Artwork Preparation:

Many of our clients create their artwork before contacting us, although we do have clients who ask us to design their artwork. The artwork is best when it is vectorized and has the highest resolution (min. 300 DPI). Once we have your design, it will be printed on special film with special ink and printer.

Screen Making:

This is done by coating a silk screen with a photo-sensitive emulsion, essentially creating a large piece of film. The screen and artwork are sandwiched in a large vacuum frame and exposed to light. Areas exposed to the light become impervious; the other areas can be washed out. In the early days we used silk on a wooden frame; today it's monofilament polyester on a titanium frame

Printing:

Ink is forced through the stencil using a plastic-bladed squeegee. Each screen lays down one color. If a pattern has eight colors it must be printed eight times with eight different screens. Of course these days the printing is done by automatic machinery.

Plastisol Ink:

The most common ink is Plastisol based print used in garment decoration. Good color opacity onto dark garments and clear graphic detail with, as the name suggests, a more plasticized texture. This print can be made softer with special additives or heavier by adding extra layers of ink.

Water-Based inks:

These penetrate the fabric more than the Plastisol inks and create a much softer feel. Ideal for printing darker inks onto lighter colored garments. Also useful for larger area prints where texture is important.

Discharge:

Used to print lighter colors onto dark background fabrics, they work by removing the dye in the garment – this means they leave a much softer texture. They are less graphic in nature than Plastisol inks, and exact colors are difficult to control, but especially good for distressed and vintage prints.

Foil:

Consists of a adhesive printed onto the fabric and then foil is applied for a mirror finish.

Glitter/Shimmer:

Silver flakes are suspended in a Plastisol ink to create this sparkle effect. Usually available in gold or silver but can be mixed to make most colors.

Expanding ink (puff):

An additive to Plastisol inks which raises the print off the garment, creating a 3D feel.

Caviar beads:

Again a glue is printed in the shape of the design, to which small plastic beads are then applied – works well with solid block areas creating an interesting tactile surface.

Metallic:

Similar to glitter, but smaller particles suspended in the ink. A glue is printed onto the fabric then a nanoscale fibers applied on it.

Gloss:

A clear base laid over Plastisol inks to create a shiny finish.

Nylobond:

A special ink additive for printing onto technical or waterproof fabrics.

Suede Ink:

Suede is another great ink that is easy to print and gives the image a textured leather, simulated suede look and feel. Suede is a milky colored additive (much like a Plastisol base) that will work in a regular Plastisol. It is actually a puff blowing agent that does not bubble as much as regular puff ink. With suede additive you can make any color of Plastisol have a suede feel. The directions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but generally you can add up to 50% suede additive to your normal Plastisol