The Differences Between Screen Printing And Digital Printing

takeout
2 min readSep 13, 2021

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If you want to create your own clothing line or just print some custom t-shirts , one of the things to decide first is the printing method. Today there are many options, all with their own characteristics, but digital printing and screen printing are the most popular. So let’s see how each of these processes works:

Serigraphy

Screen printing involves inserting ink into fabric through a woven mesh stencil. The openings of this allow the creation of the space in which the ink will form the design. The latter is then pushed through the mesh and spread evenly with a knife; Thus, the ink is imprinted on the garment.

With screen printing, the colors must be applied one by one; therefore, the quantity may be limited, since each one takes time, another template and more money. Therefore, the method is convenient when only one color will be used or when a certain number of shirts with the same design are needed, such as with uniforms or event shirts.

Digital Printing

With digital printing, a printer injects the ink directly onto the garment. thanks to its technology. It is as if it were printing on a sheet of paper. The printer, of course, is a special one for this type of process, since they use water inks, which are easily absorbed by the fibers.

The precision of a digital printer allows you to print in detail on a shirt, plus the color limit is not an issue. The customization options are also very extensive for this reason.

The great advantage of digital printing is that you do not need to make a large initial investment, since you can place individual orders.

What is the Best Method

Screen printing and digital printing offer quality prints. The first is a very old method, while the second is a very new one. Screen printing is about pushing the ink onto the fabric; on the other hand, digital printing injects the ink directly into the garment. The decision will have to be based entirely on the design.

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