Impressions - August 2017 - 46
Regardless of whether it's a
small or large shop, prepress, setup,
breakdown and the learning curve
make screen printing a difficult
application to adopt.
setup is $15,000-$20,000.
Regardless of whether it's a small or
large shop, prepress, setup, breakdown and
the learning curve make screen printing
a difficult application to adopt. Here is a
simple list of steps involved in the traditional screen-printing process: Prepare
and separate art, create film positives,
clean and dry screens, coat screens with
emulsion and dry, expose screens, wash,
dry, block out, dry, tape off, set screens on
press, mix ink, register, test print, print,
remove screens, remove ink, and wash
and reclaim screens.
The entire process can take hours and
is sensitive to errors. If exposure time isn't
correct, a screen may not wash out. If the
platen gets too hot, the ink can stick to the
bottom of the screens and cause ghosting.
If you use the wrong ink or emulsion,
or a screen breaks, you must reshoot and
re-register new screens. One skewed element can jeopardize an entire job.
Though the screen-printing preparation
process takes time - the more colors
in the design, the longer it takes - you
can start cranking out shirts as soon as
setup is done.That's why screen printing
is conducive to large-volume runs.
Such jobs enable screen printers to make
money. Prepress, setup and breakdown
processes require time and resources, and
these costs must be amortized into the
volume of shirts produced to sustain a
reasonable margin. Large volumes fuel
screen-printing shops and can be lucrative.
Keys to DTG
Many small screen-printing shops will
sacrifice margins for small-run jobs
to accommodate the demand of the
custom-shirt-buying public. Consistent
large-volume jobs are hard to acquire and
maintain due to the competition among
screen printers.A small shop may need a
12-piece job just to stay busy.This is where
DTG printing stands out.
Ideal for low-volume jobs because setup
and breakdown is negligible compared to
screen printing, DTG printing is slower
but preparation is faster. A conservative
estimate for screen printing 12 shirts - a
five-color job, from setup to breakdown
- is four-plus hours.With DTG, 12 shirts
can be prepped, printed and cured in about
30 minutes.
I often hear concerns that DTG isn't
viable because there isn't money in
low-volume jobs. This can be true, but
determining that requires analyzing your
business model.
Think about your customers' requests.
What is the average size of the print jobs
you receive? Do they want 144-plus shirts,
or do they want a dozen shirts for a party
Use Info*Action #15 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction
P.46
i m p r e s s i o n s m a g . c o m AUGUST 2017
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Impressions - August 2017
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - August 2017
Impressions - August 2017
Contents
First Impressions
From the Show Director
Overheard
First Look
Scene at ISS
On Design
Fleecewear Lightens the Load
Trending in the Branding World
Breaking DTG Boundaries
Shop Talk
Embroidery Technique
Screen Printing Graphics & Design
Direct-To-Garment
Heat Printing
Ad Index/Online Directory
Classifieds
Impressions - August 2017 - CT1
Impressions - August 2017 - CT2
Impressions - August 2017 - Impressions - August 2017
Impressions - August 2017 - Cover2
Impressions - August 2017 - 1
Impressions - August 2017 - Contents
Impressions - August 2017 - 3
Impressions - August 2017 - 4
Impressions - August 2017 - 5
Impressions - August 2017 - First Impressions
Impressions - August 2017 - 7
Impressions - August 2017 - From the Show Director
Impressions - August 2017 - 9
Impressions - August 2017 - 10
Impressions - August 2017 - Overheard
Impressions - August 2017 - 12
Impressions - August 2017 - 13
Impressions - August 2017 - 14
Impressions - August 2017 - 15
Impressions - August 2017 - First Look
Impressions - August 2017 - 17
Impressions - August 2017 - 17a
Impressions - August 2017 - 17b
Impressions - August 2017 - Scene at ISS
Impressions - August 2017 - 19
Impressions - August 2017 - 20
Impressions - August 2017 - On Design
Impressions - August 2017 - Fleecewear Lightens the Load
Impressions - August 2017 - 23
Impressions - August 2017 - 24
Impressions - August 2017 - 25
Impressions - August 2017 - Trending in the Branding World
Impressions - August 2017 - 27
Impressions - August 2017 - 28
Impressions - August 2017 - 29
Impressions - August 2017 - 30
Impressions - August 2017 - Breaking DTG Boundaries
Impressions - August 2017 - 32
Impressions - August 2017 - 33
Impressions - August 2017 - 34
Impressions - August 2017 - 35
Impressions - August 2017 - Shop Talk
Impressions - August 2017 - 37
Impressions - August 2017 - Embroidery Technique
Impressions - August 2017 - 39
Impressions - August 2017 - 40
Impressions - August 2017 - 41
Impressions - August 2017 - Screen Printing Graphics & Design
Impressions - August 2017 - 43
Impressions - August 2017 - 44
Impressions - August 2017 - Direct-To-Garment
Impressions - August 2017 - 46
Impressions - August 2017 - 47
Impressions - August 2017 - Heat Printing
Impressions - August 2017 - 49
Impressions - August 2017 - 50
Impressions - August 2017 - 51
Impressions - August 2017 - Ad Index/Online Directory
Impressions - August 2017 - Classifieds
Impressions - August 2017 - 54
Impressions - August 2017 - Cover3
Impressions - August 2017 - Cover4
Impressions - August 2017 - IO1
Impressions - August 2017 - IO2
Impressions - August 2017 - IO3
Impressions - August 2017 - IO4
Impressions - August 2017 - IO5
Impressions - August 2017 - IO6
Impressions - August 2017 - IF1
Impressions - August 2017 - IF2
Impressions - August 2017 - IF3
Impressions - August 2017 - IF4
Impressions - August 2017 - IF5
Impressions - August 2017 - IF6
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/dd_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/dd_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamactive_2019fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20190607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamactive_2019spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/dd_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2018fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2018spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2017fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20170607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2017spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20160607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2016spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/digitaldecorator_2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2015fall
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/digitaldecorator_2015summer
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2015spring
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/digitaldecorator_2014summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20140607
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2014spring
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