Garment Printing
Screen Printing*
What is Screen Printing?
Screen printing pushes ink through a fine mesh screen, one colour at a time, to build up the design on the garment. A separate screen is made for each colour in the artwork, and the ink is forced through the mesh onto the fabric with a squeegee before being cured.
It is the oldest and most established industrial garment-printing method, and it remains the benchmark for durability, colour vibrancy and cost-efficiency at volume. The ink bonds deep into the fabric, producing a print that wears in beautifully rather than wearing out.
Once the screens are made, every garment prints fast and consistently - which is why screen printing becomes the most economical choice as quantities rise. The setup cost is a fixed investment that is spread across the run, so the per-garment price falls steadily as volume grows.
Where It Works
Where Screen Printing works best*
Screen printing excels on larger runs of the same design, particularly when the artwork is bold and colour-driven.
- Larger volume runs (typically 50+ pieces)
- Punchy, solid colours
- Bold graphics and typography
- Outstanding durability
- Cost-effective at scale
- Plastisol and water-based inks
- Great on dark fabrics
Why Choose It
Why choose Screen Printing*
No other method matches screen printing for the combination of vibrancy, durability and scale economics.
Cost-Effective at Scale
Once the screens are made, each additional garment is cheap to print. The larger the run, the lower the per-piece cost.
Punchy, Opaque Colour
Screen ink is thick and vibrant - solid colours sit with a confidence that digital printing struggles to match.
Outstanding Durability
The ink bonds deep into the fabric. A properly cured screen print outlasts the garment and survives hundreds of washes.
Great on Dark Fabrics
Opaque inks sit brightly on dark garments - a white underbase layer makes light colours pop on black or navy.
Bold Graphics
Large areas of solid colour, bold typography and strong geometric shapes reproduce with a consistency that digital methods cannot match at volume.
Ink Options
Plastisol ink for maximum vibrancy and opacity, or water-based ink for a softer hand that soaks into the fabric.
Things to Consider
Things to consider*
The setup cost is the defining factor. Each colour needs its own screen - exposed, registered and aligned - which means there is a fixed cost before the first garment is printed. This makes screen printing uneconomical for short runs and one-offs; for those quantities, DTG or DTF are the better choice.
Each colour in the design is a separate screen, so the number of colours directly affects the cost. Simple one or two-colour designs are the most cost-effective. Complex multicolour artwork with many colours is possible but increases the setup - and for short runs of full-colour artwork, DTF or DTG are usually cheaper.
Gradients and photographic shading are possible with screen printing through halftone separations, but they require careful artwork preparation and add complexity. For photographic artwork, DTG reproduces it more naturally and economically.
Artwork & Design
Artwork & design*
Screen printing works best with artwork designed with the process in mind. Spot-colour designs - where each colour is a distinct, flat area - separate cleanly into screens and give the most predictable results. Supply artwork as vector files where possible.
For multicolour designs, we separate the artwork into individual colour layers, each of which becomes a screen. The number of separations directly affects the setup cost, so simplifying the colour count can significantly reduce the price.
Halftone separations allow gradients and subtle shading to be reproduced as dots of varying size - this works well for tonal effects but is not the same as true photographic reproduction. If your artwork is photographic, we will discuss whether DTG might serve it better.
MDR's Approach
Our approach*
In our experience, screen printing earns its place once a run reaches around fifty pieces of the same design. Below that threshold, the setup cost dominates the price and a digital method is usually better value; above it, screen printing becomes the clear winner on per-garment cost.
We will usually recommend screen printing for event merchandise, team kits, staff uniforms and promotional runs where the quantity justifies the setup. For those jobs, the durability and colour punch of screen ink is worth the investment.
When we are preparing artwork for screen printing, we pay close attention to the colour count - reducing a design from four colours to three can meaningfully reduce the setup cost without changing the visual result. We will always flag opportunities to simplify.
Choosing Between Processes
Is this the right process for your project?
Screen printing is the best choice for larger runs - but it is not the right method for every job. The setup cost makes it uneconomical for short runs, and the one-colour-per-screen process makes full-colour artwork expensive to separate.
For short runs and one-offs, DTG and DTF have no setup cost and no minimum order. For full-colour and photographic artwork at any quantity, DTG and DTF reproduce it more naturally and cheaply. For simple solid-colour graphics at low quantity, heat transfer vinyl gives the same crisp edge without the screen setup. And for a premium corporate finish, embroidery offers a permanence that no print method can match.
Our Process
From brief to finished garment*
Consultation
We discuss the design, colour count, garment type and run quantity.
Artwork Separation
The design is separated into individual colour layers, one per screen.
Screen Making
Each colour screen is exposed and prepared for printing.
Printing
Ink is pushed through each screen in sequence and cured between colours.
Curing & QC
The final print is fully cured for washability and inspected before finishing.
Why Choose MDR
Why choose MDR for screen printing*
Volume Expertise
We know when screen printing is the right call and when a digital method serves better - we will tell you honestly.
Colour Separation
Our artwork team separates and prepares designs to get the most from every screen and keep colour count efficient.
Durable Results
Properly cured screen prints outlast the garment and survive hundreds of washes.
One Partner
Design, separation, printing and finishing from one accountable studio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Screen Printing questions*
Screen printing has a fixed setup cost per colour, so it becomes economical at larger quantities - typically around 50 pieces of the same design. Below that, DTG or DTF are usually better value.
Let's talk your garment project*
Not sure whether screen printing is the right method for your garments? That is exactly the conversation we are here for.
Tell us about your artwork, your garments and your quantities, and we will recommend the decoration method that gives you the best result - not the one that is easiest to sell.
LET'S PARTNER*
Ready to create something extraordinary? Tell us about your project and we'll craft the perfect solution. Email is the fastest way to reach us - your message lands straight with the studio team.
