Info
See Flatstock for information on ordering posters
Garment ordering process
1. Placing your order
We can assist (email works best) with building your order, including but not limited to: providing sizing, garment and color recommendations. If you have an existing account with us, we're here to help finalize pricing and any other details. Please let us know if you're needing your printed goods by a certain date, and we can see what's possible. Refer to more information on RUSH orders. *Minimum order quantity: 10*
2. Quote finalization and Payment
An order summary outlining the costs is sent via email. Upon approval, payment is processed, securing the order and signaling to us your intent to proceed. Art graphics are sent at this time. Please note, estimates are valid for 60 days, after which they will expire and need to be re-created.
3. Digital Proof Creation
The Art Department crafts a detailed digital proof based on the your submitted design. This step involves translating you submitted files into digital renderings of the final printed product. Please note, our proofs are *not* to scale, but rather, show a representation of placement and ink colors with specific print sizing and measurements detailed.
4. Proof Approval and Garment Sourcing
You will receive digital proof(s)for approval. Once confirmed, we'll source the garments for proceeding. This stage ensures all materials are on hand and approved before production begins.
6. Production Queue
With materials sourced, the order is placed onto the production schedule. This is typically by the third business day from initial order placement. Our full turnaround lead time for garment orders can vary throughout the year, most typtically being around 2 weeks. During busier times, this lead time can extend further out if our presses are fully booked.
7. Production, Quality Assurance, and Shipping
Printing production begins, followed by rigorous quality checks to ensure each item matches the approved proof. From there, the order is packaged up and you will be notified upon completion (pickup, shipping -default is UPS, or local delivery).
Please note that when your job is finished your screen is reclaimed. We do not save screens. Quick tip! If placing a future reorder, we do keep all of your artwork and past orders on file for quick access, so no need to resend.
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Standard Garment Ink Colors
Below are the ink colors we offer at no additional charge. If going with a custom color for us to match, this will involve a $15 Ink mixing fee.
If you'd like to use our softer water-based ink options, this will involve 25¢ per color per item per location. More on ink types further below.
Garment Ink types & Printing Techniques
Standard Plastisol Ink
Plastisol is the standard, less-expensive ink for screen printing. It is made with plastic (polyvinyl chloride, better known as PVC.) This type of ink sits on top of the garment; it doesn't soak in. Because of this, plastisol ink will always produces a bright print, which can feel thick and heavy and allow less breathability than a print with water-based ink.
We can, however, use soft-hand additive upon request that will thin the ink for printing with a lighter and softer feel.
Note: color opacity will subsequently reduce when using soft-hand additive.
Water Based Inks (+$)
Water-based ink is a high-end ink commonly used in retail printing, that is often more eco-friendly. The brightness level of a water-based print can range from very bright to somewhat faded, depending on the fabric of the garment it's printed on. Printing light colors on dark garment can get tricky, so please inquire if this is something you're interested in.
For example, on a 100% cotton t-shirt, your graphic will print very bright and vibrant. But if printed on a cotton/polyester blend or tri-blend, it might come out more toned down. Water-based ink will leave your shirt with an incredibly soft and much more breathable print than any other ink type. Since the ink soaks into the shirt's fabric, it can't be felt after first laundering.
Specialty Inks
We offer puff, fluorescent and GID garment inks. Please inquire for more information if interested.
Spot Color
Spot color process is a method used where designs are broken down into individual color components and printed using solid colors without gradients. This method is ideal for designs with fewer than six colors and works best with vector files like Adobe Illustrator files.
Spot color process is particularly effective for achieving vibrant prints on dark garments, as it allows for a white underbase that makes the colors printed on top bright and vivid.
This method can be cost-effective, especially for designs with one to four colors. However, for more complex designs, other methods like CMYK or simulated process printing might be more suitable.
CMYK
The CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) method in screen printing is widely used to replicate full-color images on light-colored backgrounds. The inks used in CMYK screen printing are semi-transparent, allowing colors to overlap and create a wide variety of shades. This method is best suited for white or very light-colored garments, as the inks are translucent and will not show up on dark garments.
Simulated Process
Simulated process printing involves blending ink colors using halftones to create complex hues and shades that would be unfeasible using spot colors alone. Simulated process can be more expensive than traditional process printing due to the complexity of artwork preparation and the addition of many screens,typically ranging from 4 to 8. It is often used for printing complex images onto black-colored garments and can produce detailed, intricate imagery.
Please reach out for additional information on what may be best for your project.
See Garments for further information
