VIDEO: Jakprints Apparel Screen Printing: The Basics

Confused by how to order the garment that you need? Unsure what print locations are standard versus custom? Wish somebody would just spell it out in plain English? No problem.

In what will be the first in a series of many, this introductory video was produced by Jakprints to equip you with the need-to-know facts of apparel screen printing. Watch as industry expert, and Jakprints Account Manager, Angie Franklin walks you step-by-step through the basics of garments, inks, print location and finishing.

We get a lot of the same questions about the process so we decided to create a video FAQ as a jumping off point. We have many more videos just like this on the way, and we’d love to hear your input. Let us know what you think in the comments!

For Your Reference:

Hi! Thank you for considering us for your next apparel order. I’m Angie and in this video we’re going to be discussing apparel basics to get you comfortable preparing your next order.

When ordering apparel there are 4 main points that you have to consider:

• Garments
• Printing Location
• Types Of Ink
• Finishing Options

Garments
Which Type Works For You?

If you’re unsure of what you need, if the variety seems a little overwhelming, we are more than happy to help you narrow down your choices. First, what will your apparel be used for? Are you a construction company? Are you a trendy, fashionable clothing line? Are you environmentally friendly, or a non-profit?  Knowing this will start us in the right direction.

We divide our apparel into three broad categories:

• Economic – The most affordable, catch-all category. Just your basic garment.
• Fashion-Forward – Trendy styles, trim fits, specialty fabrics.
• Eco-Friendly – Organic Cottons, Bamboos and more of our eco-friendly options.

Can I Bring In My Own Shirts? 

Unfortunately, you can not supply your own apparel. To ensure that you get the best looking apparel possible, we need to remove as many variables as we can. Not knowing the age, quality, storage conditions, or blend of the apparel can compromise our ability to provide you the high-quality prints you have come expect from Jakprints.

We’ve made customer apparel ordering stress free. Our vast network of suppliers including, American Apparel, Alternative,  Dickies and more, makes it easy to get any style, fabric, cut, color or wash available. Tell your sales rep what you’re looking for and if it exists, we’ll get it for you.

What Is The Minimum Amount I Can Have Printed?

Our minimum quantity for screen printing is 24 pieces per style. A style is defined by the type of garment you are selecting, such as: t-shirt, jacket, hoodie, shorts or long-sleeve shirt. You can split this quantity and style by color and gender in increments of a dozen.  For example, you can do 12 Mens and 12 Womens.

Printing Locations
What You Need To Know

When we say “Print Location” we’re referring to where you w0uld like your artwork printed on to the garment. We offer the following standard print locations:

• Center Chest
• Full Chest
• Upper Back
• Lower Back
• Left Breast
• Right Breast
• Side Prints

We also offer specialty print locations, so-called because they require special printing pallets and can take additional time to setup on press. To name a few specialty print locations:

• Oversized Prints
• Sleeve Prints
• Top Run-Off
• Bottom Run-Off
• Inside Print

All the garments in your order are printed with the same screens.This means that your final garment sizes will affect your final image size. For example, a Full-Chest image on a Mens XL garment would be too large for a Women’s small garment. Your Sales Rep will work with you to determine your minimum and maximum sizes based on your order.

Types Of Ink
Choosing The Ink

Just like choosing your garment type, choosing which kind of ink to use can seem equally overwhelming at first. But all are variations on the same theme — you have three choices:

• Plastisol Ink – Plastisol is your basic t-shirt ink. What normally comes to mind when you think of a t-shirt print. 
shot of plastisol print.
• Soft-Hand Ink – Soft-hand inks allow you to have vibrant colors, without the heavy weight and feel that Plastisol Inks have.
• Eco-Friendly Inks – Our water-based inks are more eco-friendly than their plastic-based counterparts. Because these inks are transparent and not as thick, they come with some design and apparel constraints. If you’re considering Eco-Friendly inks, be sure to ask your Sales Rep for details or samples.

I Have An Image From The Web, Will That Work?

The short answer is maybe. For optimal results, we require a 300dpi file, built and cropped to the actual print size in order to provide you with a desirable product. Review our file prep guide for further details and templates. Compare this hi-res art to this image taken directly from the web. Lo-res art can look blurry and unprofessional. Your Sales Rep can help you check your art if you’re unsure of what you have or what to look for.

Finishing Options
Retail Ready

So you have all your shirts, now make it easy with our Retail Ready services and go direct from Print Shop to Store Front. Ask about our options to put the finishing on your order. Additional turn time is required but think of all the time you saved by having us do it for you!

• Relabeling
• Folding
• Poly-Bagging
• Hang-Tagging

Turnaround Time
A Quick Explanation

What Is The Estimated Turnaround Time, And Why Does It Take So Long?

As we covered in this video, you can see the variables that go into the production of just one apparel order. All of these options play a factor into your turn around time.

We do not warehouse our apparel, and some apparel will need to be shipped in from the West Coast, or the East Coast. This will affect your turnaround time and how quickly we can produce your order.

If you’re selecting custom inks or processes, they normally take a bit longer to complete as there are additional steps involved in the production process. The more locations you have the more time that we spend on press. Each location is printed separately, so if you have (3) different print locations, your order will be setup and printed on press (3) different times for each location.The more locations you have the more time that we spend on press, which increases our production time and your turnaround.
Well, that’s it for me. That wasn’t so bad was it? We hope that we’ve shed some light on the apparel process for you and now you can make a more educated decision about YOUR apparel. We know this can be tricky so we urge you to talk to your dedicated Sales Rep and if you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. It’s what we’re here for.