To carry out a project with such an uncomplicated design, the method of screen printing will be ideal. So when should you opt for screen printing? For example, when you want to print 1000 linear metres of black material with white dots. It is not possible to perform a sample print.Due to the cost of preparation of the screens, it is not suitable for printing individual pieces (and small volumes).Cost-effective when printing in bulk – with an increase in the number of goods produced, the price of a single unit noticeably decreases.Number of colours used in the project has a significant impact on the cost of printing.Each colour requires the preparation of a separate screen.
Flat screen printing – most often used for printing on ready-made objects (t-shirts, bags).In turn, it allows for overprinting coloured (colourful) fabrics – screen printing can be used to print, for example, white patterns on black fabric. What is more, it is basically impossible to print pictures using the screen printing method as shading, tonal transitions and accurate reproduction of details are not its strongest point. Screen printing works best when printing relatively simple (e.g., geometric) shapes with a small number of colours. It’s difficult to achieve, for example, a two-colour gradient. In the case of screen printing, it is very difficult (and sometimes even impossible) to perform smooth tonal transitions in print (smooth/seamless transition from one colour to the other). In screen printing, each colour is applied individually on a separate screen during a single machine cycle. Screen printing imposes very many limitations linked to what you want to print – this is mainly due to the way the colours are applied. Screen printing method can be used both with material beams (in such instance a rotational screen is used) or on ready-made clothing items (T-shirts, bags, accessories). For this reason, screen printing is not particularly recommended for multicolour prints – in such cases, digital printing will work much better. By means of screen printing, one colour is printed at a time as each colour is a separate layer. Preparing the screen in screen printing resembles preparation of a template, where individual parts of the grid are covered, and a specific shape is obtained on the fabric. This operation can be performed manually (the paint is then squeezed manually through the screen) or with a machine (the paint is automatically pressed by the machine through the screen). Screen printing involves pressing the paint through a printing screen (made of a steel frame and a nylon mesh) and thus making a print. Screen printing is an analogue method of fabric printing. Below, we will try to explain different methods and their characteristic features. We really hope that we will make your choice much easier!ĭivision into analogue and digital fabric printing methods is the basic way of categorisation of the printing methods.
Since we have not found a comprehensive and substantive summary of types of printing anywhere on the Internet, we decided to collect everything in one place. Whether your project turns out exactly as you planned depends on the choice of the right printing method, medium and type of dye. Our clients often have problems with understanding and choosing the right method of fabric printing, which has a colossal effect on the final result of their work. Types of printing – choose the right methodįabric printing seems to be surrounded by many “myths and legends”. Do you print on fabrics? Or maybe you plan on trying? Choosing one from the available fabric printing methods can be tricky but is a key issue if the effect is to please the eye and be durable.