Different Types of Screen Printing Techniques

Screen printing might sound like it’s a straightforward process but there are many print effects that can be achieved with the right technique. The different screen printing methods are used to create a specific look to fit with the style you’re looking for. In order to achieve certain looks, you may need to adjust your artwork file or overall design. Don’t worry, we will take you through those steps!

In this guide, you will find the best T-shirt printing methods explained, exploring how each method works, the process, and the end results. Each of these methods are widely used by screen print shops around the world.

About Screen Printing

Screen printing is one of the most popular, established, and widely used amongst print shops. The process involves using screens to apply ink to apparel and other various materials. Also known as silkscreen printing, screen printing is a versatile and effective printing method that allows you to produce T-shirts with outstanding quality and a tactile feel. And, because the inks are absorbed deeply into the fabric, it is possible to achieve vivid, bright colors and maximum durability.

This is one of the most traditional methods of T-shirt printing, with experts believing it dates back as far as ancient China. However, it became popular in the 20th century, when Andy Warhol used the technique to create his iconic Marilyn Monroe portrait. It has since been used to create flatstock such as band posters, art prints, and graphic tees.

What Is The Screen Printing Process?

• Design Creation

  • Screenprint designs are often done using various software such as illustrator. You will want to ensure your file is in the right format before you begin creating your design. Size is very important and you will want to ensure the file can be re-sized according to the print surface.

• File Formatting

  • Vector files are needed to create a perfect print. Vector files are mathematical calculations that create lines and figures on our monitors. Unlike working with pixels, you can expand or minimize these vectors as much as you want, without impacting the quality. As well as being saved as a vector, the artwork must also be separated, with each color on a different layer. This is because, in the screen printing process, each tone is printed using a different screen.

• Screen Preparation

  • The screen needs to be coated with a photosensitive emulsion. This creates the green background you might have seen on a screen printing screen. This is a simple process but must be done carefully to ensure that the liquid is distributed evenly.
    For the photosensitive emulsion to work properly, it must be left to dry in a cool, darkroom. If the emulsion is exposed to light at the wrong time, it could jeopardize the full process.

• Stencil Creation

  • Once the screen is dry, the design is placed on top of it and secured in place using an adhesive. The screen is then placed under a strong source of UV light. The parts of the screen that haven’t been covered with the design will harden, while the rest will remain soft. In effect, the design has now been burned into the emulsion. When the screen is fully dry, the design can be removed using a small brush and water. A negative component of the artwork will be left and the artwork is ready to be printed using the preferred ink and technique to achieve the right look.

• Color Separation

  • If your design features more than one color, the process is repeated so that each color in your design is separated into individual layers on different screens. So, if your design has two colors, you’ll need two screens.

• Application

  • Now that the screen is ready, it’s time to start the actual printing. The T-shirt will be placed in the screen printing machine, with the screen carefully placed on top. The ink will then be placed on top of the screen and evenly distributed across the surface using a squeegee.

Learn more about the life of a screen from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

What Are The Different Types of Screen Printing?

With screen printing, you can create different finishes such as crackle or glow in the dark, but there are also different techniques that can be done to create a specific look for your print. These different techniques are used when you have a specific look in mind or you’re looking for a specific or unique aesthetic.

Spot Color Screen Printing

Spot Color Screen Printing is the most common t-shirt printing method. It uses the stock color of the ink by printing it through the stencil of the screen. It produces a vibrant solid spot of color and creates a thicker layer of ink depending on the ink and mesh count used.

Being it is one of the most beneficial in printing darker garments. It is useful for printing 1 – 4 colors; when you have more spot colors, other printing methods such as the simulated process may be a good option.

Because spot colors layer an infinite amount of colors, they can provide a much more vibrant and detailed print. In addition to the variety of options, spot colors provide much better consistency from print to print. When printing a solid color with process inks, there may be slight variations in the color balance that can affect the color’s consistency. While spot colors may cost a bit more, they can add a lot to your project making the extra cost well worth it in the end. Check “How To Screen Print: Spot Color”.

Halftone Printing

Halftone prints are single or multiple colors in which gradients are printed. These tones can range from solid spots to halftones of the same color. This screen printing method is excellent when you want to achieve the look of multi-color printing without actually doing it. This screen printing method emphasizes the use of shading with tiny dots, pictures can be printed using halftone screen printing and only use one single color to do so.

For example, if you want to get a pink radiant color on your white t-shirt, you can print red on a white shirt and include a 50% gradient. The 50% gradient will mix with the white to give it a pink appearance, all using only one screen and one color. It improves the graphics quality and produces a softer feeling print when printed directly onto the garment. Check “How To Get Started Screen Printing with Halftones”.

Grayscale Printing

Greyscale printing is a great way to print full-color images as one-color grayscales or halftones. Full-color photographs can be printed as a one-color halftone. Full-color drawings containing a complete range of different colors may also be produced employing a one-color halftone.

Typically it’s done in black ink on a light garment, but technically speaking, it can be done in any color ink as desired. The resolution will depend on the lines per inch used in the dot pattern.

The more dots a halftone has, the more detailed the print will look. It is a great cost-effective screen printing technique to print black and white photographs on garments. Watch “Convert a full color image to grayscale for screen printing using halftones”.

HOW IS HALFTONE PRINTING DIFFERENT THAN A GRAYSCALE?

Halftone printing is different than grayscale printing for several reasons. The first is the fact that halftone printing involves using one color to create various shades and portray the desired image as a result. Grayscale printing, on the other hand, is the specific use of gray shades from black and white.

Duotone Printing

Duotone printing, also known as multitone printing, is the combination of two halftones for the same image printed with two colors. First, a black halftone is printed on white tees, and then a second halftone will be printed with color ink.

The color halftone combines with the black halftone to produce a duotone color hue. It gives a retro and cooling effect to the prints on light-color garments and gives a full-color print appearance but at a much less expensive rate. It also produces a softer feel print when printed onto the garment.

This process requires that the press be set up with special inks, usually PANTONE-designated colors, instead of the standard CMYK inks used for process color printing. Check out “Creating and Separating Duotone Images”.

CMYK Printing

CMYK is the oldest, color reproduction, print method. Using cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink, screen printers can print designs on white or light-colored garments. For users skilled in CMYK file preparation, Photoshop, and screen creation, this is still a viable print process for light-colored garments.

CMYK printing is the most complex of all screen printing techniques and should be done on an automatic press. It can be done manually, but for optimum results, you need an automatic t-shirt press.

The printing process combines the above four colors to recreate the original image’s full tonal and color range. Moreover, it is an expensive process. Additionally, CMYK is implemented less because simulated printing is more dominant. Watch “How To Screen Print T-Shirts in CMYK”.

Simulated Process Printing

A simulated printing process is a method used to reproduce almost any image on the market. It does so by overlapping and blending colors in a method similar to CMYK through using halftones and spot colors and/or PMS colors. Essentially, it's a way of taking an image that historically would have been printed via CMYK but instead uses more opaque ink to create a more stable color and production-friendly ink that can print almost any design for any garment.

Moreover, it is most often the process used to print complex images on black-colored garments. Designs that are too difficult to separate in a vector program, raster images, photographs, complex tonal illustrations, are all doable with Simulated Process. Watch “How to Screen Print: Simulated Process”.

Learn more about the different screen printing methods “CMYK vs. Spot Color vs. Simulated Process Printing”.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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A Guide To Streetwear Design

Designing artwork for a t-shirt or a hat may seem like a simple task, but when it comes to the technical application of the design; things may get complicated. The road to starting your own streetwear brand does not have to be bumpy! we encourage you to inform yourself before investing time and money, and we will help you by taking you through the different steps to consider when creating and designing your own apparel brand.

In this article, we will walk you through efficient and economical ways to begin a streetwear clothing line as well as the technical part of apparel printing to help you avoid having to re-design your logo or any other artwork you would like to print on t-shirts, hats, or pants.

Photo and T-Shirt Design By NEVER MADE

What Is Streetwear?

Streetwear is a casual fashion style that became popular in the 1990s. It includes comfortable yet trendy clothing such as graphic tees, hoodies, sweatpants, and sneakers. Streetwear brands are inspired by both hip-hop culture and skater style. Followers of the latest trends in streetwear are known as hypebeasts, and many go to great lengths to acquire limited-edition designer hats, hoodies, sneakers, and more.

The first streetwear brands emerged in Southern California in the 1980s, when surfers sold screen printed T-shirts to promote their hand-shaped surfboards. Inspired by the street style of LA skateboarders and surfers as well as hip-hop fashion, small skateboarding shops in NYC started creating their own designs in the 1990s.

In the 2000s, sneaker culture influenced streetwear fashion. Hypebeasts paired their graphic tees with athletic sneakers, and collaborations flourished.

In the 2010s, luxury streetwear was born. As young people and social influencers made streetwear an important part of pop culture, and the fashion industry noticed, from mainstream sportswear brands to high fashion brands, got in on the action.

The Basics

Comfort

As mentioned, streetwear takes inspiration from the hip-hop culture as well as the skater style. When figuring out the fit of your apparel, you will first want to think about whether you’re looking to design loose and comfortable pieces or have more of a tapered look.

Streetwear is generally defined by breaking the rules of proportion by using oversize t-shirts with skinny jeans or dropped-crotch sweatpants, but as the style evolves, it is encouraged to just make cool and interesting apparel regardless of fit.

Ripped pants and distressed jeans are also part of the streetwear style, these details are important to the overall look. Considering what type of fit and style gives you brand identity and consolidates your audience to a specific group, which in turn, will help you narrow down your marketing efforts in the future.

Fabrics & Design

Because t-shirts are one in a million, and cool graphics are being designed and printed daily; good high-quality fabrics will set you apart from the competition and give your brand an edge. If this is something you can afford, we highly recommend going with higher quality cotton.

Cotton fabrics are premium options and ideal for long-lasting apparel. Additionally, the thicker the fabric, the better the graphics will be. The thicker fabric allows for a cleaner and nicer print, whether you’re screen printing the design or opting for a DTG print (direct to garment), a nice cotton blend is what you will need.

The design will depend on what your brand is about. Considering the name and the inspiration behind your brand as well as finding a compelling way to translate your passion for the brand into a cool graphic is key, and that same sentiment should show throughout each article of clothing and each collection thereafter.

We recommend that you stick to one logo and that logo be visible enough on all articles of clothing offered by your brand. The graphic design should be easy to read and recognizable. When designing the graphics, seek inspiration from your life, your surroundings, or the culture within your community. Having a design that directly connects to a certain lifestyle is what makes a streetwear brand successful.

Versatility

When creating your own apparel brand, especially in the streetwear category, you want each piece to be versatile. Versatility means that you can wear that article of clothing with many other pieces to allow the buyer to create their own unique look and keep their originality.

You can achieve versatility by including basic colors such as white, black, or grey. Minimal designs such as your logo embroidered small on the chest or your logo screen printed on the back of a t-shirt.

The Details

Accessories are essential to completing a look. There are simple accessories you can offer, such as hats, beanies, and bandanas to complete a unique outfit.

Screen printing a hat or a bandana is fairly easy and affordable, and are a good way to add accessories to your clothing line. Additionally, embroidering a logo on a hat or a cross-body bag is a good alternative that provides an added touch of customization and quality.

Focusing on the smaller details can make all of the difference in setting your brand apart from others, such as printing on unconventional spots like the sleeves or adding an embroidered element to the design.

Screen Print or Direct To Garment?

There are many differences and similarities between these two methods of printing, and there are a number of criteria to be taken into consideration when making your decision. The following points will help you decide on which print method is better for your brand and more specifically what type of print method is best for your designs such as logo and other artwork you wish to display on the apparel.

1. Quantity: Digital printing allows for a smaller quantity to be printed while screen printing will usually require a minimum.

2. Apparel: Screen printing has more versatility when choosing your fabric. For digital printing, it is advised to print on 100% cotton or other select cotton blends and only certain colors.

3. Design: Photographs or hyper-detailed images with a lot of colors are usually better printed digitally. However, if you have a large number of shirts you would like to print, screen printing may still be an option but it may cost you a little bit more or may require some adapting to make the design work best.

If cost is your main concern, the following criteria will dictate the best print method:

1. Apparel: The type of apparel can range from value to premium options and depends on the style and brand.

2. Print Locations: There is the option for 1 or 2 locations, which would be the front and/or the back (for a t-shirt or sweatshirt).

3. Fabric Color: For screen printing on darker color fabrics, a white layer before your print is necessary and may cost a little bit more.

4. Number of Colors: The more colors your print requires the higher the cost is for screen printing, however, if you have a large quantity, this cost may be a lot lower as you can have access to deeper discounts.

5. Quantity: With screen printing, the number of pieces will dictate the majority of your cost. This is the most important factor that will most likely dictate the right method for you.

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Streetwear Brand Spotlight:

Never Made is a Los Angeles based streetwear / lifestyle brand created by artist Francisco Reyes, Jr.

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Remember!

When people look at you as a “high-quality” streetwear brand, you’ll not only be able to charge more money, but you’ll be much more reputable in the process. Reputation can take you a long way in the fashion industry, especially when it comes to something as urban as streetwear.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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How To Tie Dye: A Guide in Techniques

Summer is almost here and with 90’s fashion becoming more popular among TikTok’s Gen Zs’ creators, tie-dye is all the rage. If you’re like us and love to scroll on TikTok for hours, you’ve probably come across a couple of tutorials on how to get the perfect tie-dye t-shirt or even sneakers! In this post we’ll take you through the different techniques to get the right result for what you’re trying to achieve.

How To Tie-Dye

We’ll show you different tie-dye techniques on this article that show you how to tie dye like a pro, but here are some tie-dye basics to help set you up for success! Whether you are wondering how to tie dye a T-shirt, how to dye socks or pretty much anything else, here are the basics to get you started.

Supply List:

• Plastic Gloves

• Rubber Bands

• Easy-squeeze bottles with dye powder

• Sealable plastic bad or wrap (for storing your t-shirt while the dye sets)

• Disposable surface cover (like a large trash bag)

• Wire Rack (to avoid your creating from sitting in a pool of dye)

Step 1: Pick your Item

There’s a long list of items you can tie dye, from t-shirts, socks, and sweats to bed sheets, or even shoes! We advise your select an item that is made from 100% natural fibers such as cotton, rayon, or silk. Synthetic fibers like polyester have different fibers that are not as absorbent and this can prevent the dye from dying your items completely.

It is recommended that you wash the item before starting the tie-dying process, especially if the item is new. Some dyes will require you to presoak the fabric in soda ash but with products such as Tulip’s One-Step Dyes, which already has the soda ash mixed into it.

Pro Tip: Do not use fabric softener when pre-washing your fabric. The chemicals in fabric softeners can block dye absorption.

Step 2: Prep the Dye

Some products such as Tulip’s One-Step Dye bottles already have the powder inside, but if you’re using another type of dye, now is the time to set up. Put the powder inside of your easy-squeeze bottles, then add tap water, ensure your nozzle is tightly screwed in and that the cap is on. Shape each bottle thoroughly until the dye powder has dissolved. Wait to mix your dyes until you are ready to apply them.

Pro Tip: Dye left in bottles for more than 72 hours might lose their concentration and may not appear as vibrant after dying.

Step 3: Bind the Item

Lay your damp item or t-shirt out onto a flat surface, make sure the surface has been covered with plastic. We’ll use a t-shirt and the spiral technique as an example, you will find the center of the tee which would be down the middle of the collar, and the section directly under the sleeves. That is your center point for your spiral.

Pinch the fabric in the center and twist the fabric towards the right until the entire shirt is bunched, making a perfect swirl. Use rubber bands to hold the spiraled t-shirt in place by crisscrossing them and creating 6 wedge shapes.

Step 4: Apply the Dye

Using the metal rack, place the t-shirt on to it above a covered surface to avoid making a mess. Wearing your gloves, proceed to apply the dye colors to each wedge created by the rubber bands. Turn the t-shirt and apply the same colors on the back to match the same colors as the other side.

Pro Tip: There’s no wrong way to tie-dye!

Step 5: Let Set

This is the longest step because you will need to let your creation sit for many hours. Place your project into a sealable plastic bag or plastic wrap to keep it damp and let the dye settle. Let your project sit 6 to 8 hours or overnight if you would like to give it some extra time. It’s important for the fabric stays damp while the dye sets, so make sure it’s stored in a cool area.

Step 6: Rinse and Wash

After it has been at least 6 hours and the dye has fully processed, remove the rubber bands and rinse, wash and dry. We recommend you air dry it or follow the instructions on the t-shirt tag.

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7 Best Tie-Dye Techniques & Patterns

Besides this being a fun activity to do with your kids or your friends over some beers, it can also be highly technical with many steps, that if missed, can throw off your design completely.

The Spiral Tie Dye Pattern

This technique is one of the most commonly used and if you’re just getting started this is a good introduction to tie-dying. This technique is simple, pinch the center of the fabric and twist to create folds and then tie with rubber bands strategically then add the dye.

The Reverse Techniques (a.k.a Bleach Tie Dye)

This technique is called reverse or bleach because you’ll need a 100% cotton black fabric and bleach. For this technique, you’ll need to leave your shirt dry and crumple into a tight mound with the rubber bands. There’s no specific pattern to follow, this method is a little looser. Then, mix the bleach in an easy-squeeze bottle to then apply to your fabric. Rotate the fabric as needed while squeezing the bleach into it. Watch as the bleach begins to strip the color of the fabric and gradually remove the rubber bands to then immediately rinse and wash according to instructions.

Once the fabric has been washed, leave it damp and lay it flat on your workstation which should be covered with plastic to avoid making a mess. Then apply the chosen dye colors randomly over the fabric, especially in the lightened sections that were created from the bleach. Once done, put the fabric into a resealable plastic bag and leave it in a cool dry place for 6 to 8 hours. Then rinse and dry.

The Shibori Tie Dye Pattern

This technique is all in the way the fabric is folded. For this technique, we will use a t-shirt as an example. Accordion fold the t-shirt from the bottom edge up towards the collar of the shirt in even folds. Once folded up, starting on the end of the folded shirt, accordion fold it again towards the opposite direction until you reach the other end. Wrap the rubber bands tightly around the folded shirt in each direction, crisscrossing the rubber bands.

Place the folded t-shirt on the rack and begin to squeeze the dye into the fabric on each side. For this technique, indigo blue color dye is usually used. Place the shirt in a sealable plastic bag for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Once the dye is fully processed, cut away the rubber bands and rinse, wash and dry according to your instruction guide.

The Ice Dye Technique

This technique requires literal ice. The pattern from this technique is very recognizable as it’s one of the most popular. The first step is to damp your fabric in soda ash or the Tulip One-Step tie-dye, then lay your damp fabric out flat on your covered work surface. For this technique, the crumple tie-dye pattern is the most commonly used and worst great, but you can experiment with other patterns you want. After using the rubber bands to bind the fabric, place it on a rack (over a bucket or a bowl is recommended to catch the dye as the ice melts). Then cover the fabric with ice, make sure all of it is covered, the more the better.

After covering the project in ice, sprinkle the dye powder randomly over the ice. The ice will melt and help the dye absorb into the fabric. Depending on where you live and the weather temperature, it could take a while for the ice to melt or not much time at all. If the ice melts quickly, you can then place your project into a sealable bag and allow the dye to set for 6 to 8 hours. If it takes about this long for the ice to melt, it’s time to skip the bag and move on to the next tie-dye step which is rinsing and drying.

The Spider Tie Dye Pattern

For this technique, you will start with a damp fabric and then fold it in half. Pinch the fabric where you would like the center of the spiral to be, then twist until the entire fabric is spiraled. Bind the spiral with three intersecting rubber bands to create six wedge shapes. Apply a different color of dye onto each wedge shape and then carefully flip spiral over and apply the same colors on that side.

Apply black dye to one side of the spiral, completely covering the other colors. Cover with a plastic wrap to keep damp and let it sit for 6 to 8 hours. Then rinse thoroughly and wash separately.

The Kaleidoscope Technique

For this kaleidoscope pattern, you will start with a damp fabric and fold it in half, if using a t-shirt, fold it in half lengthwise and press flat on a tabletop. Pinch the fabric where you would like the center of your first spiral to be, then twist the fabric a few times to create a small spiral.

Maintain the first spiral while pinching another section of the fabric and twist several times to create a second spiral. Then crumble the remaining fabric towards the spirals. Bind the fabric with rubber bands to hold securely. Then make a paper ring to fit around the bound fabric and this will help keep the ice in place when dying.

Instead of adding water to dye bottles to mix, squeeze dye powder of a few colors on top of the ice, then let the ice melt and remove the paper ring. Flip the shirt over and repeat the process on the backside with additional dye powders. Once the backside has been dyed, cut off the rubber bands, then launder according to instructions.

The Firecracker Pattern

Scrunch damp fabric into a tube shape and wrap a rubber band around it at about a third of the way down from the top. Repeat on the bottom third. Add the dye to the top third of the fabric above the rubber bands. Then add Blue dye onto the bottom third of the fabric below the rubber band. Then wrap with plastic and let sit, then rinse and wash accordingly.

The Dip-Dye

Dip-dye (also known as tip dyeing) is a technique that involves dipping the ends of the fabric into dye. Dampen the fabric in preparation for dying then mix the dye of your choice and pour into separate plastic bins of bowls. Dip one side of the fabric into the first color, then squeeze out any excess dye back into the container. Dip the other side of the fabric into the second dye color making sure both dyes don’t touch. Lay the fabric flat on a rack and cover it in plastic wrap. Then let it sit for 6 to 8 hours. Rinse, wash, and dry.

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Brand Spotlight:

LXIX Apparel

While we at Family Industries do not do this type of customization, we have done projects with tie-dye by having help from LXIX Apparel which is a tie-dye haus located in Los Angeles and run by Brian Robert Jones, who is the guitarist for the band Vampire Weekend.

LXIX Apparel focuses on creating vibrant tie-dyed apparel from hoodies, and t-shirt, to full sweatsuits. LXIX has helped us with projects for Urban Farms LA and we have printed for their own brand as well.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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Our showroom at 2755 Fruitdale Street, Los Angeles, CA 90039 is open by appointment only from 10 am - 4 pm Monday through Friday.

Guide To Designing A Custom Hoodie

We all love a comfy hoodie or sweatshirt and we depend on them in the winter months to keep us warm but also serve style. While blanks are a staple in most of our closets, you need a good graphic hoodie to make a statement and bring your outfit together. For most people, their hoodies will be their most treasured outerwear in their wardrobe. Hoodies and sweatshirts are versatile and can be worn on many occasions, so it’s no surprise that personalized hoodies are a popular choice among brands whose goals are to make a statement.

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5 Steps To Design Your Own Hoodie

We’ll take you through critical steps to take when designing your own hoodie or sweatshirt. Whether you’re designing a hoodie for yourself or you’re designing a hoodie for your apparel brand, you will want to think about your budget first as this will dictate which of these recommendations to take into consideration.

1. Garment Type

First things first, choosing the type of garment can determine some of the criteria below. You have a range of options varying from Polyester to organic cotton. Organic cotton is environmentally friendly and tends to last longer, putting this option at the top of the price range but guarantees high-quality.

If high-quality is not as important and you want to get the most bang for your buck, a good option is a blend. Most hoodies are a blend of 80% cotton and 20% polyester or other synthetic materials. The blends are a good option in terms of breathability and flexibility.

2. Thickness

Weight and thickness are an important consideration when designing a hoodie, these decisions will determine how comfortable and warm your garment is. You probably want to create a quality product and it’s worth spending a little more for a thicker and softer fabric.
ranging from 280 to 350 GSM (grams per square meter), the top end being a chunky, heavyweight garment catering to those who want their garments especially thick. What to look for when buying a hoodie.

3. Design Application

So you have a cool design and you’re thinking, what is the best application? The application can depend on the design, for example, if your design has a lot of small, thinner lines screen printing would be perfect as opposed to embroidery for which the lines need to be a certain thickness.

Screen Printing is the most adaptable application for most brands as it allows a little more freedom with the type of design and depending on the number of colors used, it can also be a more affordable route.

If you’re printing a smaller amount of units and or have a more complex design such as a photo image, DTG (direct to garment) printing will probably be the best option.

4. Placement

This may sound like a no-brainer - front and center is the most popular placement, but doing something different can set you apart from the competition, or if you’re customizing just for yourself, it will set you apart from the crowd.
It’s also possible to print on the sleeve of your hoodies, which could be a good addition or alternative to printing straight on the front or the back. 

One thing to note, however, is that printing on the sleeves is only possible with screen printing or a hand-held inkjet printing gun. The apparel printing gun is not something that is common and not a lot of print shops offers, but you can always ask!

5. Extra Customizations

Additional customizations include adding a visible tag to the cuffs, which can add a more personal and unique flair to a garment. Other extra customizations include adding a patch anywhere on the hoodie, for example, if your hoodie has a screen printed design on the back but you would like to add an additional logo or tagline to the front, you can always have an embroidered patch added. Patches are often rare on hoodies and that can be an attractive addition for buyers.

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“If you’re looking for success with your design but can’t afford anything fancy – it doesn’t have to be. Only 14% of analyzed clothing stores had printed sleeves for their hoodies, for example. Another interesting fact – only 5% of the stores that have been studied have design placements on the back – and only 23% have graphics on the side of the pocket. Additionally, 50% of the designs are logos or quotes and 55% of the colors used are white and black.”

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What Application Is More Durable?

While durability often depends on use, we think that there are other factors to take into consideration, such as the application. DTG Prints are more economical because there is usually no minimum and tend to be more sustainable, while screen printing requires a minimum amount of prints. Screen printing is technically more expensive and less sustainable.

With an embroidered design, you often need a high-quality fabric that is thick to avoid bunching and it can be hard to keep the shape of the design once the hoodie has been washed a few times. However, opting for an embroidered patch that is placed on the hoodie can be an excellent alternative.

Bottom line -

Figuring out your budget and the type of design you would like will determine which method to use. We recommend that if you have a big budget, always opt for the highest quality and the best durability. This will ensure that your brand will be well regarded and is known for high quality is what you want for a clothing brand. Additionally, the quality will dictate how much your customers are willing to pay.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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Our showroom at 2755 Fruitdale Street, Los Angeles, CA 90039 is open by appointment only from 10 am - 4 pm Monday through Friday.

Screen Printing With Puff Ink

If you’ve been paying attention you’ve seen that more and more streetwear brands are bringing back the Puff Ink prints. This type of ink is a plastisol based ink that has been modified with the addition of a heat reactive foaming agent that makes the ink expand tp give you that ‘Puffy’ look.

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How Does It Work?

Puff ink adds a 3 dimensional aspect to screen printing on garments. With this type of ink, you will follow the same screen printing steps as printing with standard water-based inks.

You can use puff ink across the entire artwork, or you can choose specific elements or colors of the design to give it the desired effect to bring more attention or 'pop' to a particular part of the artwork.

One of the downsides to printing with puff ink is that it’s hard to match the exact Pantone ink colors as opposed to using regular water-based ink. This is because the puff ink additive changes different colors in different ways. However, usually, lighter Pantone colors are easier to match than darker colors.

Keep It Simple

There are no fundamental limitations when using puff ink for t shirt printing, apart from when your design has small details that are less than 1 - 2mm wide. For the best puff print, you will want your design to have thick lines and minimal small details. When creating a design featuring text, choosing the right font is key. The thicker the lines the more your design will stand out.

Check out How To Add Puff Additive To Plastisol Ink

How It’s Made

You should use plastisol inks of any color and add a puff additive such as “Rutland NPT puff’ which recommends a 5% to 15% ratio for an optimum puff. The amount of additive dictates how much the ink will rise. With puff ink, it’s important to measure how much additive and paint to mix by weight.

When it comes to your screen, the lower the mesh count, the more open the holes are, which translates to more ink deposit and results in a more “puffy” print.

Once you’ve added the ink to your garment in the chosen design, as the ink goes through the dryer and the heat rises, so does your ink. Like a loaf of bread!

Aftercare

To preserve a puff print or any other specialty prints, it is recommended that you wash it inside out with cold water. Do not use a tumble-dryer, hang dry if possible and do not iron over the print.

Check out Puff Ink – The definitive designers guide for apparel creation

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Pro’s and Con’s List

Pros of Puff Screen Printing

• Fast printing technique for printing in large volumes

• Can be printed in conjunction with a wide selection of other inks and effects

• Can produce designs with multiple colors

• High-durability, will not crumble and flake off

• Professional finish and usually less expensive (consult with your printer)

• Can print on most types of fabrics

Cons of Puff Screen Printing

• Initial setup fee makes it unsuitable for small quantity orders

• Not good for use in fine detailed artwork

• Can not be used for image (raster based) prints

• Can not be printed alongside, foil, flock or high density print effects

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your design with Puff Ink?

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Get the inside scoop from Lee Stuart printing with Puff Ink for the first time!

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Brand Spotlight

Japangeles is a Los Angeles based streetwear brand located in the heart of Little Tokyo. Japangeles has done collaborations with other major brands such as Kirin, Hello Kitty, Champion, and Lexus. Their simplistic yet eye-catching approach to design and word play has caught the attention of many people looking for high-quality garments and minimalistic aesthetics in Los Angeles. Their newest design features a puff ink print, demonstrating the current popularity of this type of specialty print method.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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Printmaking Design Trends of 2023

Graphic design trends are as unforgettable and recyclable as apparel trends, and this is why the two sometimes overlap, especially if you’re a lifestyle brand. Printmaking can be an integral part for all brands and especially if you’re an artist or musician.

A bright yet simplistic mood is brewing in print design for 2022. Print trends across magazines, brochures, packaging and posters will be dominated by bright colors, playful shapes, and novel print finishes.

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DESIGN TRENDS

80’s and 90’s nostalgia is back and it’s everywhere from how kid’s are dressing to what brands have adopted as their brand visuals. Within this genre, we see influences from the past with a touch of modern elements.

90’s Retro Design

In 2022, the retro comeback has finally landed on the 90s with the pop culture comeback of The Matrix and Netflix’s Fear Street, ushering in an era of gothic serifs, neon colors and vaporwave landscapes.

we are reexperiencing the 90s through Memphis design patterns, simple emojis and primitive internet frames also known as brutalist design.

Within this genre of design, we see minimalism and simplicity front and center. People want the sense of familiarity coupled with fun abstract shapes that are not overwhelming.

Typography

2022 is bringing more vibrant, expressive, and experimental lettering. In this new era, we expect lettering that pushes the bounds of easy legibility, creating forms that are expressive in and of themselves.

Because this trend is rooted in experimentation and personal expression, the sky is the limit as far as how it can look. Mismatched letter styles, mind-bending shapes and amorphous blobs are all on the table.

All in all, this type of lettering challenges the distinction between abstract shapes and legible letters.

Illustrations

designers of 2022 are taking their inspiration from past pioneers of flat design, specifically the Ukiyo-e artists of Japan’s Edo Period. Ukiyo-e is a style of printed artwork (though it was sometimes painted) using hand-carved woodblocks. Using this technique allows for scenes in stylized flatness.

Simple line drawings are also going to be a standard in printmaking and overall graphic design. These meandering drawings are intensely personal, and the designers of 2022 are injecting their professional work with a bit of their own abstract mindscape.

Doing so can bridge the gap between digital tools and a human touch, creating designs that are approachable.

Collage Design

The collage is almost like the anti-design, as it’s past has notoriously been a signal of low-budget and grungy.

Most notably, this grunge-type print has a physical presence through analog elements such as tape, torn pages and scribbled handwriting - rebelling against the clean, flat graphics of the digital age.

This design style adds more personality and more energy and movement to poster artwork, tickets, and flyers.

By Nejc Prah via nejcprah.com

Bubble Design

Much like puff prints on apparel, bubble design is everywhere. Bubble shapes have an undeniably positive effect, as circles often convey friendliness and levity due to their lack of corners. But unlike the typical bubble fonts and shapes (which often find their way onto products aimed at children), this 2022 trend revels in exaggeration through elongated forms and psychedelic colors which give it a little more grown-up feel.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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