You have a one-of-a-kind design, and you’re looking for an affordable and quick way to print it on several shirts or other garments. You may want to try custom screen printing online. Even with modern printing methods such as direct-to-garment printing, screen printing in NC is still widely appreciated by discerning consumers and businesses that want to produce custom apparel. If you’re new to the process, here’s an overview that can tell you more about it and why you should choose it.
What is screen printing?
Also called silk screening, screen printing is the process of printing graphics on fabric using ink. It presses ink through a custom stenciled mesh with a squeegee. Most custom T-shirt makers still use this method to produce garments in bulk.
How does it work?
Custom screen printing online is unlike DTG. It uses a thin, tightly stretched polyester mesh over a frame. A negative of your design is printed on the screen and placed against the shirt. Ink is rolled over the mesh screen in the areas where your design is printed to let ink through on the fabric.
Screen printing in NC involves separate inks, chemicals, and techniques, making the process more complex and somewhat time-consuming than DTG. However, it’s still preferred for its ability to deliver bolder and more vibrant designs.
History of screen printing
Would you believe that screen printing has been around for centuries? The earliest version of the technique was pioneered in AD 950 in China where it was used to print patterns on fabric. Japanese artisans adopted it several centuries later to transfer designs on fabric and paper with a stiff brush to deliver ink through a mesh screen made of human hair.
Screen printing came to Europe in the 18th century, but the high cost of silk made it unpopular. However, when the Silk Road made it easier and more affordable to acquire silk, the method became more profitable and widely used for printing fabric. In the early 20th century, printers made it easier to create complex stencil designs.
Screen printing became an artistic medium in the 1930s. Nowadays, it is used both as a commercial printing process and an artistic medium.
Modern screen-printing techniques
Companies offering custom screen printing online may use these six techniques:
1. Spot color screen printing – The most common technique that uses the stock color of ink and prints through the stenciled mesh. It produces vibrant colors and is easy to use.
2. Halftone printing – A screen printing method that prints single colors in gradients. The process uses one color of ink, which is halftoned to create different shades when viewed from a distance.
3. Duotone printing – A screen printing technique that combines two halftones to create the same image with two colors. A black halftone is printed, followed by a colored second halftone. It’s similar to a sepia print in photos for an artsy and sophisticated effect.
4. Grayscale printing – A method that prints full-color images in halftones or one-color grayscales. It pulls out RGB, color, or CMY scales in shades of gray to create a detailed output.
5. Simulated process printing – A process that combines spot color printing with four-color printing. It’s ideal for darker and lighter shades, and it produces photorealistic print detail.
6. CMYK – 4-color printing is the most complex screen printing technique in NC.
Why use screen printing?
Screen printing is versatile and produces durable output that lasts. Ink colors are vibrant and bolder on fabric, too. The process is efficient and delivers fast and cost-effective printing.
Try screen printing with BrandSpeed.
Are you making custom apparel with a unique design? Brand Speed offers custom screen printing online. We accept bulk orders of at least 12 pieces, and you can customize each shirt. Rest assured that our screen printing services in NC deliver outstanding quality at reasonable prices, and that you’ll receive your orders promptly. Get a quote or call us to get started!