Spot colour printing

There are two main methods used for screen printing onto garments. The method most commonly used and best suited for a large variety of graphics is called 'Spot Colour' printing.
These examples below are all printed using the spot colour method. It’s a versatile method and can be adapted to suit most design requirements from basic to mutlicolour (or photographic representation).

spot colour example spot colour example spot colour example spot colour example

This method of spot colour printing is particularly suited to the printing of branded promotional garments or merchandise where colour identity (pantone specified) and uniformity must remain constant throughout a diverse range of products.
There are of course a variety of different types of inks that can be used to create a ceratin look or to suit a particular kind of artwork. Metallics, Glow in the dark, Raised inks, Glitters and so on. These are all suitable for this kind of print method.

notes on spot colour printing onto dark garments

If you require a solid bright colour to print for example onto a black t-shirt, we would use a white base print. This base white layer is dried first, before the bright colour is printed on top. This process is to ensure the brightest and most opaque colour reproduction (otherwise impossible to do without a white base print)

4 colour process printing

Another method of screen printing used is called '4 Colour Process'. This method of printing is used mainly for photographic images and illustrations that consist of a wide range of colours, tones and graduations. 4 colour process is also the same method of printing by which all images in books and magazines are printed. The inks are translucent and merge together on a white backgrounds to reproduce all the hues and tones of the original. This type of printing will work best on white garments and will not really be suitable for coloured fabrics. Here is a simple example of how it works below.

cmyk example
yellow
cmyk example
magenta
cmyk example
cyan
cmyk example
black

other types of garment decoration

There are other types of garment decoration that are not actually inks, and that are perhaps more suited to fashion printing rather than promotional design work. For example Foil prints (a metallic foil application) and Flock prints (a fluffy fabric application). Particular finishes can also be applied to prints like soft feel matt or high gloss.
It is best to ask us about your designs suitability for such applications if you are not familiar with this sort of thing.
If you have questions regarding printing your designs, please send us an example by e-mail.