Quick answer: Screen printing is a printing method that pushes ink through a fine mesh stencil (the "screen") onto a garment, one colour at a time. Each colour in the design gets its own screen, and the ink is heat-cured so it bonds to the fabric. It gives bright, opaque, very durable prints and becomes cheaper per garment the more you order, which is why it is the go-to method for bulk t-shirts, hoodies, event tees and merchandise.
Most printed t-shirts you have owned — band merch, charity run tees, the staff t-shirt from your first job — were screen printed. The process is decades old, largely manual, and still hard to beat for volume. This guide explains how it works step by step, what it is good and bad at, and how to tell whether it is right for your order.
How does screen printing work?
A screen is a frame with fine polyester mesh stretched tightly across it. Parts of the mesh are blocked off with a light-sensitive coating, leaving open areas in the shape of your design. Ink is then pulled across the screen with a rubber blade called a squeegee, and it passes through the open mesh onto the garment underneath. Where the mesh is blocked, no ink gets through. That is the whole principle: a stencil, a mesh and pressure.
The process, step by step
- Artwork and colour separation. The design is split into its individual colours. A three-colour logo becomes three separate pieces of artwork, each printed as solid black on clear film. This is why a clean vector file matters — see our guide to getting your logo ready for screen printing.
- Coating the screen. Each screen is coated with photo emulsion, a liquid that hardens when exposed to UV light, and left to dry in the dark.
- Exposing the stencil. The film is laid on the screen and exposed to UV light. The emulsion hardens everywhere except under the black areas of the film.
- Washing out. The screen is rinsed with water. The unhardened emulsion washes away, leaving open mesh in the exact shape of that colour.
- Setting up the press. The screens are fitted to a press and lined up ("registered") so every colour lands in exactly the right place relative to the others.
- Printing. The garment is loaded onto a flat platen, ink is flooded across the screen, and the squeegee pulls it through the mesh. For multi-colour designs, each colour is printed in turn.
- Flashing (on dark garments). On dark fabrics, a white base layer called an underbase is often printed first and briefly heat-set so the colours on top stay bright.
- Curing. The finished garment goes through a heat dryer. Plastisol ink, the most common type, is typically cured at around 160°C. Correct curing is what makes the print wash-fast.
What are the basic materials used in screen printing?
Five things do most of the work:
- The screen — a frame with stretched mesh. Coarser mesh lays down more ink for bold, solid areas; finer mesh holds smaller detail.
- Emulsion — the light-sensitive coating that forms the stencil.
- The squeegee — a rubber blade that pushes ink through the mesh.
- Ink — usually plastisol or water-based (more on that below).
- The press and dryer — the press holds the screens and garment in register; the dryer cures the ink.
Plastisol vs water-based inks
At CentralCustom we use both, and the choice changes how the print looks and feels.
- Plastisol sits on top of the fabric. It is opaque, bright, forgiving to print and very durable, which makes it the standard for dark garments, workwear and bold logos. The print has a slight raised feel.
- Water-based ink soaks into the fibres instead of sitting on them. The result is softer, almost unnoticeable to the touch, and suits light-coloured cotton and fashion-style prints. It is less opaque on dark fabric.
Why do people use screen printing?
- Cost at volume. Most of the work is in making the screens. Once they exist, each extra garment costs relatively little to print, so the price per item drops sharply as quantity rises.
- Durability. A correctly cured screen print survives repeated washing without cracking or fading and often outlasts the garment. Our guide to washing printed and embroidered clothing covers how to keep it that way.
- Colour and opacity. Spot colours are mixed to match, and thick ink layers stay bright on dark fabric in a way many digital methods struggle with.
- Speed once set up. A run of a few hundred identical tees moves quickly through the press.
Where screen printing falls short
- Small quantities. Each colour needs its own screen, so setup is a fixed cost whether you print 5 garments or 500. On our screen printing service it is most cost-effective from around 10 garments upwards.
- Lots of colours. Every extra colour means another screen and another pass, so a ten-colour design costs more to set up than a one-colour logo.
- Photographs and gradients. Smooth tonal images are possible but complex. For photographic or full-colour artwork in small runs, DTF printing is usually the better fit, as it has no screen setup.
- Personalisation. Every garment comes out identical, so individual names and numbers are added separately.
For a side-by-side comparison of every method, read screen printing vs DTG vs vinyl vs DTF, or embroidery vs screen printing if you are deciding between print and stitch.
What affects the price of a screen printing job?
We do not publish a flat price because four things move it: the number of garments, the number of colours in the design, the number of print positions (front, back, sleeve), and the garment itself. Fewer colours and more garments give the lowest price per item. If you can simplify a five-colour logo to two colours for a bulk order, it is worth asking about.
Frequently asked questions
Is screen printing the same as silk screen printing?
Yes. The mesh was originally made of silk, so "silk screen" and "silkscreen" are older names for the same process. Modern screens use polyester mesh.
Is screen printing illegal?
No, the process itself is entirely legal. What matters is the artwork: you need the right to reproduce the logo or design, so printing another brand's trademark or copyrighted artwork without permission is not allowed.
How long does a screen print last?
A correctly cured print will usually last as long as the garment, provided it is washed inside out at a moderate temperature and not tumble-dried hot.
Can you screen print on hoodies and workwear?
Yes. We screen print t-shirts, polos, hoodies, sweatshirts and a wide range of workwear, and garment types can be mixed within one order. Browse our t-shirts and hoodies and sweatshirts.
Ready to get something printed?
Send us your design, the garments and a rough quantity, and we will recommend the right print method and come back with a quote within one working day. See our garment printing services or request a quote.
