“I’ve been having issues with the image washing out of my screen after exposure. What is causing this, and are there ways I can avoid this?”

Preparation is critical when adopting a new technology as unique as digital decoration. 

The direct-to-garment (DTG) printing process rapidly is growing as a preferred decoration method for many garment printers. The water-based CMYK+ white-ink system requires the right shirt for the best finished product. Gildan® has met this challenge with the Gildan® Softstyle® 64000 adult T-shirt. This garment is manufactured with a high-stitch-density fabric for a DTG-friendly, smooth printing surface.

The first thing I would check on the job is the screen tension. Screen tension has much to say about influencing the registration of images. Typically, low tension is an underestimated culprit of many things. However, the opposite can also apply. If one screen is high tension and the other ones are low, registration can also be out of sync.

Mesh preparation is the easiest, cheapest and quickest way to improve screen life. This useful How to Guide will show you the best way to maximise stencil adhesion to a mesh which will save you time and money by not having to remake screens that have broken down on the press.

There are many types and styles of manual printers in the market place, but they’re ultimately all designed to complete the same process. Some print better than others, but the job at hand is to enable a printer to print single or multiple-color designs onto garments quickly, efficiently, and in registration.