What Merch Sell Best?

So you’re establishing your brand or you have a brand established and you’re looking to offer something to increase your bottom line and invest into marketing your business; merch is a great way to do both of these things.

As a merch agency, we see new and established brands looking for advise on what exactly is the best merch to sell, what will give me the most return? These questions will vary depending on your business model, are you a service provider? are you a lifestyle or product centered brand? In this article, we will take you through a list of merch that will sell the best according to your brand.

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Research

When making business decisions, it’s best practice to always do your research! Surveying your audience is a great way to get real data in real time and allows for you to get to know your core audience. You may also research competitors in your field to see what kind of merch they provide and try to come up with a competitive item that you think they may be missing or something made of better material.

If you’re already running ad campaigns, they will generate a general view of who your customer is and make it easy to pin-point your exact target demographic.

Check Out 23 Ways to do Audience Research (and Better Understand Your Customers)

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Practicality

Practicality is a major factor, with some of the best-selling merch products for promotional events because they meet a practical need, such as bags or drinkware. People use promotional products every day in their lives, and if they meet a practical need then they will likely be more inclined to make a purchase or use.

The other side of usefulness is visibility through incorporating your brand logo. The most popular promotional items are those that have enough space for the recipient to see your brand on the product. With these factors in mind, let's look at some of the most popular types of promotional products, which includes both useful and logoed items:

BAGS

Bags are one of the most practical, everyday items your customers will use on a regular basis. They can be used for grocery shopping, gym clothes, travel, or as a giveaway with another product purchase. Bags only have to be purchased once by your customer, and they last for years. And if you choose to give away bags as a promotion, it’s a great opportunity to get your logo in front of more eyes every time that bag is reused by your customer.

Choose the right bag size - Most businesses choose between a small bag that fits just a few items (like groceries) or a larger type of bag (like one used for travel). It's important to remember to make sure you have enough room to include your logo and message on the bag as well as any other text required by law (see below). For instance, if you sell souvenirs at your gift shop business then you may want to offer two options: one regular sized bag for smaller items like t-shirts and stickers as well as another larger option for large bulky items such as mugs or pillows."

Check Out The 5 Best Promotional Bags For Your Brand

Mugs & Drinkware

Mugs and drinkware are among the most popular promotional products. These high-use items will be seen on a regular basis, which gives your brand more exposure. But mugs aren’t just great for promoting a brand—they’re also affordable, easy to distribute and can be customized in countless ways to fit your company needs.

Mugs come in many different styles and sizes to fit any lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for a small cup to hold espresso or a large mug for that extra large morning cup of coffee—or even something in between—there are plenty of options to choose from. There are also different types of materials available such as ceramic, porcelain, glass, metal and plastic.

If you want to stand out even more, consider adding some color with vibrant ink that clearly displays your logo on the side of the mug or on the handle where it can be seen every time someone takes a sip! In terms of designs there really is no limit: you could go with one solid color like black or white; use multiple colors (think rainbow) in stripes along both sides; have an image printed directly onto the front/back instead of just words.

Sports Bottles & Water Bottles

Water bottles are reusable, which makes them not only a great promotional product for your brand, but also a great gift for the environment. They’re handy for all kinds of things:

• Carry water outdoors during exercise

• Take drinks on the go

• Stay hydrated at work or school

• Promote your brand on a daily basis

Check Out Custom Water Bottles: 3 Reasons They’re Ideal for Marketing

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Essential Merch

The essential merch items are the items that you can produce with a smaller budget but are applicable to most brands. Regardless of what your business is about, you can not go wrong with these items:

T-Shirts

T-shirts are what people think of when they picture merch. They're simple and familiar, and therefore one of the most popular types of merch available. T-shirts can be a great way to get your brand out there.

Unfortunately, t-shirt quality can vary drastically from brand to brand, with some t-shirts being poorly made and shrinking or fading in the wash. That is why it's important to find a reputable t-shirt vendor to work with. You don't want someone representing your band by wearing a t-shirt that looks like it came from the bottom of their dresser drawer after years of neglect!__

If you decide that t-shirts are right for you, keep in mind that they can be more than just something you throw on before you go outside. Graphic design skills aren't necessary – plenty of websites offer premade designs—but if you have them, put them to good use! By offering several different styles, colors and designs instead of just one or two options, you create more opportunities for fans who may not visually identify with one particular design but still want to rock your logo on their chest!

Hats

Another challenge is choosing the right style - bucket hat, snapback, visor, etc. All very important questions. The best thing you can do once you've decided to go with hats as a core piece of your merch line is to get feedback from your fans. Try out some different styles, see what people respond to and go from there!

Apparel Accessories

Not all apparel accessories are created equal: Some brands call them "clothing," which is what I'm going to do here as well. But other brands have their own names for them—and these include things like hats and T-shirts, fingerless gloves and ponchos. So first let's break this down into two types of apparel accessories: the ones made of real fabric (for example, gloves) versus those made out of fake fabric (for examples ponchos).

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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Looking for The Best Promotional Merch printer?

send us an e-mail at quotes@familyindustriesla.com, or give us a call at 323.227.1547 and we'd be happy to help.

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

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Screen Printing vs. Digital Printing

The art of screen printing has been around since the late 900s, and as with any industry that gains popularity over time, innovation is no stranger to the world of printing. With so many print styles to choose from, it isn’t always easy to match the right style with the right project. No one understands how difficult this decision can be more than us at Family Industries. With over a decade of experience, we’ve seen it all.

The two most popular forms of apparel and art printing are Screen Printing and Digital Printing. For some, the differences in the finished product can often be indistinguishable. However, the contrast between these two styles extend far beyond the print itself. That’s why we thought we’d take a stab at helping you figure out which print style works best for your next order.

Screen Printing

What is Screen Printing?

The screen printing process involves a silkscreen with your image. The inks are applied by color and by layer unto the printing surface one at a time. Screen printing is very versatile, and the technique can be used to print on many different types of material such as textiles, plastic, and latex. Check how does screen printing work?.

Screen printing is the most widely known and used method, as it has been around for a very long time. Technology has made some advancements in this method to speed up the process but its main functions have not changed, it is still ink being pushed through a stenciled screen.

Screen Printing Pros

• Color vibrancy - Screen printing uses Plastisol inks and water-based inks, which are the most vibrant colors available, while digital printing is limited by the CMYK color gamut. It is also easier for screen printers to match the exact color, especially when using the Pantone Matching System.

• Durability - Digital prints can deteriorate as you wash your clothes, especially if you are washing with hot water. While screen printing does not have this problem, if done correctly, your print will retain its color and vibrancy for a long time.

• Versatility - With screen printing, you have the ability to print on many different textiles, garment styles, print locations, and placements. While digital printing is limited to the type of textiles and placement.

• Special effects - From raised print to texture, shine, sparkles, or glows, there’s a special ink or additive that can do it and it can only be done with screen printing. Digital printing now has some specialty inks but they are not widely available or as easy to accomplish.

  Check out the different types of special effects possible with screen printing:

  • Water-based
    Absorbs into the fabric for a very lightweight and soft print.

  • Discharge
    Chemically removes the dye from the pigment of the fabric.

  • Puff
    This additive expands while being cured, for a soft, raised feel.

  • Fluorescent
    Very bright neon colors, also known as “day glow”.

  • Metallic
    Popular ink for a shiny look. Typically in gold, silver, or copper.

  • Glitter
    Contains glitter for a sparkly look, often combined with a clear gel.

  • Glow-in-the-dark
    Almost clear, light-activated ink that glows in the dark.

  • Suede
    Similar to puff, but creates a soft and fuzzy texture to the surface.

  • High-density
    Creates raised layers of rubber-like ink for a 3-dimensional print.

  • Soft Hand
    Additive for reducing the thickness of ink for a softer feel.

  • Clear Gel
    A thick glossy coating that can be used in combination with others.

  • Shimmer
    Creates a unique reflective, iridescent shine.

  • Crackle
    Splits and cracks during curing for a naturally distressed look.

  • Plasticharge
    Combines the best of Plastisol and discharge.

Digital Printing

What is Digital Printing?

This process is much newer and involves specialized inkjet printers developed to print textile inks. The image on the screen is converted into a format that can then be printed unto the surface required. Digital printing is typically used when the print requires more details and this method is very versatile as it can be used on any type of surface. Check out how Digital Printing works.

In the Print Industry, “digital printing” is more of a term than an actual method of printing. In the world of Screen Printing, “digital printing” is typically referred to as “Direct to Garment”. While Screen Printing has been around for centuries, Direct to Garment printing has only been around for about 15 years. As society has grown more impatient over time, people are always looking for instant gratification. The majority of online on-demand printing companies use this as a primary method because of the speed and accuracy with minimal set-up.

Digital Printing Pros

• Details - Designs with a lot of detail or photographs usually require a more precise and clear print. These types of designs are better candidates for digital printing.

• Color Blending - Photographs or intricate designs will require color blends that may be more difficult to achieve with screen printing, for this reason, digital prints would be a better option.

• Consistency - Your print is most likely to be consistent all throughout when printed digitally as the file is set-up by a computer and the consistency of the ink is distributed at the same rate for each piece.

• Quantity - Digital prints require less of a set-up, therefore, allowing for a much-limited amount of prints to be done, while most printing services have a minimum quantity for screen printing.

So, Which Print Method is The Best?

The best method depends on what you intend on printing and the surface. The look is different as the digital printing allows for a more precise, crisp, and detailed print while screen printing provides a more authentic, softer, and retro look. Because both methods are good and serve different purposes, here are a few things to consider before making your decision.

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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.

For some people it may come down to cost, so we will take you through what will dictate your cost based on several factors for both methods.

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.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

Need more information? Hit us up! and we will be glad to walk you through the process.

Are you ready to make a choice and place an order? Click Here!

Halloween Costume Ideas for 2023

This year Halloween has the potential to be great, as the day falls on a Saturday, which means you can have a late night with the kids or with friends watching scary movies and eating way too much candy until you pass out from a sugar crash. While a lot of things are different this year, we can all still dress up and make it fun. We’ll take you through some simple and on-a-budget costume ideas to stay in the spirit even if there is no Halloween parade this year.

Costume Ideas

If you’re anything like us, every year you get caught off guard once this time of year arrives and you end up panicking trying to find a last-minute costume for a zoom Halloween party. Here are some ideas that you may find helpful in the search for that great costume that took little money, effort, and time to put together.

Custom T-Shirts make great DIY Halloween costumes

While not the most original idea, it’s the perfect last-minute choice and the cost is much less than a traditional costume. So, you will be saving money and time! a t-shirt costume is a simple and practical idea for a costume that, if dressed correctly, can be a big hit at the annual Halloween party. For 2020, especially, you will most likely spend the night at home but this doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun and dress up!

A few things to consider when coming up with a costume t-shirt:

1. Humor - Always be funny! Do you like to make people laugh? find a way to still be funny with a simple t-shirt costume by

2. Cleverness - A play on words is always a hit! a clever way of using a word or phrase will almost always get a chuckle from people.

3. Originality - Make sure you’re the only one at the party with your costume, try to be creative and reference pop culture or current events.

4. Relativity - There is nothing worse than having to explain the joke. Make sure your costume is something people will understand and relate to.
   

Here we will show you a few fun ideas that have all the elements needed for an awesome last-minute Halloween costume for your “chill-at-home Halloween party”.

Nerd Tee

The classic nerd costume. We all have a pair of old thick framed glasses. Buy this shirt and put on the glasses and you’re good to go!

BUY

Clever Tee

Wittiness will always get you brownie points. Everyone likes a clever t-shirt!

BUY

Tuxedo Tee

This shirt tuxedo costume allows for some versatility. You could be a magician or a fancy man at a fancy dinner party. Grab a top hat and some dashing white gloves and you'll be ready.

BUY

Hillbilly Tee

Barbed wire tattoos, flask in the pocket, corncob pipe, and a bandana. All you need is a mullet and a trucker hat and you’re good to go.

BUY

Pregnant Costume Tee

Have a bun in the oven? Most costume won’t fit? No problem! This t-shirt will scare all the little trick-or-treaters.

BUY

Star Trek Tee

Now this is an effortless cool costume! Throw this shirt on, slick back your hair and put on some black pants and you’re in with the trekkies at the Zoom party.

BUY

Costume Masks

As we continue to battle Covid-19, it is important to follow the CDC guidelines for this holiday. Wearing a mask will have to be part of your costume if you are taking your kids trick-or-treating, or if you’re an adult that still enjoys childhood traditions. Whatever the scenario, we decided to list some of our favorite Covid-19 friendly face masks for Halloween.

Fun Halloween Face Masks for 2020

Ron Swanson

Everyone loves the show Parks and Recreation, and Ron Swanson is an iconic character. Just put on a suit, slick back your hair and put on this mask!

Buy

Kevin - Home Alone

You can’t think of a more iconic movie from the 90’s. This scene from home alone printed on a mask is genius!

Buy

Zombie

The classic Halloween costume! get this mask and skip all the special effects makeup.

Buy

Hocus Pocus Witches

The best Disney Halloween movie ever made! The Sanderson sisters are the most iconic witches, and these face masks prove that!

Buy

LED light-up Face Mask

If you’re going for a more futuristic look, this face mask is it! Some of the features are great and you can use it for multiple occasions.

Buy

Plague Doctor Mask

We couldn’t think of a better occasion to wear this than for Halloween during a pandemic. This steam punk mask is great for a simple costume idea.

Buy

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

Custom Design Embroidery Tips and Trends

Embroidering a logo or a design on a t-shirt or polo-style shirt automatically elevates your brand above common apparel. Embroidered logos are most often done on polo-style shirts for big company corporations or on hats with your favorite sports team name or mascot. We’ve seen a popularity increase in this trend among streetwear and modern fast fashion clothing brands. In this article, we will take you through some tips and tricks when designing a logo or a graphic for embroidery.

Design

Lines:

The thickness or weight of the lines on the logo or the graphic should be thick, as stitching creates a thicker line than ink does. Designs that may look great on paper can be hard-to-read on fabric. Thread is of a standard thickness, approx. 0.4mm. and tiny strokes for emphasis and small lettering are often not possible in embroidery.

Colors:

Repeated color changes within the design can result in the thread breaking during the embroidery process. When designing, try to avoid changes in the line weight for each color. This is what we strive for when converting a design into a stitch format.

Shading:

Color shading or blending is easier to when screen-printing than with thread, therefore, it is not recommended to have a design with different shades of color that merge. However, color blending is not uncommon as there are a few ways to achieve this. Check out the different ways color blending can be done.

Letter Sizing:

Line weight also applies to letter size, you will want to make sure your front or text is the right thickness, lettering below 5mm rarely embroiders well. By designing something bold, clear, and simple you are guaranteed a nice embroidered shirt. It is also important to keep in mind that the sizing of the font will differ depending on whether it’s written in upper or lowercase lettering. Lowercase lettering is approximately 70% of the height of uppercase lettering. Keep this in mind when ensuring that your lettering is contained in the parameters.

0.25'' is equivalent to approximately 36pt, and the letters will also have the necessary thickness. But this depends on the font. We recommend using simple fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Myriad pro.

Details:

When embroidering on fabric with a pile or heavy texture (eg. Polar fleece, terry toweling, etc.) thin lines can often sink into the fabric pile or texture. When sewing on a cap, detailed outlining is often unsuccessful as the register is often lost in mid-design. See tips to avoid shifting and gaping.

Size

Simple and small is the way to go! A big embroidery piece on a shirt is not only a bad design choice but depending on the material, the embroidery might cause the shirt to look deformed around the design over time. If the design is for a jacket, it may look better big, but it also depends on the placement.

Fabrics

This image shows how embroidery may cause some fabrics to bunch up around the design after a single wash.

Embroidery can be applied to most knit fabrics such as Polo, Lacoste, and Penguin, as well as most outerwear and denim. The fabric you should avoid is cotton, after the first wash cotton will cause the fabric around the embroidered piece to bunch and therefore making the garment unwearable, unless that’s the look you’re going for! Check out embroidery fabrics 101.

Placement

The most common placement on a shirt is the top-left chest area, while for outerwear and denim it is common to see embroidery on the back of a jacket, jeans, or even collars. When designing apparel, placement is very important, therefore, this should be considered when submitting your design to your embroidery shop.

Trends

Patches

Embroidered patches have also become very popular in the year 2020. As they say, history repeats itself, and in this decade we have seen styles from the ’90s make a comeback. Patches of your favorite band or that classic American tattoo style heart design with a ribbon around it with a catchy phrase are all the rage now. Embroidered patches are commonly applied to denim jackets or jeans but are also commonly applied to flat brim hats or sweatshirts.

Shoes

Shoe giants Nike and Adidas both have customization options for a lot of their classic shoes. One of those customization features is embroidered text. Personalized embroidery on shoes is not as common but as we embrace the ‘90s more, they seem to also be making a comeback.

At Family Industries, we try to help our customers by providing design consultations and placement recommendations. Let us know if you need help!

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

How Can Branding Costs Be Capitalized

When starting your own business, your first step should be establishing a brand identity and doing this can be costly, from hiring a graphic designer for your logo, to paying a fee to register your brand name. We’ll take you through some of the ways it pays off to spend the money on your branding.

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Is Having a brand an asset?

Yes, having a brand is in fact an asset, an intangible asset. Like any asset, brands require long term investment and will render profit over time. Brands have value and can be bought and sold. Brands are best used when they service the strategic vision of the company.

What Are Brand Assets?

Here are a few well-known examples of brand assets to help clarify the concept.

• Color schemes

• Packaging

• Logos

• Jingles

• Company name

• Slogan

• Songs/sounds

Check Out How To Start Your Own Brand in 7 Steps

Examples Of Brand Assets

Amazon Packaging

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All amazon orders are delivered in a box with their logo and the tape used to seal it has details about Amazon specials.

Because of the branding that is directly printed on their packaging, someone walking down the street who sees this box on a doorstep can immediately tell it’s from Amazon.

Apple Logo

The apple with a bite taken out of the right hand upper corner is the iconic logo recognized all over the world. Anyone that sees this logo will recognize the brand and their products could never be mistaken for any other computer and/or cellphone brand.

McDonald’s Jingle

Not only are the golden arches already is recognizable logo across the world, their “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle is forever stuck in everybody’s head and instantly recognized by anyone without a hearing impairment.

“Your brand isn’t just your logo. It’s how you interact with the world — from your customers to your employees — and it all stems from the brand.”

— Blair Brady, Forbes Councils Member

So, how do I capitalize From My Brand?

All of these definitions accurately describe the advantages of a powerful and successful brand. But the critical aspect is that a brand today must not only look the part, it must also function as an asset – by definition that means it must be “Something valuable that an entity owns, benefits from, or has use of, in generating income.”

Must Be Tangible — The brand must offer a service or a product. If your brand offers a product, it must be branded with the brand’s logo, colors, or any other identifying characteristics.

Business Model — A successful brand requires an efficient and competitive commercial model in order to get into the market and meet demand.

Unique Branding — Outside the box ideas help differentiate brands from each other in a competitive environment.

Target The Right Audience — Targeting a specific demographic helps narrow down audience and brand must align and directly speak to that group.

Read 5 Ways To Identify The Right Target Audience For Your Brand

Marketing & Promotional Items

If your business is a service or you’re in the food and beverage industry, you’re most likely thinking that this information is not for you. However, we think that there are plenty of ways to capitalize off of your branding which includes marketing with visual ads and promotional products such as apparel or reusable goods.

Creating merch or promotional products on top of your service allows for your to capitalize off of your branding assets by having your logo printed unto different tangible products that are appealing to your demographic.

Read What Is Branded Merchandise? Why Is It Important For Your Business?

All branding assets can be used for profit-rendering business moves. Without a clear brand message, marketing can be a money pit. Having a good looking logo that translates your name, mission, and is clear is essential. By creating ads around your branding you are sending a concise message that triggers interest and leads to conversions.

Marketing encompasses strategies to build awareness of your company’s products and services. It also involves promoting and protecting the brand. Every message about your company is part of your marketing.

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Conclusion

While it may seem like a daunting and steep road ahead, making the necessary monetary investment in your preliminary branding concepts and execution will pay off in the long run. While branding is not a linear road to 100% profit, if you develop the right imagery and brand mission it will be a gradual climb to success.

Additionally, without branding assets advertising and merchandising opportunities will be much harder to profit from. Having a clear brand mission, imagery, color pallet, and target audience is essential to any business.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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For any inquiries, send us a message!

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send us an e-mail at quotes@familyindustriesla.com

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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