First of all, screen printing is the correct word to describe what used to be known as "silk screening". Since silk is no longer used, we make our screens from a nylon mesh. There are many steps to screen printing (most of them quite messy), which can make it expensive for just a few shirts, but extremely cost effective for a larger quantity. Art must be broken down into separate colors, as each color is printed with a single color of ink in its respective screen. That's what "color separations" are.  Screen printing is best for items with smooth, flat surfaces such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, and certain jackets.

After the art is created, a screen is made for each color in the design. This involves coating the screen with a light sensitive emulsion, drying it, burning the image onto it with light, washing it out, and letting it dry. Next, we set the screens up on the press and register them so they line up to each other and are straight. We tape off the edges, add the (very messy) ink, and print. Printing is fast and kind of fun!  Cleaning the screens afterwards is not. If you look at the price chart, you'll see that the set up and clean up is reflected in the price. Smaller quantities are more expensive since it's the same amount of set up and clean up, with less actual printing. Multiple colors can be cost prohibitive in short runs.

Embroidery is very elegant, and is sewn right into the garment with thread. It might cost a little more to put an embroidered design on, but you can have lots of colors and can do very small quantities without affecting the price. You can also have embroidery on polar fleece, pique knits, and other not-so-flat items that wouldn't be screen-printable. An embroidery design must be programmed into the computer, which is called "digitizing". This is not the same as a digital format. Small custom designs start at $35, and we add time from there depending on the size and complexity. This is a one-time fee, and there is no set up charge after that. We also have stock designs available that can be used to create your own look.

Personalized gifts are possible with embroidery, since you can order just one thing if you like. Names start at $5. Small embroideries can be $7-$10, while larger ones such as on jacket backs might be in a $25-$40 range. Embroidery pricing is based on stitch count, sewing time, and any hooping "challenges".