When it comes to creating spirit wear that looks great and is something that students would enjoy wearing, then there are three factors that you need to take into account – design, material, and printing method. There is a lot out there about fashion, styles, colors, cuts, and more. However, when it comes down to selecting the best printing method for your apparel, the choice is often taken away from you. Not all spirit wear businesses offer different types of printing. And people don’t usually know which will be better for them.
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Below is stated all the information on the two most popular printing techniques – screen printing and digital printing – to help you choose which one better suits your needs.
Screen Printing
Screen printing consists of stenciling an image or text that you want printed onto a screen made of porous fabric, generally mesh. For different color options, a separate screen is created for each color, showcasing the same design. This screen is placed on top of the material that needs to be printed. Then the printer uses a squeegee to swipe ink across the screen to transfer the image through the screen onto the fabric.
Digital Printing
The digital printing process is much simpler. A digital file containing the image that you want printed is directly sent to the printer. No screen or print plate has to be created for this. The printer sprays thin layers of ink onto the fabric to print the image that you desire.
Difference Between Screen Printing & Digital Printing
- Screen printing is more cost-effective for bulk orders of several thousand items, while digital printing is a better choice for smaller orders.
- Digital printing usually has fast production times. While screen printing has a slower turnabout as individual screens need to be made for each image and color, the ink is applied manually, and the ink is heat dried. Although automation has made the process a little faster, screen printing is generally a slower process.
- Digital printing more accurately captures details than screen printing. So if you have a design with lots of intricate details and patterns, opt for digital printing.
- Although digital printing and screen printing both can print multi-colored designs, screen printing is generally more expensive as it requires color separation. Whereas in digital printing, you have more room to play around with multiple designs and colors without dramatically inflating the price.
- In digital printing, the printer mixes colors to get specific shades, which is not the case in screen printing. Thus, screen printing is a better choice if you are looking for precise coloring.
- Digital printing can be done on fewer material options than screen printing. Cotton is the best material for digital printing, while screen printing can work well on various fabrics.
- In screen printing, heat is used to dry the ink, while in digital tshirt printing, a heat press is used to bake the ink into the material, which makes it less likely to fade or crack.
- In digital printing, the chances of the ink cracking are less since the ink does not absorb all the way into the material, whereas in screen printing, thick layers of ink are applied, which can easily crack with wear and tear.
Spirit Magnet provides hassle-free, high-quality school spirit products at the best prices in Sandy, UT, and other U.S. areas. Click here to leave us a message.