What is Screen Printing?
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Screen printing is one of the oldest methods of customizing/branding products, dating back to the 1800s. Screen printing is when a printer uses a stenciled mesh screen to transfer ink by squeegee onto a surface, leaving an imprint of the design on the product.
Paper and fabric are the most common surfaces to screen print; however, it is also possible to screen print onto metal, plastic, glass, wood, and more.
Is screen printing the same as silk-screen printing?
Yes, screen printing and silk-screen printing are the same printing process. Another common term used is silk screening this is because silk was the material used for the mesh screens. This has changed, and now, the most common materials used for mesh screens are polyester, nylon, and stainless steel.
How does screen printing work?
The simplest form of screen printing involves making a stencil that is transferred to a mesh screen that is used to push ink through that screen using a squeegee to print the design onto the product surface.
While the actual process of screen printing remains largely the same, the intricacy of screen printing comes from the various stenciling techniques and processes used to create the mesh.
When printing multi-colored designs, the art is broken down into individual colors, and a separate stencil and mesh are created for each color.
Benefits of screen printing
- Vibrancy - When using screen printing, the colors tend to have higher vibrancy when compared to other printing methods like DTG.
- Durability - Because the process uses heavy ink, the ink blends with the fabric and ensures it does not crack or fade away quickly while maintaining the vibrancy of colors.
- Scalability - The setup needed for screen printing can be used over and over to print the same design, unlike other printing methods. What this means is that the higher the quantity of items you are printing with the same design/colors, the lower the cost.
Limitations of screen printing
- Color limitations - Each color of the art requires a different mesh for screen printing, and because of this, printing high color quantity or full-color art is usually not possible. Manufacturers that are open to high color quantities will usually require higher minimum quantity orders and/or charge significantly more due to color counts. Most manufacturers/printers tend to limit the color count to 10 colors.
- Minimum quantities - Because of the high cost of initial setup and the time it takes to set up, screen printing has a higher minimum quantity requirement than other printing methods like DTG or DTFx, where you can print 1 or 1,000, and the setup cost/time stays the same. This is why screen printing is only recommended for large quantities of items at once.
Screen printing vs. DTG
Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing differs from screen printing in that there is no need for stencils or mesh, and multiple colors can be printed at the same time. Given this and the little setup time of DTG allows for full-color printing without the increase in cost or high minimum requirements. However, because the colors are printed using the CMYK color technique, the vividness of the colors is less than with screen printing. There is also a limitation of what products can be printed using DTG vs. screen printing.
Screen printing vs DTFx
Direct-to-film (DTFx) printing is similar to DTG in that there is no need for stencils or mesh, and multiple colors can be printed at the same time, allowing for full-color printing without an increase in cost or high minimum requirements of screen printing. DTFx has the best of both DTG and screen printing - full color, low minimum quantity, and vivid colors. However, it does differ in the texture/feel of the print when compared to screen printing. DTFx is recommended for thicker garments, whereas with screen printing, it can be done regardless of the thickness of the garments. There is also a limitation of what products can be printed using DTFx vs. screen printing.
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