The Pros and Cons of Silkscreen Printing

For many centuries Silkscreen Printing has been a staple in the apparel printing world, and is arguably the most popular method of T-shirt printing around today.

However, as with anything, it does have its pros and cons. In this article we dive into some of the advantages and disadvantages Silkscreen printing has and make some comparisons to other printing methods.

Advantages of Silkscreen Printing

• Cheap for large quantity printing.

• Cost effective when fewer ink colors are needed (i.e. 1 or 2 colours).

• Designs can be very detailed (e.g. small text, fine lines).

• Silkscreen printing is highly versatile, suitable for use on many different materials (cotton, dri-fit polyester, metal, wood, plastic, glass).

• Silkscreen Prints are highly durable.

• Silkscreen screens can be kept and reused, reducing lead times for repeat orders.

• Silkscreen prints are light and thin, resulting in garments having a soft-hand feel.

Disadvantages of Silkscreen Printing

• Not cost effective for smaller quantities.

• Not cost effective when design has many colors (i.e. 3 colours or more).

• Only cost effective if design graphics are identical across each piece.

• Silkscreen can be troublesome to execute as it requires specialized knowledge and materials.

• If not maintained properly, lint may start adhering to the ink over time.

• For first time orders lead time can be relatively long as specific screens must be made for each ink color.

• If silkscreen print quality is low, bad issues may arise (e.g. fabric color discoloring the print)