Screen Printing Tips

Do's and Don'ts for Apparel Printing



At Kahne Screen Print, we want your screen print order to look as awesome as it can! Some of the common things that we suggest you consider when placing your T-shirt order, as well as things to avoid, are explained below. If you have any other questions about apparel printing, call or text us.

Reasons Why to Not Print Over Seams, Pockets, or Zippers

To get the best quality print when screen printing, we need as flat of a surface as possible between the pallet (that the garment lays on) and the screen (that contains your design). The fronts and backs of t-shirts are consistently smooth and the same thickness, which allows us to get a perfect print every time. However, when you print over a seam, pocket, or zipper, it creates an inconsistency in height in accordance with the screen because these are thicker portions of the garment.

When you print over these sections of the garment, it can create a gap in the print where the ink from the screen does not touch the shirt due to the ridge caused by the seam. And it usually doesn’t look too hot. Here are a few examples of other issues that can occur:

• Sleeve Misprint
• We do our absolute best to give you the highest quality print possible, but when a print goes over the seams, we cannot accept responsibility for any negative effects caused by this issue.

• Why Not To Print On Ribbed Garments
• When it comes to printing on garments, it’s typically not recommended to print on thick-ribbed garments as a similar issue to printing on seams can occur.

• Ribbed Shirt Warning
• Ribbed shirts and other garments should be handled with care for optimal comfort and longer-lasting material.

If you're interested in more tips and tricks about printing on specific garments, feel free to give us a call.

Garments That Don't De-Tag Well

Some manufacturing companies make shirts that do not de-tag well. Sometimes, the seam is sewn through the tag, or the tag simply doesn't tear out cleanly. Here are a few examples of garments to watch out for:

• Alternative Apparel Garments
• These tags are sewn at both ends on top of the seam, not underneath the seam. The way they’re sewn in, you cannot remove them without making holes in the shirt.

• American Apparel 2408 Tanks
• These tags are sewn into the seam, not under the seam, so they must be cut out of the shirts, leaving a little bit of the tag in the seam.

• American Apparel 2456 V-Necks
• These tags are sewn into the seam, not under the seam, so they must be cut out of the shirts, leaving a little bit of the tag in the seam.

• Anvil 779 Tees
• The material inside of these shirts is rough, so it isn’t easy to print on.

• Fleece Garments
• These tags are sewn into the seam, not under the seam, so they must be cut out of the shirts, leaving a little bit of the tag in the seam.

• Tultex 0213
• These tags are sewn into the seam, not under the seam, so they must be cut out of the shirts, leaving a little bit of the tag in the seam.

For more information about de-tagging shirts, please get in touch with us.

Garments That Don't Show Detail Well

We can print high-quality details on almost all of our orders due to innovations in screen printing technology and the inclusion of high mesh screens in our shop. However, due to the way some garments are constructed, they will not work well with detail. The following is a list of those garments:

• Ribbed garments
• Canvas material (aprons, bags, etc.)
• Burnout tees
• Pique polos

These items do not work well with screen printing detail because they are not smooth like standard t-shirts. For more information about these issues, please call us today.

Issues That Arise When Printing On Hoodies

Hoodies are one of the more difficult garments to print on, but they are also one of the best-selling items during the winter. The following are a few issues to be aware of when printing hoodies:

• Double-lined hoodies can only print one color of ink and no under base. They move around on the press, so we cannot accurately register multiple colors.
• Pockets on hoods have to be glued down to print over them. Because of this, when you receive your garments, they may still have some of the glue spray in the pockets. This should wash out after one wash.
• Prints on the hood itself vary based on what brand of sweatshirt you are printing on. We may have to heat press the design onto the hood if it is double-lined. Only single-lined sweatshirts work with hood prints.
• When you print over the seams, it can throw the registration off. You may see white poking out from under the design. Hoodies are made with thick fabric and soak up a lot of ink. The color of the sweatshirt often influences the ink colors.

If you'd like more assistance with screen printing for hoodies, feel free to get in touch with our friendly team today.