Screen printing, also known as silk screen printing or serigraphy, is a cost effective alternative to digital and other analogue printing methods. Ink is applied through a mesh and onto a flat surface. A blocking stencil is used to prevent ink from getting through areas of the mesh, producing the design that you are looking for. It is fun, convenient, and has grown in popularity in recent years, but what is screen printing used for?

The Textile Industry

The single biggest use of screen printing is in the textile industry. Screen printing offers a relatively simple and cost effective means of printing images, logos, and other designs onto fabrics including cotton, polyester, and even silk. As well as customising t-shirts and shirts, screen printing can be used to personalise curtains, cushion covers, bed linen, and upholstery.

Souvenir Printing

Souvenirs are another example where silk screen printing is readily used. Everything from key chains to mouse pads can be customised using a silk screen. Although the process is typically used on flat surfaces, it is also possible to screen print on curved surfaces like mugs and cups. Groups like sports teams and membership groups can have their logo or team insignia printed on the products, either for sale or for branding efforts.

Business Branding

Marketing and branding companies also rely on screen printing. The process can be used to print on basically any flat surface, including paper, which means that the process can be used to create effective and attractive flyers, posters, and other advertising media. Advertising typically uses limited print runs, which makes screen printing an ideal alternative to digital printing.

The Healthcare Industry

Serigraphic printing is already commonly used in the healthcare industry. Blood sugar strips are printed using this technique and include biosensors that are used for home glucose level testing. The strips must be of a high quality.

They need to last and they need to be durable, because patients rely on them to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. The technique is also used to print measurement lines on the sides of syringes and beakers, because the results are long lasting and highly visible. It is also used in the manufacture of transdermal patches, which steadily release a drug into the patient’s system, over time.

Technology And Manufacturing

There are a lot of manufacturing techniques that use screen printing. Artists use the technique to show off their designs and pictures, with Andy Warhol being arguably the most famous and highly celebrated to use this technique. The dials on some watches and clock faces have been screen printed onto the surface. Screen printing is even used to set complex circuits and is frequently used in the printing of electronic circuits and processors.

Screen Printing Supplies From Screenstretch Ltd

There are many ways in which screen printing can be used. It is ideal for creating branded and promotional items. If you are planning an event, you can have t-shirts printed to incorporate your brand logo and even contact details. The thickness of the paint and the technique itself means that screen printing can be used to create unique and complex designs, too. Despite these benefits, the process is relatively simple, albeit manual, and this can give much better looking and longer lasting results than using other printing techniques.

At Screenstretch Ltd, we have all the supplies you need in order to start or progress your screen printing efforts. We can provide the materials required to make screens, have various gages of mesh, and we can supply the inks and emulsions that you use during the printing process. Browse our screen printing products, call us on 01942 888747, or email info@screenstretch.co.uk to ask about the screen printing process or enquire about any of the products that we sell.