| By :
Mark Etinger
What we consider modern screen printing dates back circa 1907. It is a printing technique developed to transmit a design to a woven mesh (aka clothing, bags, and other garments). It uses the transfer of ink from a stencil. It is sometimes known as silk screening or serigraph printing. It is a widely popular form of printing for clothing. It makes for good promo products and designer or artist-inspired clothes. You can trace the roots of this technique all the way to the Song dynasty of China from 960-1279 AD, where ink was transmitted to woodblocks and other hand-painted crafts. Hundreds of years later, adopted by England to print wallpaper and to transfer ink on soft linens, silk, and other sensitive fabrics. By 1910 printers were incorporating the photo-sensitive materials to enhance the process. This is what we recognize as screen printing now. Andy Warhol's idea of making low-brow into high-brow popularized ink printing in the 1960s. Village-inspired couture, in a sense, became a form of art revolution. The incorporation of branding was the logical next step once the fad caught on. Anybody who has ever been to a "fun" company-held event, like a barbeque, fundraiser, or even (but hopefully not) a potato-sack race knows that contract screen printing is king. Company shirts with logos are handed out and the team-building joy begins. Corporations should always consider professional services for making these tees and sweatshirts for them. Multi-color printing and complicated designs will require skills. When you think about it, though, the process is very clever. It starts with the mesh screen. A thin coat of light-sensitive emulsion is then applied. Then you get the design, which should be printed or drawn onto clear acetate or similar material. Computers are the best for creating or altering these designs. The screen and design are then pressed together and weighted. A bright light must then be suspended over the materials in order for the transfer to occur. The exposure time differs depending on the emulsion used and the size and complexity of the design. Professionals can do this and other techniques like direct to garment printing quickly and efficiently. If you intend to order large batches then it is best to contact the printer and ask for estimates. The cost can differ depending on the colors of the ink and of the shirt. You may want to send in your design for consultation and see if its feasible.
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