Impressions - March 2014 - 38

delicate fabrics. If your company hasn't
established printing guidelines for lighter
fabrics compared to standard-weight Tshirts, such should be your first priority. A
couple of test runs will demonstrate how
the print feels using different variables.
One quick sample print will show the
difference in feel between water-based
and standard plastisol prints. Use your

company's logo or a popular graphic as
a test print so you can use the screens as
promotional items as well. You also can
use these items in sales presentations to
clients to help justify a price increase for
water-based or modified inks.
Next, do a printed test using a higher
mesh count with traditional inks to achieve
a standard print without the ink volume. In

Use Info*Action #18 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction See us at ISS Atlantic City

38

Impressions | March 2014

this test, the goal should be to get quality coverage and a smooth print, but with
thinner ink coverage so it doesn't weigh
down the garment.
Once you have a standard of printing
for lighter fabrics, you also can consider
specialty fabric treatments so you will be
prepared if you have a rush request for
these popular items. You also won't have
to guess at how to decorate them or have a
serious problem trying to print them. The
following example resulted from a real job
that, unfortunately, happens to a lot of
screen printers (the specific printer in this
instance shall remain anonymous).
"ABC Printing" employees had a rush order on a lightweight, burnout cotton item
and they ran the garment like a standard
T-shirt. The garment was extra sensitive to
heat, so a dozen of them were scorched and
became brittle under the flash cure. The resulting shirts were brown in certain spots
or had a permanent square mark from the
platen and became crunchy.
Since the garments were thin, and were
printed with regular mesh counts and
standard pressure settings, the ink bled
through to the platens and the next round
of garments were stained with ink on the
insides and sleeves during loading. Due to
the treatment on the garments, the printers were unable to blow out the ink using
a spot remover without ruining the fabric.
These items were about three times
the cost of a regular garment, so the printer ended up losing money after having to
replace a large part of the order.
All the issues in this real example could
have been avoided by having better printing
standards in place for that specific fabric type.
As a result of this experience, ABC Printing
now checks its mesh counts, flash distances
and ink volume prior to production for all
garments that are lighter in weight.
The key to success is establishing
guidelines for art, screen and production
challenges before a rush job comes in at
the last minute. That way, the popular,
lightweight ladies apparel will come out
fantastic on the first run.
Thomas Trimingham has been working
in screen printing for more than 21 years
as an industry consultant, freelance artist,
and high-end separator. He is an awardwinning illustrator, designer, and author of
more than 110 articles on screen printing art
and separations. For more information, visit
screenprintingartist.com
impressionsmag.com
http://www.anajet.com/impressions http://www.anajet.com/impressions http://www.screenprintingartist.com http://www.impressionsmag.com/infoaction http://www.impressionsmag.com
Impressions - March 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - March 2014
