{"id":1823,"date":"2021-04-21T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-21T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.contrado.com\/blog\/?p=1823"},"modified":"2021-02-23T12:39:44","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T12:39:44","slug":"what-is-screen-printing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.contrado.com\/blog\/what-is-screen-printing\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Screen Printing? The Pros and Cons of Screen Printing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Screen printing \u2013 also known as silkscreen \u2013 is arguably one of the most common processes used in the textile industry. As with all printing methods, it has its pros and cons. These can be weighed up to see if it is the best method for you. So, what is screen printing, exactly? How is it done? Well, read on to find out more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does it Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When answering how does screen printing work, a stencil, some nylon mesh, and a squeegee don\u2019t necessarily seem like the best tools for the job. However, when working out how to screen print shirts professionally, trust us, they are exactly the right ones. The screen printing process relies on that stencil to actually create your design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The design you want to print is used to create a stencil. This is done using an acetate sheet and emulsion. You harden the stencil in the areas that you don\u2019t want your design to appear. Think back to when you were a child and you colored in the gaps of your alphabet stencils. The empty spaces on the paper were the parts that you colored in to make the letter. The plastic parts are what were left uncolored, or in this case, unprinted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to Screen Print on Fabric<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The stencil is then placed on top of a mesh screen, which will have the fabric underneath it. Everything needs to be completely flat. Ink is added to the top of the screen-stencil-sandwich. A squeegee is then used to pull the ink across the screen, which pushes the ink through the stencil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This prints it onto the fabric below, where the gaps in the stencil are. Using this method, each screen can only be used for one color, although it can be used more than once. This makes screen printing very cost-effective for large print runs, especially as the image reproductions are amazing. It\u2019s also great for creating sharp edges, and large solid blocks of color. Using multiple colors, however, is not done easily and creates a lot of waste. It\u2019s a pretty labor-intensive printing method, so small runs aren\u2019t ideal. For photos or for graduating colors, it\u2019s not the best choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Difference Between Screen Printing and Digital Print<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Screen printing is a manual process, whereas digital printing involves the designs being processed by a computer before being printed. Although machines can be used for silkscreen printing, it\u2019s still a process that isn’t computerized, which makes it different from digital print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Screen Printing vs Vinyl<\/h2>\n\n\n\n