SCREEN PRINTING

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?

Whether it’s your first screen printing machine or you’re looking to add another press to your setup, it can be tempting to go the used route. Screen printing presses – especially automatic machines – are big investments and every dollar counts for your business. You can save a bundle by opting for a used press over a new model, but there is some risk involved. If you’re set on purchasing pre-owned equipment, you have to do your research to make sure you’re getting a solid machine.

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.

An unmotivated staff can pose serious problems for your screen printing business. Only 33 percent of American workers report being fully engaged in their jobs, according to a Gallup report, and that majority of unmotivated workers results in more than $550 billion in lost productivity. A motivated staff keeps your screen printing shop running quickly and efficiently. And on top of that, happy, motivated employees help make your shop a pleasure to run and a pleasure to spend your work day in.

Most screen printers enter the business and open their own shops because they’re passionate about making great prints, and they know that screen printing can be a profitable business year after year. But running a business, especially as that business grows and adds employees, is about so much more than making sales and delivering a product. Your business’s success depends on your ability to lead your team toward your business vision.

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? 

When it comes to altering ink to get it to behave just how you want, ink additives can be invaluable. When you’re trying to get a print to look and feel just so, looking to create an eye-catching effect or printing on tricky substrates, screen printing ink additives are tools you can use to get your screen printing jobs to turn out just right. 

While scams and fraud meant to deprive people and businesses of their hard-earned money certainly aren’t a new concept, these days scams seem to be omnipresent. From over-the-phone scammers to credit card thieves, those who wish to do individuals and businesses harm make news daily.

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.