# Screen printing help



## kiddkool (May 16, 2006)

Hello forum. I have been using a company that does a pretty good job screen printing my items, but they tend to fade or show the fuzzy cotton after a few washes. However, I have seen other screen printing that is more textured (thicker printing) and has lasted a lot longer. Does anyone have any suggestions on certain request I should make to acheive a better print job? Also, I am upgrading my t-shirt also, so this may help. Thanks in advance. 

Cortez


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Hi Cortez,



> I have been using a company that does a that does a pretty good job screen printing my items, but they tend to fade or show the fuzzy cotton after a few washes


I'm thinking that if the screen printed designs are fading or showing the garment through the design after washing, that they aren't doing a pretty good job 



> Does anyone have any suggestions on certain request I should make to acheive a better print job?


I think I would just tell them your concerns as you've stated them here and ask them how they can address those issues.

They may not be giving your prints enough ink coverage, or it could be something else.


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## identityburn (Feb 24, 2006)

It sounds to me like they aren't putting enough ink down. All you have to ask them is to spot dry the first print then hit it again with the ink a second time. This will put another layer of ink on top of the now dried one which will get rid of the "fuzzy" stuff you're talking about.

Sometimes (especially on darks) it's difficult to completely get rid of this because when the screen touches the shirt on a pass it's not completely smooth, the screen will stick to the shirt for a moment and pull up some of the fibers.

Also most people only hit the ink once on light shirts because the ink doesn't have to be as opaque. I've noticed on shirts I've purchased that the thread coming through the design is a little more apparent. But as I stated before, hitting the ink again after a spot dry should make it look better, BUT it will make the ink much thicker on the shirt which will in turn make it worse in hot temerperatures on the wearer.


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

> they tend to fade or show the fuzzy cotton after a few washes.


This is called fibrelation. A couple of reasons cause this.

Way too much pressure when printing. The ink needs to lay on the shirt, NOT in the shirt.

Mesh counts are too high.


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