News
A Checklist of Equipment & Supplies Needed to Start Screen Print Shop
Ready to start screen printing? It's a big jump, but it's so worth it. To build your shop, you will need to obtain some equipment and supplies. Our Sales and Success Team put together a handy check list of everything you should consider investing in your future shop.
From Learning to Leading with Jesse Poteet
Meet Jesse Poteet, the cool and creative mind behind Alpine Apparel Co and Startup Screen Printing. Jesse’s the real deal - full of integrity and armed with a genuine passion for teaching the art of screen printing. Every time we connect with him, his down-to-earth vibe shines through and we’re so stoked to highlight him. Read his guest blog for more!
Everything Screen Printers Need to Know about Water-Based Ink
There’s a lot to know when it comes to printing with water-based ink. From darkroom setup to printing and curing, all the way to cleaning up, there’s lots to absorb about the water-based printing process. But before you pull your hair out, take a minute and read through this blog. We’ve compiled everything you need to know about water-based ink, so you can get started on the right foot.
How to Create & Screen Print QR Codes on Garments
Quick Response codes, or QR codes, are everywhere. You sit down at a restaurant and to read the menu, you have to scan a QR code. You walk through a trade show, stop by a booth with stellar equipment, and to get that show discount, you gotta scan a QR code. You’re picking up a new couch you found on Facebook Marketplace. To Venmo the seller, they bring up the QR code for their account so you can scan it and easily reimburse them.Â
What Is Water Based Ink in Screen Printing?
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What is water-based ink? What makes it a desirable ink for screen printers? The basic answer is that water-based ink uses water as a base. Seems pretty self-explanatory, right? There’s a lot more to know about water-based ink than just the base itself. Let’s dive in and talk about what water-based ink is and how printers can get the most out of it.Â
Do More with Water Based Ink Using 3 New Specialty Additives
Green Galaxy Water-Based inks are sustainable, friendly to the printer and planet, and economically priced. There are tons of options for specialty printing with these High-Solids acrylics (HSA) inks: puff, gold, silver, and more. Starting now, there are even more printers that can do with Green Galaxy inks. Make ink keep vibrancy, stretch further and stay wet on press longer with three new specialty additives.Â
The Best Way to Register Water-Based and Plastisol Screen Prints
Registering a print is a vital piece of the screen printing process. Printers need to make sure that all screens align with each other and have the proper placement on a shirt. Let’s take a look at properly registering single and multicolor prints with plastisol and water-based ink.
A Beginner's Guide to Wet-on-Wet Printing
Wet-on-wet printing can save printers a ton of time since they do not have to wait on the flash. However, wet-on-wet printing is a technique that isn’t mastered overnight. You have to know how to do it, and that means practicing. Want to dip your toes into the world of wet-on-wet printing? Here’s a crash course on printing wet-on-wet directly to t-shirt fabric.
The Advantages of Printing with Plastisol Ink
Print shops all over the world debate whether water-based ink or plastisol ink is the better option. There are advantages and drawbacks to both types of ink. The ink you choose to print with depends on your shop setup and goals for your prints. Let’s talk about the advantages of printing with plastisol ink.
Printing with Plastisol vs. Water Based Ink
Screen printers debate which is better: plastisol or water-based ink. Some printers start out with plastisol ink, while others opt to jump right into water-based printing. But how are they different? Why would you use one over the other? Ink master Colin Huggins lays out the differences and nuances to printing each type of ink. You’ll be able to decide which ink is best for your shop.
Is Water Based Printing Right For You?
Intrigued by water-based inks? Water-based inks are great because they feel so soft on the garment and simple to print basic jobs, but it becomes challenging when printing complex art and it requires more legwork. Whether you’re ready for a new challenge or you received a request from a customer, printing with water-based inks is a whole new ball game compared to printing plastisol inks. Ink master Colin Huggins has shared helpful knowledge you need to know about water-based printing to help you decide if it’s right for you.
