0 Item(s)
Cozy, comfortable and lived-in looking screen prints are all
the rage now. Distressed prints look more relaxed and customers have gravitated
toward this style for years. Luckily for screen printers, it is easier to
achieve this look than you might think.
Ink
Water based and discharge inks are two popular printing
styles because they dye the fabric rather than sit on top like plastisol. Water
based inks are preferred for light garments and discharge inks are preferred
for dark garments. These inks may have a hand-feel at first, but after the
first wash you will notice that the prints almost feel non-existent.
A similar hand feel can be achieved with plastisol by mixing
the ink with an additive or a base. The colors will be more vibrant using
plastisol. If you want to achieve softer tones use a thin ink layer and light
pressure on the squeegee. For best results printing a vintage tee with
plastisol, you will want to distress your design before exposing. This can be
done in your design software of choice. We have seen people scan web-like
material, rocks, tree bark, cracked paint and old wood to create a texture for
their designs.
We recommend using a 230 mesh count screen with any of the
inks you choose to print with.
Shirt Material
Tri-blend or 50/50 garments are preferred for the soft
worn-in style, but printing a distressed look on cotton tees is possible. You
can use a textured design to add to the illusion, and use an additive to soften
the plastisol.
When printing on tri-blends you may run into some
difficulties. Tri-blend shirts are typically made of 3 materials – cotton,
polyester and rayon. This blended material is subject to dye migration which
occurs when the polyester is heated and the dye in the shirt turns to gas. The
shirts are stretchy in nature so you will want to be mindful how you load the
shirt. Another thing to keep in the back of your mind when running your shirts
through the dryer is that rayon burns at high temperatures.
50/50 garments (a blend of polyester and cotton) are the
most popular shirts we have seen people use. While the polyester fibers are
subject to dye migration at high temperatures, you will have an easier time
curing your shirts than worrying if your shirts are burning in the dryer.
Final Notes
1.
Avoid using an under base. An under base
requires curing with a flash which means your shirt will stay consistently hot
creating a higher risk for problems like dye migration.
2.
Print wet-on-wet.
3.
Use a think ink deposit and light squeegee
pressure on a 230 mesh count screen.
After a little consideration and prep work, you will be able
to create a lightweight vintage t-shirt that will have your customers coming
back for more.