Selecting the right screen printer can be more complicated than it sounds—a good price is important, but so are first-rate results. Ultimately, your decision could mean the difference between possessing a large amount of high-quality clothing and being stuck with numerous products that have been printed incorrectly. When looking for a screen printing company, consider the following tips:
Avoid companies that can’t print more than six colors per design. If a screen printer can only do four to six colors, it either only has manual presses (which usually produce more printing inconsistencies due to differences in pressure) or a very small automatic press.
Look for companies with in-house art departments. Companies that invest in art departments generally have more of an overall familiarity with the production process, and if they can afford outside artists to begin with, it’s likely they have a strong commitment to producing quality results. Also, if they make a mistake on one of the films or a screen needs to be re-shot, they can fix it immediately instead of waiting for an outside partner.
Make sure the company provides proofs prior to printing. Even if you send high-quality art to a screen printer, pre-press changes are often made to the image before it’s ready to go, which can result in mistakes. Receiving a proof (in a JPEG or PDF file) beforehand allows you to double check sizing, colors and other important features.
Watch for hidden charges. It’s not unusual to see separate charges for films, screens or Pantone color matching, but it’s a good idea to ask if these costs are included in the per shirt price or charged separately. If you’re comparing prices of two screen printers, make sure you take these charges into account.
Find a company that’s committed to quality control. Even in the best-run shop, there are many variables that can disrupt the printing process. Shirts are generally hand-loaded onto the press, and sometimes prints can turn out slightly off-center or incorrectly aligned. Blowouts (where ink comes through the screen when it shouldn’t) are also fairly common, and they can happen in the middle of an otherwise perfect run. Regardless of whether the issue is minor (the outside of the design being blown out) or major (white dots show up on the red part of a print), a good shop should take care of it before you ever see the finished product.
