Decoration method

Screen Printing

Not all prints are created equal. This is the one built to last.

How screen printing works

We burn a separate screen for each colour in your design, then push ink through the mesh straight into the fabric and cure it with heat so it’s locked in. It’s a bit of setup up front, which is exactly why it rewards volume: once the screens are made, the more you run the cheaper each piece gets.

The payoff is a bold, hard-wearing print with a proper hand feel, and a huge range of inks and finishes you simply can’t get any other way. Standard print area is up to 15 × 18 in.

Inks and finishes

The ink is where screen printing earns its keep. Here’s what we run, and what each one is for.

Plastisol. The industry standard, and the most durable print going. The ink sits on top of the fabric rather than soaking in, so it stays bright and opaque even on black garments and layers colours cleanly. Cured at over 300 degrees, so it’s bonded for good. Best for bold, punchy artwork up to around six colours.

Water-based. Soaks into the fabric and dyes it rather than sitting on top, so there’s almost no hand feel, you can still feel the weave of the shirt. Soft, breathable and premium, and it won’t crack or chip like a heavy print. Best on light cotton and anywhere feel matters, like fashion tees and activewear. It reacts to the fabric, so we tune the formula per garment.

Discharge. Strips the garment’s own dye and re-colours it in one hit, so the print becomes part of the shirt instead of a layer on top. Soft, detailed and breathable on dark cotton, and it’s how you get that washed-out vintage or cracked look while the shirt is still brand new.

High-density. A raised, sharp-edged ink that stands up off the fabric for a bold, tactile, almost 3D finish. Matched to any colour and built up to the height you want. Premium and hard to ignore.

Puff. Ink that rises when it hits heat, for a soft, spongy, embossed look. Loves big shapes, bold type and wide curves. Available soft (water-based) or classic (plastisol).

Foil. A real metallic finish pressed over adhesive for genuine shine. Great as an accent on premium and fashion pieces.

Flocking. A soft, suede or velvet texture raised off the fabric. Adds a premium, tactile feel you can’t get from ink alone.

Reflective & 3M. Sits flat until a light hits it, then lights up. Water-based or plastisol. Built for hi-vis and safety gear, and a favourite across skate, surf and streetwear.

Burnout. Eats the cotton out of a cotton-poly blend where the design sits, leaving a sheer, see-through poly ghost of the print. A proper fashion-forward finish.

Stretch & silicone. Built for activewear, spandex and performance fabric. Stretches with the garment and holds up without cracking or dye migration, where a standard print would fail.

The right ink for the fabric

Not every ink suits every garment. Water-based and discharge react to the fabric, so we match the formula to the blank rather than forcing one recipe onto everything.

Polyester and poly-blends can bleed dye up into a print (dye migration), over-dyed fabrics can shift your colours, and coated fabrics can be tricky to hold down. Tell us the garment and we’ll spec an ink that holds up. Not locked on a blank yet? Start with the Garment Guide.

When to choose screen printing

Screen printing is the right call for bold, solid artwork and bigger runs. The more you print, the better the maths.

If your design is full-colour or photographic, or you only need a handful, DTF or DTG will usually look better and cost less. We’ll tell you straight if that’s the case, rather than push you into screens for the sake of it.

Colour matching

Need an exact colour? We match to the Pantone Matching System (PANTONE Solid Coated). Drop the PMS code in with your artwork and we’ll hit it. No code, and we’ll match to what’s in your file.

The specs

MOQ

12 pieces

Colors

Per color, up to 8

Max print area

15 × 18 in

Delivered in

10 to 14 business days

Common questions

Can you print on black or dark garments?

Yes. Plastisol and high-solids water-based inks stay bright and opaque on darks, and discharge is purpose-built for exactly this.

How many colours can I have?

Screen printing is priced per colour and runs cleanly up to around six. More than that, or gradients and photographic detail, and DTF is the better and cheaper route.

Can you print on activewear or polyester?

Yes. We use stretch and silicone inks that move with the fabric and won’t crack, and we manage dye migration on poly so your colours stay true.

Do you match specific colours?

Yes, to Pantone (PMS Solid Coated). Send the code with your artwork and we’ll match it.

What’s the minimum?

12 pieces for screen printing. Every other method starts at one.