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Decoration Technique
Screen Printing
The original apparel decoration method. Cost-effective at volume, vibrant Pantone colors, and the workhorse of band merch, events, and corporate uniforms.
Best For
High-volume runs, bold graphics, cotton and dark garments
Fabric
Cotton, polyester blends, tri-blends — most fabric types
MOQ
50 pieces per design
Durability
Excellent — 50+ washes with plastisol, lifetime with discharge
Cost
$ — most economical at volume
Lead Time
10–20 days including screen setup
About Screen Print
Screen printing is the most established and cost-effective method of decorating apparel at volume. Ink is pushed through a fine mesh screen onto fabric, one color at a time, building up the design layer by layer. It is the technique behind most band merch, sports team uniforms, corporate giveaways, and event t-shirts you have ever owned.
At SublimApparel we run automatic and manual screen printing lines supporting plastisol, water-based, discharge, and high-density inks. We can hit any Pantone color, print on dark or light garments, and combine techniques — for example, a discharge underbase with a plastisol top layer for a soft vintage feel on dark cotton.
Screen printing is best when the design has limited colors (under 6 is most economical) and the run is large enough to justify screen setup. We handle runs from 50 pieces to over 100,000 per design.
Why Choose Screen Print
- Most cost-effective decoration for runs over 200 pieces per design
- Vibrant, opaque colors even on dark garments
- Wide ink selection: plastisol, water-based, discharge, metallic, glow
- Pantone-perfect color matching for corporate brand work
- Combines well with other techniques for special effects
Best Use Cases
Band and concert tour merchandiseSports team uniforms and club kitsCorporate uniforms and brand giveawaysEvent and festival staff t-shirtsCharity and awareness campaign apparelSchool and university merchandise
How Screen Print Works
- 1
Artwork prep & color separation
Each Pantone color is separated onto its own film positive. We pre-flight your file and check for fine details.
- 2
Screen making
Mesh screens are coated with photo emulsion, exposed with your film, washed out, and registered on press.
- 3
Press setup
Garments are loaded onto the press. Each screen is aligned to within 0.1mm of registration.
- 4
Print
Ink is pushed through each screen with a squeegee, one color at a time, with flash curing between colors as needed.
- 5
Cure & QC
Final ink film is cured at 160°C. Every piece is inspected before poly-bagging and packing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colors can I screen print?
Technically unlimited, but each color is a separate screen charge. Most economical at 1–4 colors. 6+ colors is fine for premium work but costs more.
Can you print on dark garments?
Yes. We use a white underbase on dark garments so colors stay vibrant and true to the design.
What's the difference between plastisol and water-based ink?
Plastisol sits on top of the fabric (vibrant, durable, slightly heavier hand). Water-based dyes the fabric (soft hand, vintage look, less opaque on dark colors).
Will the print crack or peel?
With proper cure and care, plastisol prints last 50+ washes. Discharge prints (on cotton) dye the fabric and last the life of the garment.
Related Techniques
Custom Embroidery
Stitched-in quality. Embroidery gives logos, monograms and crests a premium tactile feel that screen printing cannot match — and it never fades.
View details
DTG Printing (Direct to Garment)
Inkjet-printed directly onto the garment. Photographic detail, soft hand-feel, no screen setup — perfect for short runs and one-offs on cotton.
View detailsGet a quote
Tell us your product, quantity and deadline.
You will have a landed, duty-paid price within one business day. If your deadline is not achievable, we will say so in the same reply rather than take the order and manage the problem later.
- Reply within 1 business day
- Team hours overlap US Pacific and UK
- Yiwu factory + Fontana, CA warehouse