Not all metal substrates are created equal, and not all inks will adhere to all metals. Laying down a great print means […]

Koozies — those insulating foam can and bottle holders — have become a mainstay at backyard barbecues, summer holiday picnics, tailgates and sporting and musical events. For consumers, koozies help keep drinks colder by insulating them from warm air and warm hands, and by wicking away condensation. They also help set apart cans and bottles from the crowd, so everyone can keep track of their own drinks at social gatherings. 

UV inks have been on the market for screen printers since the 1970s. They’ve grown in popularity as manufacturers have worked out product kinks and printers have learned the best applications and methods for UV inks. Screen printers who have been working primarily with garments — or those who are just getting started in screen printing — might be new to the world of UV inks. 

Screen printing requires heat. Every screen printer knows that applying the right amount of heat for the right amount of time results in a crisp screen print that’s fully bonded to your substrate. Sometimes, however, heat can prove the enemy. 

For most screen printers, liquid emulsion is the preferred tool for coating screens to make stencils. There is an alternative that’s often overlooked and undervalued: capillary film. Capillary films are sheets of hardened emulsion on a polyester backing. The emulsion side of the film is applied directly to a wetted mesh screen. The emulsion forms a firm bond with the mesh as it dries, and the backing is peeled away. From there, the printer can expose a stencil much as they would a screen coated with liquid emulsion.

Screen printing remains the top method for garment decoration for a variety of reasons. It’s a straightforward, versatile and time-tested process that’s economical for high-volume printing and delivers great results on almost any substrate. However, emerging new technologies have created some doubts about screen printing’s future. So where might the screen printing industry be headed in coming years?

How do you reclaim your screens? This might be one of the least liked jobs in the entire screen printing shop, which leads most screen printers to explore all screen cleaning options. If you’ve undertaken the search for the best way to reclaim your screens, you’ve likely come across the controversial dip tank. Some screen printers love them, touting them as time and supply savers, while other screen printers warn against them, saying they waist chemicals and produce hazardous waste.

Plastisol ink transformed the screen printing industry when it was introduced to the market in the 1970s. Since then, plastisol has become the industry standard. Why is plastisol ink so popular?