Apparel Screen Printing – A Cost-Effective Option For Creating Branded Apparel
If you’re planning to sell branded apparel for your company, then you have two main options for getting the logo or design onto the fabric: heat transfer vinyl (HTV) and screen printing. Screen printing is a time-tested, cost-effective process that can yield high-quality results. It’s also a popular way to make promotional T-shirts and other clothing items that can double as walking billboards for your brand.
While HTV is a great option for smaller runs, or for creating one-of-a-kind pieces, it’s not ideal for large-scale productions. It’s not as durable or fade-resistant as a screen printed garment, and it is often prone to cracking and peeling when subjected to excessive washing. Apparel screen printing is well known for its quality and durability, especially when properly cared for. If your customers are looking for long-lasting, vivid colors, then you’ll want to consider this print method for your product line.
Screen printing is an ancient technique that’s still widely used today. It involves pushing ink through a woven screen, or mesh stencil, to create a design on the fabric. It is a versatile and affordable printing process that can be used on a variety of fabrics, including t-shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, bags, and more. The design can be anything from a simple text or logo to an intricate hand-illustrated pattern or recognizable image. The more complex the design, the more expensive it will be to produce.
To begin the screen printing process, a blank canvas is stretched over a frame. Then, a screen is created for each color in the design. The screens are then registered, or aligned so that when the ink is pushed through, it deposits onto the garment. The ink is then dried with a commercial dryer.
Unlike digital printing, which uses inkjet technology to deposit drops of ink on the paper or fabric, the screen printing process allows for more vibrant and detailed coloration. It’s also easier to produce multiple copies of a single design with this technique, which makes it an excellent choice for creating apparel for sports teams or work uniforms.
A major benefit of screen printing is its ability to be used on a wide variety of materials, including cotton, polyester, and even knitted fabrics. It’s a popular choice for producing high-quality, durable shirts that can withstand repeated wear and washing.
Apparel screen printing is also an environmentally sustainable technique. It requires fewer resources to produce than other print methods, which can help reduce the carbon footprint of your business. It’s also easy to recycle the ink cartridges and screens after they’re no longer needed, which can save you money in the long run.
If you’re interested in learning how to do apparel screen printing, then Carousel’s Press offers a four-week intensive course that covers the entire process from start to finish. You’ll learn how to prepare your artwork for screen printing, how to set up and use the professional equipment, and even get hands-on experience by working on projects of your own. apparel screen printing