Screen Printing With Puff Ink

If you’ve been paying attention you’ve seen that more and more streetwear brands are bringing back the Puff Ink prints. This type of ink is a plastisol based ink that has been modified with the addition of a heat reactive foaming agent that makes the ink expand tp give you that ‘Puffy’ look.

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How Does It Work?

Puff ink adds a 3 dimensional aspect to screen printing on garments. With this type of ink, you will follow the same screen printing steps as printing with standard water-based inks.

You can use puff ink across the entire artwork, or you can choose specific elements or colors of the design to give it the desired effect to bring more attention or 'pop' to a particular part of the artwork.

One of the downsides to printing with puff ink is that it’s hard to match the exact Pantone ink colors as opposed to using regular water-based ink. This is because the puff ink additive changes different colors in different ways. However, usually, lighter Pantone colors are easier to match than darker colors.

Keep It Simple

There are no fundamental limitations when using puff ink for t shirt printing, apart from when your design has small details that are less than 1 - 2mm wide. For the best puff print, you will want your design to have thick lines and minimal small details. When creating a design featuring text, choosing the right font is key. The thicker the lines the more your design will stand out.

Check out How To Add Puff Additive To Plastisol Ink

How It’s Made

You should use plastisol inks of any color and add a puff additive such as “Rutland NPT puff’ which recommends a 5% to 15% ratio for an optimum puff. The amount of additive dictates how much the ink will rise. With puff ink, it’s important to measure how much additive and paint to mix by weight.

When it comes to your screen, the lower the mesh count, the more open the holes are, which translates to more ink deposit and results in a more “puffy” print.

Once you’ve added the ink to your garment in the chosen design, as the ink goes through the dryer and the heat rises, so does your ink. Like a loaf of bread!

Aftercare

To preserve a puff print or any other specialty prints, it is recommended that you wash it inside out with cold water. Do not use a tumble-dryer, hang dry if possible and do not iron over the print.

Check out Puff Ink – The definitive designers guide for apparel creation

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Pro’s and Con’s List

Pros of Puff Screen Printing

• Fast printing technique for printing in large volumes

• Can be printed in conjunction with a wide selection of other inks and effects

• Can produce designs with multiple colors

• High-durability, will not crumble and flake off

• Professional finish and usually less expensive (consult with your printer)

• Can print on most types of fabrics

Cons of Puff Screen Printing

• Initial setup fee makes it unsuitable for small quantity orders

• Not good for use in fine detailed artwork

• Can not be used for image (raster based) prints

• Can not be printed alongside, foil, flock or high density print effects

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Are you looking to printing

your design with Puff Ink?

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Get the inside scoop from Lee Stuart printing with Puff Ink for the first time!

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Brand Spotlight

Japangeles is a Los Angeles based streetwear brand located in the heart of Little Tokyo. Japangeles has done collaborations with other major brands such as Kirin, Hello Kitty, Champion, and Lexus. Their simplistic yet eye-catching approach to design and word play has caught the attention of many people looking for high-quality garments and minimalistic aesthetics in Los Angeles. Their newest design features a puff ink print, demonstrating the current popularity of this type of specialty print method.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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How To Design a Statement T-Shirt

As individuals we all have a lot to say and we’re constantly looking for ways to share our opinions and thoughts about social issues, politics, and our own identities. A statement tee is a great way to share your thoughts without having to say a single word. A statement tee also helps you identify people that are likeminded and can become a way to meet new people and share common ideals. In this article we’ll show you how design the perfect statement tee.

The Statement

Statement shirts are the perfect choice to highlight any outfit or occasion. Whether you are just trying to spruce up a casual look or you want to down play your evening look, a statement shirt almost always fits. A statement t-shirt doesn’t always have to be something serious, it can be printed with funny quotes, inspirational quotes of your favorite celebrity or a funny drawing, the choice is up to you and you’re imagination and opportunities have no limits.

The Design

Don’t overthink it - the more simple your concept is, the more relatable it will be. To come up with the best statement think of all the things or ideals that you strongly believe in and put those believes into 2 or 3 words. You can also convey your message by creating a single graphic.

If you own an apparel business and are looking to create a buzz around your idea, creating a graphic tees with a message can also be effective and look more appealing. A statement tee can also include pop culture references, which tend to be more widely recognized.

Pro Tip: If your design includes a font or typeface, making sure it’s easily legible.

The Print Process

Once you have a design locked in, it’s time to decide what type of printing and what type of ink you will use for your design. Here is a guide to help you with your options.

Print Options

• Screen Print - This is the gold standard of t-shirt printing. The screen printing method is the most widely used because of its’ effectiveness and durability. It is also affordable when printing in bulk as it most often a minimum is required.

• Direct To Garment - Also known as DTG printing, this method uses the freedoms of inkjet printing, but prints directly on fabric. Generally, this option is more affordable than screen printing as it requires less setup, specifically if the print has more than 2 or 3 colors. This method is also best when printing a small amount of t-shirts and if the design is highly detailed or is a photo image.

Check out Screen Printing vs. Digital Printing

Inks & Effects

• Plastisol - This is the standard ink used in screen-printing. It is the most long-lasting type of ink.

• Foil - This ink is shiny and reflective, mostly used in specialty prints where you have a metallic or a gold color.

• Water-based - This type of ink is engrained into the fabric, unlike plastisol that sits on top of the fabric. This ink is also better for the environment.

• Puff - This type of print requires an additive that is applied to ink. This additive rises when it is exposed to heat, making the print “puff up” on the garment.

Learn more about What is The Best Ink for Screen Printing

Color

Considering the colors before the design process is complete may help you budget for your production. The more colors your print has, chances are, the more it will cost you to print. Figuring out what type of print you will use is the first step, if your prefer method is screen printing, then we recommend you take into consideration that if your design contains a lot of colors, this will require a bigger set-up cost for each screen.

By choosing the direct to garment print option your cost will most likely not go up if you have a lot of colors, however, you will sacrifice durability.

In addition to dictating the cost of printing, color can also dictate the color of the t-shirt.

T-shirt designs have two sets of colors to keep in mind: the fabric color(s) and the print color(s). To make sure that these two complement each other, always use your fabric color as the background of your design ideas.

Learn more about the Pros and Cons of Screen Printing vs. Digital Printing

T-Shirt Type

Work with your printer to find the right fabric and t-shirt style for your design. You should also consider your customers such as what type of t-shirt style is most popular among your demographics? and what price point is most attractive for your customers? that questions specifically will help determine the t-shirt quality you will need to purchase.

Find a Printer

Finding a print shop can be an easy google search, but finding a GOOD printer can be a little more diffucult.

So how do you know if a print shop is good? Don’t just look for the best deals, you should also consider the printer’s reputation. Check for customer reviews, check their social media such as Instagram for examples of their work. Remember, the print shop does not always have to be local, if you find a printer outside of your city or even state, ask them about their shipping rates prior to placing your order.

You can also tell if a print shop is good based on their customer service and how much help they provide for setting up your files. File setup can be a little complicated, so a print shop that offers to help with this task is a plus!

Check out How To Prepare a Design File For Screen Printing

Besides the technical file setup, find a print shop that has an in-house art department. This will demonstrate that they are capable of assisting you on your design to achieve the best print possible.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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Screen Printing Trends of 2022

As the end of 2021 approaches, we are all looking ahead at what is next and what will be the trends driving the apparel industry. Many things have changed or come back in style and in the age of TikTok trends come and go faster than we can keep up with. Here is a summary of what is to come and what is here to stay in apparel printing.

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T-Shirt Styles

We’ve seen a change in the styles and fit of t-shirts. The styles that are most popular right now include t-shirt that are thicker cotton and a more relaxed fit. These are the brands that are hot right now:

1. Comfort Colors 1717 Heavyweight T-Shirt

Comfort Colors 1717 is 100% ring-spun cotton, making this fabric very durable and heavy. This material is comfortable and the style is a relaxed fit and a bit oversize. This style has been very popular in recent years for it’s fit.

2. Bella+Canvas 3001 Classic Unisex T-Shirt

This Bella+Canvas 3001 custom print t-shirt is a modern tee with a crew neck and side-seam construction for durability. Designed with superior airlume-combed and ring-spun cotton, it has a very soft feel and smooth surface which makes it great for direct to garment printing.

3. AS Colour 5001 Staple Tee

The AS Colour 5001 staple t-shirt has a soft and relaxed fit, made from a blend of cottons with a fit that can be worn for any occasion. You can dress it down or dress it up. A true staple for every closet.

GRAPHIC Tees

Vibrant and out-of-the-box graphics are all the rage right now. Streetwear has been front and center in fashion trends and will continue to be in 2022. Bold graphics will help you brand stand out and bring an element of art and design that bigger brands may be missing out on. Incorporating a abstract design to your logo to compliment your brand is a great way to push your brand in the new year.

BRAND Merch

Team shirts or branded company shirts are often used as brand merch or swag for employees. While this is a great way to encourage workplace community, the bar is being raised for 2022.

Swag kits or promo merch boxes are a step above the t-shirt or stationary items. These merch box kits can include a variety of items and the box itself can be branded with your logo and brand colors which makes a great promotional gift for potential clients.

Swag kits are perfect for brands that offer a service, these promo products can improve brand recognition and for your current client it can cement brand loyalty.

Learn more about how branding such as swag boxes can benefit your business.

Screen Printed Pants / Shorts

Where it’s a pattern or a logo, screen printing on pants and shorts are very popular in 2021 and 2022. We see brand such as Stella McCartney with these Beetles inspired printed trousers. We also see smaller streetwear brands playing with this concept in a more fluid way with abstract designs and with logo designs. All-over prints on pants have been quietly emerging from the sub-culture fashion trends in New York City as depicted in this article by Vogue.

Specialty Prints

Specialty prints such as puff prints have had an impact on the new generation. Puff print making a comeback in 2021 has pushed this trend to become a big component of streetwear in 2022. The popularity that this type of printing has reached is exciting for specialty screen printers everywhere.

We partnered with the iconic Amoeba Music in Los Angeles and printed sweatshirts with a vibrant puff ink.

Learn about What Is Puff Ink?

Fulfillment Services

With the rise of online shopping, there is a bigger demand in shorter shipping times. When running a small brand this can feel overwhelming and time consuming when the focus should be on the design for the next drop. This is where auto fulfillment services come into play, premium print shops such as Family Industries offer a fulfillment component to their printing services. Not only do we print and ship, but also offer finishing services which include your own branded tags, branded mailers, and any inserts you would like to include with your apparel.

Fulfillment services have become a necessity for a lot of smaller businesses looking to expand.

Learn more about The Benefits of Fulfillment Services

Have more questions? Check out our video explaining the process of fulfillment.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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How To Design Artwork For Screen Printing With Puff Ink

Puff Prints are here to stay, and there’s certain design rules to follow to ensure your puff print looks perfect. In this article, we’ll take you through some of the design choices that can make your print stand out and some techniques we feel are essential when designing artwork to be screen printed with puff inks.

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What Are Specialty Inks?

Specialty inks refer to specific print finishes. For example, reflective inks, glow in the dark inks and our favorite, Puff Inks. These inks help with making your screen printed designs stand out from the norm. Now, these inks generally require an additive, for inks to create that “puffy” look you will want to select your regular plastisol ink in the color you would like to print and then add a Puff Ink additive which is then mixed with the pigment.

Learn more about Foils and Metallic Prints

So, Does printing with puff ink require A special set up?

Besides mixing the puff additive with your ink and some technical file setup, the process is somewhat similar to other forms of screen printing.

One of the main setup rules are ensuring that there is enough puff ink laid down on a garment in order for it to expand enough to notice, a general rule of thumb is to not have any lines or small details in your artwork that are less than 1pt.

Before puff ink is exposed to heat, it sits flat on the garment like any regular plastisol ink. Heating the finished design (usually by sending the garment down a curing oven) will activate the puff additive and enable the ink to rise and expand about one to two millimeters on all sides.

One important tip we can give you is to prepare for color loss. Because puff ink is an ink additive, it will dilute your plastisol ink color. You can offset this either by starting with a bolder ink color than you planned to use, or if you’re color matching or trying to achieve a brighter color, lay down your puff additive/ink mix, flash the ink lightly without activating the puff additive, and print another layer of undiluted plastisol ink.

Testing Puff Ink Additive

PUFF REQUIREMENTS:

• Halftone: 20 lpi

• Line Weight: 1pt minimum

• Max Art Size: Check with print shop what the maximum art size is as this changes from factory to factory. As a rough guide, an A3 page size would equate to a large chest print for a men’s garment.

• Image File Types: Most print shops will accept .psd, .tif, .jpg, .gif and .png.

• Vector Art File Types: Vector PDF, EPS, AI or CDR Files.

Learn more about How To Prepare A File For Screen Printing

Creative Uses of Puff Ink

Because puff ink does not activate until heat is applied, it allows for you to experiment with different design ideas. However, if you’ve never done it, make sure to consult with your premium screen printing shop.

Multi-Color Prints

When you have a print with several colors, you can add a puff effect to one of them, creating a more dynamic print.

Gradients

a 3 color halftone gradient printed in puff ink is totally possible! By thinking outside the box. Take a simple typographic logo and inject visual interest, tactile feel and a higher perceived value for your garment in one ingenious print.

Placement

You can play around with placement in any way you would like, this gives you the ability to print puff on sleeves, back or front of the garment. Puff can also be applied to accessories like hats.

Learn more about Different Screen Printing Techniques

What Not To Do with Puff Ink

• Don’t use puff additive when screen printing fine detail. Some of the detail of your print will be lost when your ink puffs up in the dryer. While some level of image detail is possible to achieve with puff inks, images with extremely fine detail will be lost.

• Don’t print abutting colors. Similarly, puff ink doesn’t work when printing two colors that register right up against each other. The fine edge will be lost to the puff effect.

• Don’t over cure your puff ink. Be careful to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on curing your puff ink.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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