1. Preferred file format is Adobe Illustrator
• please save as CS3 or earlier.

2. All artwork should be vector artwork
• vector artwork is art that is built in a vector based program such as Adobe Illustrator. Each object in a vecotr file can be selected and individually manipulated independantly from the rest of the image. When providing such files it is important to convert fonts to curves and create outlines for all strokes used. For a vector art file with no placed images resolution is not a concern.

3. Provide a composite with colour placement.
• do not send seperations or artwork on multiple pages. Be sure your colours are consistant. For example if some areas are to be printed in yellow ink, make sure that all those areas are the same colour in your file. Spot pantone colours are a good way to ensure a colour match.

4. We can not accept pattern fills.

Preferred Format (.ai, .eps)
• sized to the correct print size.
• all text converted to outlines.
• saved as CS3 or earlier version
•no linked files (all art elements must be embedded within the one art file)

Additional Formats (These formats may not work in all cases and should be avoided if possible)
• .psd, .pdf, .jpeg, .gif, .tiff, .bmp
• additional art charges may apply. ($50/hr)

Water based screen printing applications

There are two major schools of screen printing ink; plastisol and water based. Plastisol is a PVC based ink and is what the majority of commercial printers use. Water based is, as the name suggests, a water based ink with pigments suspended within it.

Water based inks can be used to print stickers, towels, fabric yards, canvas and paper, as well as apparel such as shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, jeans, aprons, jackets, hats and practically any other item as long as it can be put on the press to be screened. Designs can be printed on cotton, polyester, or poly/cotton blends.

Water based screen printing results

Water based prints have many positive qualities. The industry term "hand" refers to how soft a print feels on the decorated item. Water based inks are well known for the minimal or soft hand that they provide. Prints made with water based can be ironed, while plastisol prints cannot be, as the iron's heat plate would melt the PVC in the ink.
The colors in a water based print are often more vibrant than those in a similar plastisol print. When properly cured, a shirt or other item with a water based print will survive countless trips through the washing machine, being very durable, and the ink would most likely outlast the fabric on which it is printed.

Because of the lesser hand of water based, a shirt with a very large and solid design printed on the front will feel light and thin, while sometimes large heavy plastisol printed designs are referred to as "bulletproof" because of the thickness of the layers of ink.

Water based ink sits into the fabric of the printed shirt, not on top of the fabric like plastisol printing. This allows skin under the design to breathe better, and can increase the amount of comfort felt while wearing the decorated item.

Plastisol inks are widely used in garment printing. They are easy to print, do not dry in the screen, can be very opaque on dark garments, and will adhere to most textiles. They are composed primarily of two ingredients, PVC resin (a white powder) and plasticizer (a thick, clear liquid). Plastisol inks have one outstanding characteristic, they must be heated to dry. They will not dry, or cure, at normal temperatures. For a complete cure, they must reach 290-330º F (143-166º C).

Plastisol inks can be printed on virtually any surface that can withstand the heat required to cure the ink and is porous enough to permit good ink penetration. Plastisol inks do not color the fibers like a dye. Instead the ink wraps around the fibers and makes a mechanical bond with the fabric. For this reason, they will not adhere to non-porous substrates such as plastic, metal, and glass. They also will not adhere well to woven, waterproofed nylon material without adding a bonding agent.

In color - discharge printing, a dye impervious to the bleaching agent is combined with it,  producing a colored design instead of white on the dyed ground.

Discharge printing has been around for decades. But only in the past 7-8 years screen printers in the industry have recognized it seriously.

Discharge printing has the ability to make bright, opaque colors on dark fabrics with a soft hand .  Years ago the idea of opaque colors on dark fabrics and soft hand couldn't  co-exist.

Successful light -on -dark printing with plastisol relies on increased pigment loads,  fillers and other additives to block out the color of the garment. Discharge inks modify the garment color by removing the garment color and replacing it with the new ink color. In simple terms, the discharge ink "bleaches" out  the dye in the garment , thus allowing the pigment in the ink to absorb into the shirt fibers.

The real magic of discharge printing can be witnessed when printing four - color process on black 100% cotton shirts . the print before curing appears very transparent. One can barely see the print until the garment exits the oven chamber, when the results can be quite remarkable: bright, vivid colors with a soft hand.

Discharge Screen printing is becoming very popular in todays market. Discharge offers a unique solution for garment decoration. This ink can be printed as direct discharge, dye discharge, or used as an under base for water based or plastisol inks. Discharge water based ink produces an extremely soft hand and gives the garment a unique vintage look customers love!

What you should know about discharge printing

- The garment has to be made of natural fibers (100% cotton)

- The dye used in the garment must be dischargeable. The best results are achieved with garments that are 100% cotton and dyed with a reactive dye.

- The garment should not have been over dyed (when fabric is re-dyed to another color). This often happens because of a shortage of a certain fabric color or, in many cased, because quality control rejected the fabric color. These rejected colors are then over dyed with a black dye, which will bring nightmares to life when trying to use discharge ink. The discharge ink might discharge ink might discharge black dye only to reveal a phantom color underneath.