T Shirt Screen Printing Near Overbrook Park Philadelphia PA

T Shirt Screen Printing Near Overbrook Park Philadelphia PA

Fashion trends have gone in different ways, and they fluctuate from time to time. It's crazy to think that we were once a conservative generation that wore dresses back in the day. Now, we’re already comfortable with wearing flashy clothing that shows a lot of skin. What didn't change, though, despite all the ever-changing trends, is our need for the basics – shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, pants, or jeans. For them to stay on top of the trend, we've transformed them from basic to modern. One of the critical processes in doing so is doing screenprints. Through the years, t shirt screen printing, in general, has risen in popularity in the fashion industry. It’s straightforward, simple, and easy to do, yet it gives you amazing fashion-oriented clothing.

What is Screen Printing & How it Works?

Screen printing uses a mesh screen to transfer ink to paper, fabric, metal, or plastic. There are seven processes in general. 

1. Preparation of the Design: This is when you take the design you wish to be printed and then transfer it onto a transparent film or stencil. In our case, we use transparent film.

2. Preparation of the Screen: Once you’ve finalized your design, you have to get your fine mesh screen and stretch it tightly over the frame. Then, the frame should be coated with a light-sensitive emulsion.

3. Exposure: The screen and the design are then exposed to bright light. As a result, those exposed areas become opaque as they are hardened by the light. On the other hand, the area that is not exposed becomes softer.

4. Washing Out: After exposure, the screen is washed with water. This removes the water and the soft emulsion, leaving a stencil on the screen behind.

5. Printing: The screen is placed over the fabric to be printed, and the ink is poured onto the screen. Afterward, A squeegee is used to spread the ink over the stencil, forcing the ink through the mesh onto the fabric.

6. Drying: After the ink is applied, the fabric is dried to set the ink permanently.

7. Repeat: This process is only done if multiple colors are required to achieve the shirt's design and look. This also means that a separate screen and stencil will be used.

Benefits of T Shirt Screen Printing

Even though it has several steps, screen printing overall is relatively easy and has more advantages than disadvantages. The process is very versatile as it is not limited to fabrics. It can also be used in paper, metal, glass, and wood. Due to its versatility, its application extends to textiles, signage, labels, and more. 

Overall, the reason why a lot of people do them is because screen printed apparel and custom tees have higher durability compared to other processes of printing like direct-to-garment printing (or DTG). They last longer, and they withstand the test of time. You can walk and run with them, and their prints are of higher quality than any other shirt printing method. While the initial setup costs for screen printing can be higher than DTG printing for small runs, it becomes more cost-effective for larger production runs. Once the screens are prepared, the printing process becomes fast and inexpensive, making it ideal for bulk orders.

Where to Find T-Shirt Screen Printing Services near Overbrook Park Philadelphia PA?

There are several ways of finding t-shirt screen printing services. It can be found online or offline. Still, the most common places to find them include local print shops like us, online printing companies, social media, and word of mouth. It is essential that, with the help of the internet, finding these t-shirt printing services is becoming easier. With a few clicks, you can immediately call them and schedule meetings. 

Not all screen printing service providers are good, so you must be careful. Make sure to consider other factors like the quality of the prints, turnaround time, pricing, minimum order requirements, and customer care. Ensure they can give you samples or proof of your design, especially if your order is significantly large. This is to ensure that your final printed apparel matches what you wanted initially.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Screen Printing Service

When choosing screen printing services, there are a lot of criteria that you need to consider to make sure that you get the bang for your money. Here are some factors that generally work for everyone.

Quality of equipment and materials used

To get excellent results, you should know the screenprint provider’s screens, inks, and type of printing equipment they use. If you are in their shop, check if their machines are well-maintained or if they use modern equipment. If they don't tick these boxes, you should find a different screenprint service provider, as low-quality materials and old equipment can potentially affect the quality of the work being produced. 

Experience and expertise of the printers

Look for screen printing services with skilled printers with a proven track record of producing high-quality prints. Make sure to check their social media to see the prints they have done and the complaints (if any) they received. Ensure your printers know what they're doing, or you could be in big trouble.

Turnaround time and customer service

Another big thing in finding these services is their turnaround time and customer service. The screen printing company should know when they'll be able to give you your newly screen printed apparel. Typically, it goes around 1-2 weeks, but it could take even more if it's a bulk order. In addition, make sure that their customer service is attentive and they respond well. It must remain this way throughout the process, so you can negotiate timelines and deadlines, making sure that everything arrives to you on schedule. 

Pricing and package options available

There are several options available. Screen Printing isn't that new, and there could be boatloads of people to choose from. You have to be meticulous enough to consider the different pricing structures and package options these screenprinting service providers offer. Be sure that before you approve anything, you've considered the setup fees, minimum order requirements, and any additional charges. Choose that custom t shirt screen printing service that understands you and offers transparent pricing and value for your money. 

There are still a lot of factors to consider that weren’t mentioned, including the company’s portfolio, reputation, and customization options. These are all important, but you can search for these things through online reviews or hear them from word of mouth from those in the same shoes who have used their services before. Use these criteria to get the best screen printing service your money can buy. Ensure you don’t end up as those clients who got scammed or lost their money. 

How to Prepare for T Shirt Screen Printing

To ensure everything runs smoothly during the screenprinting process, the initial work of getting high-quality artwork is also crucial. This includes having the right design and artwork and ensuring it is in high-resolution and vectorized. Why must we send high-quality vectorized designs to our screenprint provider? 

First, having a well-defined and straightforward design makes it easier to follow the next steps. If you already have the design, you can further discuss the color options, its placement on the shirt, and the additional finishes you might want. Furthermore, having high-resolution images or vector files of your design is crucial. This ensures that your design is sharp, crisp, and easily scalable without losing quality. 

Now, ensure everything looks good from paper to the final outcome in your shirts. Make sure that you consult with your screen printing service provider. You need to consult whether the thing you want could work or not because a lot of the time, it wouldn't work due to the complexity of the work that you want finished. After consulting with them, ask for a digital proof or a mockup of your design or on the chosen t-shirt and color. Review it carefully and check for any potential errors.

If everything is good to go, confirm the details with your provider, including the quantity, sizes, and colors. Provide all the necessary information so everything will go smoothly as planned. By ensuring that these things are taken care of, you can ensure that your project will be executed properly.

Things to Expect During the Screen Printing Process

We're almost done, and we've talked about all there is to know about getting the service. But what should we expect during the screen printing process? 

We simply go back to the screen printing process we discussed earlier. There will be more or less five processes that we need to be aware of. First is prepping the screens. So, after we've submitted our designs, the screens will be coated with a light-sensitive emulsion and will be hardened using light. Then, it will be washed with water to remove the soft emulsion, leaving the stencil on the screen. Afterward, it will be dried out and prepped for printing. 

Then it goes to the printing process, where the prepped screens are mounted onto the printing process, with each screen corresponding to a specific color in the design. Ink is applied on top of the screen, and a squeegee is used to pull the ink across the screen, forcing it through the open areas of the stencil and onto the garment underneath. This process is repeated and done precisely to ensure that the colors match correctly, creating the final image. 

After printing, the ink on the garment is dried and cured to set it permanently. Using a conveyor dryer can do this through air drying, heat drying, and the ones we use. Once the printing process is complete, each garment undergoes quality control and inspection. We should expect minor imperfections such as small smudges, ink splatters, and minor errors to occur. This can be addressed through various touching-up techniques or by reprinting them.

Now that they are inspected and are good to go, they are folded, packed, and prepped for delivery or pickup. For us, however, we offer free delivery so that there is less hassle for the customer going to our shop. If there are issues with any of your printed garments, you should talk to your printing service provider. This is for them to address and find a solution to rectify your situation.

Tips for Caring for Screen Printed T Shirts

Caring for your screen-printed tees and apparel is important for preserving their appearance and longevity. Here are some things you can do to increase the lifespan on your daily essentials.

Whenever you wash them:

• When you wash your screen-printed tees, turn the shirt inside out to protect the designs from fading. 

• You should also avoid using bleach, as it can harm both the fabric and the print. 

• Prevent washing your screen-printed tees with different colors to prevent color bleeding and maintain the shirt's quality. 

• Avoid fabric softeners. It affects the adhesive properties of the ink with the fabric, which can leave unwanted residues in the long run. 

Whenever you dry them:

• If possible, simply air dry to prevent damaging them with high heat in the dryer. Direct sunlight can also make it fade.

• Avoid ironing over the printed design. The high heat can cause the ink to melt or crack. Instead, iron the inside of the t-shirt or place a cloth over the printed area before ironing.

Wrapping Up

To conclude, t-shirt printing services near Overbrook Park Philadelphia PA offer numerous benefits, making it famous for creating custom apparel. It's a process that has a lot of applications. Coupled with its versatility, you can use it to personalize your clothing until creating your promotional materials. Whether you're looking to create custom shirts or any apparel for an event or to promote your business, consider supporting your local screen printing businesses. Not only are you creating something that promotes your brand, but you're also letting them grow your business to the next level.