Defined, custom screen printing is a technique of creating a picture or pattern by forcing ink onto a surface through a screen of fine mesh or other material. Here at Tri-Valley Sports, we have worked with little leagues, schools, clubs, and local organizations to create high-quality items for their specific needs. Although it’s best to leave screen printing to the professionals, here’s a little behind the scene knowledge on what it takes to make your organization stand out!
The Setup
When it comes to screen printing, you can customize pretty much any article of clothing you desire. Whether it be t-shirts, jerseys, or pants, the item will undergo the same transfer process. This process starts with the proper setup. To begin, your article will lie on a flat surface and be tightly stretched across a frame. The areas that are to remain blank are then masked out. The areas of your apparel that will receive screen printing will then be framed out.
Color Transfer
The unmasked areas will allow the ink to become imprinted onto the material. Once the ink is applied, a squeegee of some sort is used to press the fluids through a mesh screen onto the item. Once the ink has been applied, your items are ready to undergo heating. By heating, we’re referring to a heating tunnel that allows a curing process to being. This will ensure the ink dries quickly. If cured properly, your ink should remain on the items regardless of the conditions they may undergo in the future. For example, sports jerseys will undoubtedly be worn, abused, and washed repeatedly. Although many garments would crumble in these conditions, we ensure your custom screen printing will withstand the abuse!
The Twists
Although this seems simple enough, there are twists to screen printing, which make each job unique. Many items require multiple colors for the final design. If this is the case, the above process will need to be repeated once for each color. Using different screens and different masking, your custom design will look like a work of art when it’s finished. Further, printing on darker items will also require a bit more attention to be sure your final product looks the way you envision. There are also several different masking techniques that can be used depending on the project at hand.
For more information on how custom screen printing can take your apparel to the next level, contact the team at Tri-Valley Sports. Experts in the industry, we can work with you to create your ideal custom design, or you can take the creative lead! Visit us online or contact us at (508) 533.5080 and ensure your organization stands out from the rest!
