What Is Screen Printing?
Screen printing is the process of transferring a stenciled design onto a flat surface using a mesh screen, ink and a squeegee. Fabric and paper are the most screen-printed surfaces, but with specialized inks it’s also possible to print onto wood, metal, plastic, and even glass. The basic method involves creating a stencil on a fine mesh screen, and then pushing ink (or paint, in the case of artwork and posters) through that screen creating an imprint of your design on the surface below.
The process is sometimes called 'silk screening' or 'silk screen printing' and while the actual printing process is always similar, the way the stencil is created can vary, depending on the materials used. Different stenciling techniques include:
- Using masking tape or vinyl to cover the desired areas of the screen.
- Painting the stencil onto the mesh using 'screen blockers' such as glue or lacquer.
- Using a light-sensitive emulsion to create a stencil, which is then developed in a similar way to a photograph.
Designs made using the screen-printing technique may use just one shade of ink, or several. In the case of multicolored items, the colors must be applied in individual layers, using separate stencils for each ink.
Why Is Screen Printing Used?
One of the reasons that the screen printing technique is so widely used is because it produces vivid colors, even on darker fabrics. The ink lies in layers on the surface of the fabric, which gives the print a pleasingly tactile quality.
Screen printing allows a printer to easily reproduce the same design multiple times as the stencil can be used again and again to create additional copies of the same garment. This makes screen printing a very efficient technique for creating large batches of custom clothing.
When carried out using professional equipment by an experienced screen printer, it's possible to create intricate multicolored designs. While the complexity of the process does limit the number of total colors that can be used, it does allow for more intense coloring than with digital printing alone.
What is the difference between screen printing and digital printing?
Direct-to-garment (DTG) digital printing uses a specialized fabric printer — a bit like an inkjet computer printer — to transfer an image directly onto a garment. It differs from screen printing in that the digital printer transfers the design directly onto the fabric. Since there is no stencil, multiple colors can be applied at the same time, rather than in separate layers, meaning this technique is often used to print intricate, complex or very colorful designs
Unlike screen printing, there’s very little setup required, which means that digital printing is a more cost-effective option for printing small batches of clothing, especially single item orders. DTG uses a computerized image rather than a stencil, so photographs and highly detailed designs can be easily printed onto the garment. However, as the colors are printed using CMYK-style dots of color, rather than solid blocks of ink, it doesn’t provide quite the same intensity of color that you get with screen printing. It is also impossible to create texturized effects with a digital printer.
What is the difference between screen printing and heat transfers?
Heat transfer printing is the name given to any kind of printing that uses heat to bind a design to a fabric. The design is printed onto a material coated with heat-reactive adhesive which is called a transfer or sublimation paper. When a heat press is applied to the transfer paper, the adhesive reacts to the heat and sticks to the surface of the fabric beneath.
Heat transfer printing is both easy and cost-effective, so it's ideal for smaller batches of personalized printing. It can also be used to transfer detailed photographic designs, which screen printing cannot do. Heat transfer printing can also be used to get great results on items like bags, hats, or footwear, which can be tricky to screen print due to their awkward shape.
Did you know that it’s also possible to combine the heat transfer process with digital techniques? Digital heat transfer printing starts with a design created using computer software and printed onto transfer paper. The design is then cut out using a machine called a plotter, which follows a digital outline to get highly accurate results. The finished transfer is placed on the desired spot on the garment or accessory and is then heat-treated to bind it to the fabric.
If there’s a downside to heat transfer printing, it’s that the quality can vary drastically depending on the quality of materials and the technique used by the printer. Here at SBI, all our digitally printed garments are created using premium, soft-feel transfer materials and are applied using state-of-the-art printers and plotters.