screen printing methods

Just like most other types of businesses, the field of screen printing is rife with competition. To succeed, you need to attract and retain customers. But how can you do that when other screen printing shops are offering similar services?

In the world of screen printing, a hot debate surrounds technique: Should you push or pull your squeegees on your manual screen printing machine? Some printers will argue that the best technique for manual screen printing is to pull your squeegee down the screen toward you in the traditional screen printing manner, while others will argue that pushing the squeegee away from your body is best.

One of the best ways to keep your screen printing customers happy and returning with additional business is to produce their orders as quickly as you can without sacrificing quality. Reducing your turnaround time is a good way to separate your business from your competition, since many screen printing orders are highly time sensitive.

For those who are old enough to remember, “puff ink” brings to mind neon graphics and all-over 3D designs that were all the rage in the 1980s and early 1990s. The puff ink craze might have gone out of style with the Walkman, but that doesn’t mean puff ink doesn’t have its place in modern screen print designs. When used right, puff ink can add a fun textural element to your screen prints, and if you’ve never given this specialty ink a try, it’s time to see how puff ink can transform your screen printing.

For screen printers, team apparel can generate big business. From local school sports teams to rec leagues to local colleges and universities, there’s plenty of business to be had. Contracting with a team can result in repeat business, year after year, and it brings more than just jerseys: Think  warm-up gear, hats, team jackets and fan apparel. So if your screen printing shop isn’t already churning out team apparel, it’s something you should be looking into.

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.

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.

Before you can create high quality prints, you have to create high quality stencils. However, this is often easier said than done. There are many, many variables that go into creating the right stencil for the job, and some of these factors are easy to overlook. First, you need to right emulsion, then you need to apply it correctly.

Nearly all printers begin with simple, color-blocked prints, laying down one to three colors at a time. While there’s certainly plenty of money to be made, and plenty of designs to be made, by printing spot colors, many screen printers look to advance their skills and try new techniques.

Designing artwork for screen printing is not always a straightforward job. In order to create a great-looking print, you need art that’s up to the task. Making an effort to use vector images whenever possible can help keep you avoid some headaches throughout the screen printing process.