A Simple Corporate Gift Idea - Tshirts

Printing is process of producing images & text normally utilizing ink paper & a printing press. Printing has changed considerably & improved over time. Screen printing is among the most common printing techniques.

Screen printing also called silk screening is ideal for printing on flat & even materials. A thin screen is stretched taut around a wooden or metal frame & ink is pressed through the uncovered areas of the screen to create an image. To create a print the silk screen is placed on top of your material & the image is covered with a thick ink. The ink is then pressed with a heavy piece of rubber through the image & the screen. The print is created where the ink is pressed through the unmasked areas. A heated tunnel is then used to dry the wet print; the prints can then be stacked & packaged.

For more than one color this procedure is repeated with additional screens. For example a print of four colors will be created with four different screens; this is either done on a rotary press or by hand to ensure that the screens are aligned correctly on the image.

There are a number of methods for ‘masking’ a screen. The easiest technique is via application of masking fluid right onto the screen. This is the perfect procedure for dual-color graphics while for multiple-color tasks a photosensitive emulsion is the proper procedure.

If you are unsure what to request when ordering remember that a screen printer’s t-shirt printed with ink with plastics will be hot & tacky afterwards. It might be wise to request water-based inks if you prefer a softer vintage-look screen printed shirt. But if you are interested in a heavy laid print you should request ink containing plastics to be applied with a hot press.

Inks containing plastics are used by many screen printers because often they last longer are brighter heavier & more easily seen not to mention being easier on the screen printing equipment. Within a short time frame plastic inks can begin to crack up though. Natural inks last longer & they look best too.

Learn more about a top Corporate Gift Printing Specialist Company & see their special collections of Corporate Gifts items. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.