Screen Printing, earlier known as silk printing, is another way of printing to a shirt. With this process we use thick inks that lay on top of the shirt rather than soaking into the shirt. Screen Printing is what most companies use and, back in the day, was the only major way to create bulk amounts of custom t-shirts. TravelNShoppe offers screen printing because in some cases it is better to use this method compared to DTG or DTF. 

Because of the thicker inks used, screen printing is better for graphics with only one or two ink colors being used. The thick ink will have a soft feeling if touched and can make for a really amazing look. If you’re in no rush to get your custom design and and have minimal colors for a t-shirt, we recommend Screen Printing. It looks great and is often works out more affordable for larger quantities.

So how does Screen Printing even work? Well, it’s not as simple and straight forward as DTG that’s for sure. Instead, a thin mesh is stretched tightly over a frame and a negative of the design is printed onto the screen to be placed against the shirt. Once set correctly, ink is rolled over the screen, only the areas where the design has been printed allows ink to slip through. The ink then sets on the t-shirt and is put aside to dry.

We’ll be honest with you, it’s a lot more complicated than that – and it gets messy. There’s a lot of separate chemicals, inks, and techniques that go into making your shirts, but that’s the jist! While it may not be as quick as DTG printing, it can result in a thick and bold design that can be seen from a mile away.

Need help with your custom screen printing t-shirts? We can help you with quality that will last for as long as your shirt lasts. Give us a call today!