SCREEN PRINT

metallic ink

Screen printing is a process used to print designs onto various materials, like fabric, paper, or even metal. It’s a versatile technique often used for creating custom t-shirts, posters, and other products. Here’s a breakdown of the main steps involved:

1. Design Creation

2. Screen Preparation

3. Exposure

4. Washing Out

5. Setting Up the Print

6. Printing

7. Curing

8. Final Inspection and Quality Control


Key Things to Know:

Screen printing is known for producing vibrant, durable prints and is especially good for large runs of the same design. It’s a bit more time-consuming for multi-color designs, but it’s great for bulk printing and high-quality results!

EMBROIDERY

Embroidery is the process of decorating fabric using needle and thread (or sometimes yarn). The process can range from hand embroidery, where it’s all done manually, to machine embroidery, which is automated. Here’s a basic rundown of the steps involved in traditional hand embroidery:

1. Design Transfer

The first step is to create or select a design. This design is usually traced onto the fabric using a pencil, disappearing ink pen, or carbon paper. In some cases, the design may be printed directly onto the fabric if it’s a digital print.

2. Choosing the Thread

Embroiderers select thread based on the desired effect. There are various types of threads, including cotton, silk, metallic, and specialty threads like rayon or wool. The choice of thread impacts the texture and appearance of the finished design.

3. Setting up the Fabric

The fabric needs to be taut, so it’s often stretched onto an embroidery hoop. This keeps the fabric flat and stable while you work. For machine embroidery, the fabric is hooped into place, usually with a stabilizer underneath it to prevent puckering.

4. Stitching

The actual stitching process begins. In hand embroidery, this might involve different stitches like:

Machine embroidery, on the other hand, uses computerized designs and automated stitches, which are executed by the machine based on a programmed design.

5. Finishing the Design

Once the stitching is complete, the next step is to secure the thread ends on the back. Any excess thread is trimmed, and if there’s any water-soluble marking left on the fabric, it’s washed away.

6. Final Touches

The fabric is then carefully steamed, to smooth out any wrinkles and press marks and ensure the stitches are well-formed.

If you’re doing machine embroidery, the process is fairly similar in terms of transferring the design and choosing the fabric, but the stitching is handled by the machine, which can handle complex, detailed designs much faster.

DTG & DTF

DTG (Direct-to-Garment) and DTF (Direct-to-Film) are both modern printing techniques used for apparel and textile printing, but they work in different ways:

1. DTG (Direct-to-Garment) Printing:

2. DTF (Direct-to-Film) Printing:

In summary:

Both methods have their place depending on the type of design, fabric, and the quantity you’re looking to print!