T-Shirt Printing, Step-by-Step

New to garment printing? It may seem complicated and a little overwhelming, but learn the basics and you'll find it's very easy.

This guide shows how automatic printing machines fit into your screen printing process. You can produce thousands of custom imprinted garments and promotional products with this technique.

Step 1: Create a film positive. Use your computer and laser or ink-jet printer to create designs. You don't need an artistic background; clip art and popular design software can help. Make a film positive by printing each color of the design onto a piece of translucent film or paper. Software breaks your full-color images apart automatically.

Pro tip: A raster image processor such as AccuRIP can help you print the blackest ink on film using your Epson inkjet printer. Visit BuyaRIP.com to see how an Epson inkjet printer, AccuRIP and All Black Cartridges can help

Step 2: Expose Screen. To transfer your image from the film positive to the screen, the film must be put in contact with an emulsion-coated screen and exposed to ultraviolet light. It is important to have good film-to-screen contact and precise control of exposure time.

Step 3: Develop or reclaim screen. Develop the exposed screen with water. This removes the emulsion where the positive image was on your film, making a stencil that ink passes through when you print. Reuse screens by reclaiming (removing) stencils after jobs are done.

Step 4: Print! Now for the easy part. Tape the film positive to a palette on your printing machine and register your screens by aligning the image on each screen to the film positive. Clamp the screens in place, make final adjustments and print.

Pro tip: Automating your shop can dramatically increase your throughput. But don't think you give up control when the machine is managing the job. Our Workhorse automatic textile printers give you complete control on starting and stopping jobs, making test prints and maintaining your standards.

Step 5: Flash cure. To get a bright, opaque image, flash cure the ink and then print another layer on top. Use this technique to print multi-color images on dark garments.

Step 6: Cure the printed garment. The last step fully cures the ink, the key to a long-lasting, quality image.