How to Screen Print T-Shirts at Home

Do you need to invest in software? If you want to create quality art to print onto your films, you will. There are a couple different capabilities that you’ll need. First, you’ll need a graphics design tool to create quality screen prints, either from scratch or using templates. Professional screen printers often recommend using vector-based Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, or CorelDraw. For these types of programs, you’ll most likely need an online tutorial or course to counteract the learning curve. Some more affordable options for beginners include Affinity designer, GIMP or Inkscape.

You’ll also need a color separation tool to take the image you created in a graphics program like Illustrator and “separate” it into individual colors so you can print one color at a time onto films. That’s because when you screen print, you lay down one color ink at a time to create an image. While some small printers who print two-color designs sometimes rely on a Cricut or stencil, a color-separating tool will make your job much easier. Most likely, you’ll choose a CMYK tool, which breaks your image down into four basic colors: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (which you’ll often see mirrored in your color printer cartridges). Check out EZ Screen, Separo or Simpleseps. You can also outsource your color separation to an online service like Seps.io.

Of course, screens are one of the most essential supplies in screen printing. They have different mesh counts, which you use for different applications. If you watch YouTube videos or have a screen-printing mentor, you might have a good idea what screens to use on your different weight t-shirts. However, screen-printing supplies vendors are also good sources of information, if you’re just starting out. You can call their customer service line or review video tutorials on their websites or YouTube.

Again, if you’re familiar with the basic screen-printing process, you know that the two main ink categories are: plastisol and water-based inks. Plastisol inks have been around a long time, and work well for new printers. That’s because these inks print easier, don’t dry on the screen, cure easily and result in bright prints.

Screen printers who prefer water-based inks for their softer hand do say that it takes time and experience to master them, since the ink can dry in the screen and it’s harder to cure correctly. (If you want to know more about working with water-based inks, read our blog, Unstitched By CSO.

You’ll also need screen-printing emulsion, which is a liquid substance that’s light-sensitive and creates an ink-resistant border around your image. When you apply emulsion liquid or sheets to your screens, you need to do it in a dark room or under ultraviolet-safe lights. The two most common types of emulsions are diazo and presensitized.

You’ll need other supplies, like screen tape, a platen adhesive, squeegees, platen tape, scrub brushes and more. Plus, don’t forget your cleaning supplies. Many screen printers opt for eco-friendly versions, like the popular Sgreen line, which is also biodegradable and non-hazardous. 

Depending on whether you use plastisol or water-based inks, you’ll need specific cleaners. Plus, if you’re reclaiming screens (of course you are), you’ll need an emulsion stripper and another cleaner to degrease and dehaze the screens. This is where finding a screen-printing supplies vendor that makes it easy to order online or offers bulk discounts or free shipping at a certain purchase amount is worth the legwork.

With thousands of choices out there, it can be overwhelming knowing which t-shirts are the best for screen printing. When choosing a shirt (or other garment) for your next project, an easy rule of thumb to follow is to select natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, or  wool. Cotton and cotton blends are good for bulk t-shirt projects because they are much cheaper than other natural fabrics. They also absorb ink more easily than synthetic fabrics while offering softness, durability, and a smooth texture for even printing. 

Man-made fabrics like acrylic and polyester are less permeable than cotton, which can result in poor dye transfer or dull colors in the finished project. If you’re set on using poly or high-poly blends for screen printing, consider investing in a polyester-specific dye for your project for the best results.

Yes, we know this is a packed checklist! That’s why we recommend reaching out to different equipment and supplies manufacturers to learn more about what they offer. They’ll often offer financing options or training on their equipment, or bulk discounts on supplies. These vendors want you to succeed, so they’ll spend the time to educate you on their equipment and supplies to make sure you get the right match for your budget and needs.