Water Based Screen Printing

Water Based Screen Printing

What works for some people, may not work for other; that is just a reality of the world we live in.  Because of this, we are in world filled with options.  People are always trying to come up with new ways to ‘skin a cat’ so that it works best for them.  In the custom garment printing world, this type of innovation has given us water based screen printing.  Water based screen printing is an alternative way of screen printing your custom garments that comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Water Based Screen Printing

Originally screen printing was done using plastisol inks, which are petroleum based.  Plastisol is great for keeping costs down because they are reusable as long as you properly maintain them.  They won’t dry up in the screens because there is virtually no solvent in them.  The problem with plastisol is that for some customers, the feel of the ink on the garment known as the ‘hand’, is too firm.  For designs that are all over coverage or that have multiple colors, plastisol ink can feel quite heavy and stiff.  Water based screen printing is perfect for those who are looking for a soft, ‘barely there’ feeling print.

Water based inks are susceptible to drying out and as such, are mixed for the amount needed for the job.  Since the inks aren’t reusable, water based screen printing is generally more expensive than printing with plastisol.  At AMBRO Manufacturing, you can have the best of both worlds as we offer screen printing with both plastisol and water based inks.  We also are capable of water based discharge printing too, so don’t forget to ask us about that!  If you are interested in placing an order, or if you would like to find out more about water based printing, you can contact us by email or by calling us at (908) 806-8337.

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Silk Screen T Shirt Printing

Silk Screen T Shirt Printing

Have you heard of silk screen T shirt printing before, but never known what that meant?  All over the world, every day, countless T shirts are getting silk screened for an endless amount of reasons.  All different walks of life can benefit in some way from silk screen T shirt printing.  Printed T shirts make amazing personalized gifts for friends and family.  For custom garment designers, printed T shirts often make up the bread and butter of their clothing line.  They are found in use with athletic teams for spirit wear or for members in clubs or groups.  Musical bands use them for concert tees and others use them to commemorate special events.  There’s essentially no wrong way to make printed T shirts work for you!

The process behind silk screen T shirt printing is simple to grasp but takes expertise to master.  It all starts out from the design.  The design is separated into layers based on the colors in the design; one layer per color.  The layers are then etched, one by one, into an emulsion on silk mesh screens.  The emulsion blocks the holes in the mesh so that only the areas that you want to print will be uncovered.  The screen is then lined up and laid down on the surface of the garment.  A squeegee pulls colored ink across the mesh and the ink passes through the holes leaving behind the print.  After each screen has applied its part of the design, the image will be complete and ready to be dried.

At AMBRO Manufacturing, we take pride in our top quality screen printing.  Our printing is done in-house so we are able to oversee the entire production process.  We also offer sublimation, embroidery, vinyl, applique, and more.  You can contact us to place an order, or to find out more about our services, by email or by calling us at (908) 806-8337.

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