Screen Printing

Screen printing (also called silk screening or serigraphy) is a process where a stencil is created on a fine mesh screen, then ink is pushed through the open areas onto the garment. Each color in the design needs its own screen, which is why screen printing has a setup fee per color but becomes very cheap per piece in bulk.

The technique dates back over 2,000 years but became the dominant t-shirt printing method in the 1960s. Modern shops use automatic presses that can run 12+ colors and print hundreds of pieces an hour. The ink sits on top of the fabric — usually plastisol — giving the bold, vibrant look you see on most band shirts and sports jerseys.

Screen printing shines for orders of 24+ pieces with simple, bold designs. It is the cheapest method per piece at scale and produces the most durable prints (often 50+ washes without fading). Downsides: setup fees make small runs expensive, and complex photographic designs require costly halftones or simulated process work.