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Screen printing

Of all printing techniques, screen printing has the longest history. Experts are divided on where and when it was first used.

Some suggest ancient China or Egypt, while others point to India in the fourth century. However, everyone agrees that screen printing reached Europe in the 18th century and gained popularity in the advertising world in the 19th century. One of the greatest advantages of screen printing is its durability, both on synthetic and cotton fabrics.

Screen printing

Another advantage is price competitiveness for quantities greater than 30 pieces. This is due to the relatively high cost of preparing screens, which must be separate for each color. In addition to the number of colors, the final price is also determined by the color of the material on which we will be printing. A light design on a dark fabric will require an additional screen with a white underbase beneath the actual design.

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IS SCREEN PRINTING ACTUALLY

It is a process of pushing ink through a screen that has a stencil made of emulsion, which prevents the ink from passing through in certain areas. This results in printed areas and areas where the ink does not reach. Importantly, each color requires a separate screen with a different stencil, so the inks can create successive layers of the print.

Regardless of the material we are printing on, the process is practically identical. The main differences occur in the stencil creation process, which can be cut from film or vinyl, painted with inks, but most commonly, light-sensitive emulsions are used. These are applied to the entire screen and then hardened with a few minutes of exposure. The areas shaded, for example, by a print on film, are washed out, revealing the design on the screen through which the squeegee can push the ink.

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READY FOR LAUNCH. GO!

Every project starts in the same place – in your mind. You just need to transfer it, which means creating a design like in any other case. Screen printing is a method that requires applying each color separately to the material. This means that the graphic designer must prepare the appropriate file using programs that allow for color separation [Illustrator, Corel, or Photoshop for more raster graphics].

The preferred formats are vector files [ai, cdr, and pdf]. Unlike bitmaps, vector graphics are easy to “edit” and, most importantly, do not lose quality. This is because they are created from lines that form shapes, which are read by computers. Bitmaps create an image from small, multicolored blocks called pixels, as is the case in digital photography. When enlarging the image, we lose its quality. However, we can use it for a raster pattern that will look almost like a photograph.

In summary, the better the quality of the photo or vector file, the better the final effect. This means that bitmaps should be saved at a resolution of 300 dpi.

WHICH MATERIAL TO CHOOSE?

Essentially, natural materials are better than synthetic ones for a simple reason: they absorb moisture better. Synthetic fibers absorb water poorly, and the same applies to inks. Whenever possible, we should choose fabrics that are 100% cotton; if that’s not available, we should ensure that the cotton-to-polyester ratio does not exceed 80 to 20 percent. The more cotton, the better the print.

The second factor is weight; the thicker the material, the more ink it can absorb. This results in more vibrant colors that last longer in the fibers. Thinner materials will cause the print to “fade” more quickly.

WHY PAINTS ARE SO IMPORTANT

One of the greatest advantages of screen printing is the variety of inks we can use. There are water-based inks that feel pleasant to the touch, solvent-based inks that offer more vibrant colors, reflective inks, metallic inks, glitter inks, and even puff inks that expand after printing to create a three-dimensional effect. The possibilities are numerous, and we do not have to limit ourselves to just one type when creating a design.

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Screen printing – PLASTISOL INKS

Currently, they likely represent the largest group of inks among all others available on the market. Due to their optimal composition, they guarantee high durability and very good color reproduction, while effectively covering fabrics, both white and colored. They can also withstand high washing temperatures, even up to around 90°C.

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Screen printing – WATER-BASED INKS

Due to their high level of dilutability, textiles provide slightly weaker coverage than plastisol paints, have less intense colors, but are more pleasant to the touch and offer a satisfactory level of wash resistance at temperatures up to 60°C.

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Screen printing – ERASE

An unusual method that involves not applying paint but rather “bleaching” the colored material. Despite its color limitations, it is undoubtedly the most durable marking method. Unfortunately, due to the increasing use of synthetic additives, different batches of clothing may fade to varying degrees.

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Screen printing – PUFF

This type of paint significantly increases in volume as it dries, resulting in a soft, rounded, three-dimensional effect. It is available in versions for both water-based and plastisol paints.

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Screen printing – HIGH DENSITY

Similar to “PUFF” paints, High Density is designed to create a three-dimensional effect. In this case, the edge of the raised area is not as rounded.

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Screen printing – PHOSPHORISING INKS

An unusual, glow-in-the-dark paint for special effects, perfect for parties or unique promotions, such as in bars or nightclubs.

reflective

Screen printing – REFLECTIVE PAINTS

This paint has properties similar to reflective tape. It is often used to provide additional safety—such as in the printing of workwear for professional groups like the police or fire service.

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Screen printing – SUGAR, CRYSTALINA, GEL

Puff paints with shimmering particles or transparent gel-like finishes illuminate selected elements of the design.

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