What is screen print?

Screen print is probably the decoration technique that is used the most when printing T-shirts, sweaters, etc. Unlike flex, all items must have an identical print and up to 7 uniform colors can be printed. This means 2 different shades of blue count as 2 colors. For each color a print film or screen is made. The costs for these screens are included in the price, but because of setup costs, a screen in 1 color is only interesting for 15 pieces and more.

A big advantage over flex is that it can be used for detailed prints. There is, however, one important restriction concerning the number of print colors and the amount of ink: only one color can adhere to the textile in one specific place, colors cannot overlap. Color mixing isn't possible.

Restriction: gradients, as shown in figure 1, can't be printed!

Figure 1: example of gradients that cannot be printed using screen print.

For the brands B&C, Stanley & Stella, Kariban, Gildan en SG Clothing the number of colors that can be used depends on the number of items. For example, printing in 1 color is possible from 15 pieces on; printing in 2 colors is possible from 25 pieces on. A complete overview of the minimum quantity for these brands can be found below.