• T-shirts and clothing
• Posters and artwork
• Signs and banners
• Packaging
• Electronics (such as circuit boards)

How it works

1. A design is created and transferred onto a mesh screen.
2. Parts of the screen are blocked to form a stencil.
3. The screen is placed over the material to be printed.
4. Ink is poured onto the screen.
5. A rubber tool called a squeegee pushes the ink through the open areas of the mesh.
6. The printed item is dried or cured.

Advantages

• Produces vibrant, durable colors
• Works on many materials (fabric, paper, plastic, metal, glass, wood)
• Cost-effective for large quantities
• Excellent for bold, simple designs

Disadvantages

• Setup can be time-consuming
• Less economical for small print runs
• Each color usually requires a separate screen

Example

If you want a T-shirt with a three-color logo, a screen printer typically prepares three separate screens—one for each color—and prints them one layer at a time to create the final image.

Screen printing is one of the most popular methods for custom apparel because it produces long-lasting prints that resist fading and cracking.