Custom Screen Printing
Finished-work examples
Plan your screen-printing order
A+ Images offers in-house screen printing in Indianapolis with nationwide shipping for businesses, teams, events, and approved resellers. Repeated designs and defined ink colors can make screen printing a practical choice for coordinated shirt orders.
Send the exact garment style, colors, size breakdown, artwork, print locations, and needed-by date. There is no minimum garment quantity; screen-printing orders below 12 shirts have a setup fee. Compare screen printing, DTF, and DTG when deciding which method fits your design. Production and shipping time are separate; check service load levels and ask us to confirm your schedule.
Custom screen printing is a very common and popular form of apparel decoration for custom shirts. An image is burned into a screen, and ink is pushed through the screen onto the garment with a squeegee. One screen is burned for each color in the design. The fewer colors in the design, and the larger the order is, the more sense screen printing makes over direct-to-garment or direct-to-film printing.
Equipment:
We utilize two, all-electric Anatol Volt-M for our presses. We use an Anatol UV-LED and the QS200 for our exposure units. All inks used are from One-Stroke Inks, which are made in the USA and CPSC certified.
Video of our Anatol Volt in operation
Artwork:
We require vector art for screen printing. For one color designs, please make the artwork solid RGB black (0/0/0). For multi-color designs, Pantone colors in the artwork are recommended. Our price chart lists the colors we stock. Custom colors can be made.
-File types: Corel Draw (.cdr), Adobe Illustrator (.ai), .svg, .eps, and in some cases, .pdf files. Please DO NOT use Photoshop and save it as an EPS file…it is not the same as a vector art .eps file made with vector art software.
If you don’t have professional graphic design software, you can hire a designer or have us create something for you. We can also convert raster images to vector art for a fee.
Print Locations:
We mainly screen print on the front and/or back of a garment, up to 16″ wide x 18″ tall. Short sleeves can be printed as well. Long sleeves can be printed if the sleeve fits onto our sleeve pallet. This varies by size and style. We do not print on non-flat areas of a garment (over or above pockets, seams, zippers), hoods, other specialty locations.
Printable Fabrics:
Using the colors listed below, we screen print on 100% cotton and cotton/polyester t-shirt blends, 100% polyester, fleece, CVC, tri-blends and more. Additional costs for ordering specialty inks in colors we do not already stock or nylon catalysts will apply.
Ink Colors:
Our price chart shows the most up-to-date list of ink colors.
Curing:
Curing the ink is very important. Proper curing must occur to achieve washability and a long-lasting print. Many decorators rush this step and while the design looks done, will not make it through the wash. A good way to know if a print is cured is to stretch it. If the ink stays in place, the print is cured. If it cracks, the ink has not bonded to the shirt. This will fall off in the wash prematurely and you will not be pleased. Contact our team to schedule an appointment if you would like to see examples in person.
Garment Care:
Need help reading a garment care tag? Use our laundry-symbol guide and printable reference, together with the decoration-specific care instructions below.
Once you have your garment, proper care is necessary to achieve a normal garment and print life. For all garments, we recommend cold-water washing inside out and hang drying. You may tumble dry on fluff (no heat). Never iron over the decoration. Following these steps will help you achieve the maximum amount of life for your garment. Remember, no garment or print is designed to last forever!
We have samples of all this and more in our office. Please contact us to schedule an appointment and check them out, get your questions answered, and see if screen printing is right for your apparel project!
We decorate apparel in Indianapolis and ship nationwide. Explore our service areas or contact our team about your location and delivery needs.
Not located in one of these cities? We also service Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Terre Haute, Evansville, Northwest Indiana, along with the entire country! Contract screen printing services are available.
For questions about the custom screen printing process, please contact us via email, or call 317-405-8955.
Frequently asked questions
When is screen printing a good choice?
Screen printing is worth considering for repeated designs, especially when ordering quantities with a limited set of ink colors. We compare setup, artwork, garment, and quantity when recommending it.
Is there a minimum order for screen printing?
There is no minimum garment quantity. A $20 minimum order value applies to all customers except approved wholesale/reseller accounts. Screen-printing orders of fewer than 12 shirts have a setup fee. Your quote confirms garment, decoration, artwork, setup, and shipping charges as applicable.
Can you screen print polyester and blended garments?
A+ Images screen prints a range of cotton, polyester, and blended apparel. The fabric and garment color affect ink selection and production, so we review the specific style before quoting.
Why do ink colors and print locations affect the price?
Each color and decorated location can add preparation and production work. Quantity, artwork, garment selection, and the number of colors and placements all contribute to the final price.
How should I wash screen-printed shirts?
Follow the garment label and the instructions for your order. A+ Images recommends washing decorated garments inside out in cold water and hanging them to dry.
Have another question? Visit our complete FAQ page or contact our team.
Ready to discuss your project?
Contract decoration services
Purchasing printing for resale? Explore our contract screen printing services for resellers and decorators.