SCREEN PRINTING FAQ

How does screen printing work?
Screen printing is accomplished by pushing ink through a fine screen stencil onto your garment (t-shirt) or whatever substrate you are printing on. The ink is then put through a conveyor belt oven and heated up (in most cases) to a set temperature until it is cured (wash-fast.) Before the printing can start, the screen (stencil) with your image has to be created. This is why screen printers charge setup/screen fees and why there are usually minimum quantities required for a screen printing job. Each color in the design is printed separately and requires it’s own screen to be made.

I need shirts fast. What is your turnaround time?
Typically, we ask for 8-10 business days. However, that all depends on the current schedule/season/state of the world.

I need them faster. Help!
No stress. We can get the job done faster, but a rush fee will be incurred. Please, don't hesitate to ask!

What is the preferred art file format?
We need your art to be vectorized in order for it to be printed. Preferred file types are: Adobe Photoshop files, Illustrator files, EPS, PDF, TIFF, or high resolution JPEG files. For those of you who are design savvy, please set your artwork to the final print size (300 DPI) and outline/rasterize all fonts and shapes.

Low resolution images will not be printable (although you may send low resolution images to give us a general idea of the design for quoting). Microsoft Word and PowerPoint files do not transfer well and are not recommended!

If you're still a bit confused, please ask or show us what we're looking for. If needed, we'll do our best to recreate your idea and make sure you're well aware of any additional design fees beforehand. 

Do you have an order minimum?

Click here to view our latest Minimum Order Requirements

Why does a design with multiple colors cost more to do than a design with only 1 color?
In screen printing, each separate color requires its own individual screen. Therefore, more colors means more setup time and materials, and that means more cost.

What can I do to reduce the cost?
One of the biggest things you can do to cut costs is to reduce the number of colors in the design. Another important factor is the quantity of shirts you order. The more you order, the bigger the discounts.

Additional questions? Feel free to email us at printing@smplfd.com. Thanks!