The best way of printing onto most cotton clothing is screen printing. Screen printing works well with big or small multi-colored logos. Logos can be printed on a variety of T-shirt locations including front, back & sleeve. Screen printing works best for t-shirt printing because of the lasting quality of the image.
The Screen Printing Process
Screen printed garments wash well, and should not be confused with heat transfer printing which does not look as professional or last as long. Many t-shirt printing shops use this cheaper method rather than screen printing.
Items that are usually screen printed include:
• T-Shirts
• Sweat Shirts
• Tank Tops
• Bandannas
• Tote Bags
EcoFriendly Process
Social Imprints uses the latest in technology to create the most eco-friendly processes available in the screen printing industry. Our screens are images using Computer to Screen (CTS) Technology, eliminating costly and wasteful films from the screen printing production process. This screen system enables us to eliminate harmful emissions. Most screen printing shops use either costly thermal films or an image setter, witch use both non-recyclable plastic and silver nitrate. CTS Technology uses a biodegradable wax to image screens directly which reduces waste.
Social Imprints also uses 100% Phthalate Free Inks. Please see our ink supplier’s Compliance Report
Tips of the Trade
How is cost for a screen printed garment determined?
• Number of garments ordered
• Number of print locations (Front, Back, Sleeve 1, Sleeve 2)
• Number of colors printed per location
How do I keep my costs down?
When screen printing, one color at a time is applied and therefore the cost will increase with each additional color applied. Also lighter color shirts including white are cheaper than darker color shirts
What types of garments are best for screen printing?
Screen printing works best for garment printing with a smooth jersey fabric. Typically Pique polo shirts, caps and higher end garments such as button downs shirts work better with embroidery.
What type of art file is needed?
Files MUST be 300dpi at actual size. This means that if you want your graphic to be 12 inches wide, you will need a file that is at least 3600 pixels wide to start with. If you are creating your graphics in Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, or other vector-based software, then you just need to set your document size to the size you want your graphic to be.
A 300dpi flattened TIFF in RGB is the best way to send your apparel graphic. Even if you have it in a layout or vector-based program, outputting a hi-resolution TIFF will be the best way to ensure a speedy turnaround and avoid extra file prep charges. If you are sending a vector-based EPS or PDF, make sure you convert your type to outlines to avoid missing fonts.
If I order 100 apparel items, can I split them into two different graphics and still receive 100 quantity pricing?
No, because this would not be 100 quantity. It is two orders of 50 quantity and that is how it would be priced. Orders are based on graphic setup, (SCREENS) not total quantity. This situation results in twice the setup, twice as many screens, and twice the run time.
Is a screen print the same as a heat transfer?
Screen printed garments wash well, and should not be confused with heat transfer printing which does not look as professional or last as well. Many t-shirt printing shops use this cheaper method rather than screen printing.
How many colors can you print?
Up to 12 Spot Colors
Can I print a full color logo or picture?
To print a full color logo or picture we us a printing process called “simulated process” or a technique called 4-color process
Simulated Process/Full Color Printing is an advanced technique that uses halftones (linked info below) of a few ink colors to represent the colors in the original design. This process differs from 4-color process in that the inks are solid opaque colors usually printed on dark colored shirts. Because the shirt’s colors are normally dark, the simulated process requires the use of an underbase.
When working with the simulated process, we start with a digital design or a design that is scanned into the computer. We make adjustments in color and contrast so that it looks right on the shirt. Then we process the design through a special program that automates the difficult separation calculations. Once finished, the separations are printed out as usual.
Simulated process also requires relatively high mesh counts and screen frequencies. Depending on the design, 3 to 11 ink colors may be needed to accurately reproduce subtle color variations.
4-color process is a more advanced separation and printing technique that uses 4 colors of transparent ink to produce the colors from the original design. The four colors, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and black (CMYK), are printed as halftones that interact with each other and the white background of the shirt to create color and tonal values. A wide spectrum of colors can be represented but some colors are impossible to produce.
4-color process is used mostly for phoographic or digitally created designs because many shades and colors can be created with only four screens. High screen counts and screen frequencies are required to create the tiny halftone dots. One drawback to 4-color process is that the garment must be white. Generally we will encourage customers to consider Simulated or Full Color printing instead of 4-color process, the results are more consistent and the finished product looks better.
Halftones are a pattern of tiny dots that can simulate different shades of color using varying percentages of a single ink. Visually, halftones create the illusion of a continuous tone image by using spots of varying size and density to represent darker or lighter color values.
Halftones work by fooling the eye into seeing the combination of the ink color and the color of the shirt they are printed on. When seen from a distance, the colors blend together and the dots merge with the background color of the shirt. If you look closely at or magnify the print, the separate dots are quite clear. You can see good examples of halftones if you magnify a picture in a magazine or a print from a color printer or even if you look closely at your TV screen.
Why is printing on dark colored garments more expensive than printing on light colored garments?
In order for the ink to be printed on dark colored shirts an underbase needs to be applied to the garments. An underbase is a layer of ink, usually white, that is printed under theother ink colors. When printing most colors on dark garments the color of the shirt will show through the ink slightly. For instance, yellow ink printed directly on a royal blue shirt will look very green. To prevent this, a thin layer of white ink is printed, then “flash” dried, and the yellow is printed on top. This gives the top colors a good neutral base and reduces or eliminates the shirt color from showing through.
How do my garments get dried/cured after they are printed?
A: Flash curing is he process of “gelling” a layer of ink with a spot heating unit while still on the press. To “gel” the ink layer, the temperature is raised to the point where the ink begins to dry but is not completely cured. The ink will be dry to the touch and will form a solid surface to print additional colors on. When the garment is run through the drier the flashed layer will cure completely and bond to the ink layers on top to form a solid film.
Examples of Printing Styles
• Spot Color
• Full Color Process
• Discharge
• Foil
• High Density
• Distressed
• Water Base
• Oversize
• Fashion/Retail Soft Hand
• Combination of Screen Printing and Embroidery
Print Placement Guide
• Download Print Placement Guide
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