Printing Methods·April 21, 2026

Screen Printing

Flat-bed and rotary screen printing for bold, opaque color — ideal for large runs, dark fabrics, and Pantone-matched brand colors.

Screen printing forces ink through a mesh stencil (screen) onto the fabric surface. Each color requires its own screen, making it cost-effective for high-volume runs with a limited number of spot colors.

We offer both flat-bed screen printing for cut-and-sew panels and rotary screen printing for continuous yardage.

Process Overview

1
A separate screen (stencil) is created for each color in the design
2
Ink is pushed through each screen onto the fabric in sequence
3
Colors are aligned precisely to avoid mis-registration
4
The printed fabric passes through a heat tunnel to cure the ink

File Requirements

Accepted formats: PDF, PSD, AI
Minimum resolution: 300 DPI at final print dimensions
Colors should be specified in Pantone (PMS) for accurate matching
Separate layers for each color are recommended

Advantages

Cost-effective for runs of 50+ units per colorway
Bold, opaque ink — prints well on both light and dark fabrics
Pantone-matched colors for precise brand consistency
Extremely durable — industrial ink holds up to heavy commercial use
Works on cotton, canvas, denim, blended fabrics, and more

Limitations

Screen setup cost: approximately $40 per color/screen
Maximum of 12 colors per design
Design changes require new screens — add-on cost for revisions
Photorealistic gradients and photographic images are not achievable
Ink layer adds slight texture to the fabric hand

Rotary Screen Printing

For continuous fabric yardage, we use rotary screen printing where cylindrical screens rotate as fabric feeds through — enabling seamless repeat patterns at scale.

Minimum: 1,000 meters for woven fabrics or 500 kg for knitted fabrics
Ideal for all-over patterns, stripes, and repeat motifs
Same color and file requirements as flat-bed screen printing

Cost Guidance

If your design uses fewer than 5 Pantone colors and you need 100+ units, screen printing will almost always be more cost-effective than digital printing for that run size.

Sublimation Printing

Rotary Screen Printing

For continuous fabric yardage, we use rotary screen printing where cylindrical screens rotate as fabric feeds through — enabling seamless repeat patterns at scale.

Minimum: 1,000 meters for woven fabrics or 500 kg for knitted fabrics
Ideal for all-over patterns, stripes, and repeat motifs
Same color and file requirements as flat-bed screen printing

Cost Guidance

If your design uses fewer than 5 Pantone colors and you need 100+ units, screen printing will almost always be more cost-effective than digital printing for that run size.