Screen printing for bold designs in bigger runs

Screen printing makes the most sense when the same design repeats across many garments and uses a small number of solid colours. Typical jobs:

• Event, campaign and election-style T-shirts in volume
• Staff and volunteer shirts with a simple logo on front and back
• Cotton tote bags for conferences and retail
• Club and school spirit wear with a one- or two-colour crest

For one-offs, names, photos or many colours, DTF printing is usually more efficient. For small logos meant to look premium, choose logo embroidery.

1. Separation: the artwork is split into one layer per ink colour
2. Screens: each layer is exposed onto its own mesh screen
3. Ink mixing: colours are mixed to match your reference as closely as possible
4. Printing: ink is pulled through each screen in turn, lined up precisely
5. Curing: heat sets the ink so it survives washing

Because screens are made per colour, setup is the main effort. Once running, each additional garment is quick, which is why the method suits larger quantities rather than tiny runs.

Screens need clean, sharp edges, so vector artwork (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF) with outlined fonts is strongly preferred. Specify the number of colours and any Pantone references. Gradients and photographic effects can be simulated with halftones, but results vary, so we will advise whether DTF would be better.

Tell us the print sizes per position. Very fine lines and tiny text can fill in with ink, so we may thicken them slightly. You approve a mock-up and colour list before screens are made. See our artwork guidelines.

Cotton and cotton-rich fabrics give the crispest results. Dark garments need a white underbase so colours stay bright, which adds a screen. Polyester and performance fabrics need suitable inks to avoid dye bleeding, so tell us the fabric content up front. Bags and canvas take ink well provided the print area is flat and clear of seams.

Screen printing is not usually a same-day method because separation, screen making and curing take time. Plan ahead for events: share the design and quantity early and we will confirm a realistic date on the quote, subject to garment stock, artwork approval, payment and capacity. Finished garments are counted and packed by size for collection from Rivonia; delivery is quoted per job.