The Promo Direct Blog

Originating over 2000 years ago in China, screen printing gained popularity rapidly and is now one of the most widely used methods of printing in the promotional productsindustry.The process of the screen printing is fairly simple. A screen and a metal plate are required for the process. The plate is tightly stretched on a frame and held over the surface area to be printed. Then the ink is spread with a squeegee on the surface. If the print is in color, an area is selected in which a particular color has to go and the other areas on the screen are blocked out. Then you add in the color on the needed area. After that color is imprinted, the next follows and so on till the entire print is ready.

However, with bulk orders and pressing time lines, the delicate process of screen printing often tends to have some glitches in it. These errors in most cases are irrevocable. By being aware of the most common mistakes in the screen printing process, you can avoid losing money and save your brand identity. Here are a few of the things to watch out for:

• Fonts: Even though this might surprise you, getting the wrong font is one of the most common errors in screen printing. Wrong font shows really bad on the finished promo item and your brand marketing effort might be wasted.
•  Wrong Shade or Color: Even though this seems to be a no-brainer, it’s just amazing to know that a large number of people blunder during the screen printing process.  If you have to screen print your brand logo on a promotional item, a wrong color or even a wrong shade could harm your brand image to a great extent.
• Smudging and Ghost Print: Screen printing is a rather precise process. Even the slightest mistake at any stage of the printing process can jeopardize the whole thing. Ghost printing and smudges occur if the print screen shifts even slightly during the imprinting process.
• Ink Spillage:  This happens if the colors to be imprinted are not mixed properly or not thinned to the right consistency. Ink spillage is sometimes controlled by blotting. However, excessive spillage can rarely be corrected. In case of this error, the promotional giveaway looks really shabby and has a negative impact on the business brand.
• Fading of Imprints: This tends to happen if the inks used for printing is not of good quality. In an effort to make maximum profit, some printers use cheap and low quality inks. In addition, print of this type tends to fade once the item is used or washed and this results in poor brand image.

One of the best ways to ensure that these products do not show in a bad light is by taking the approval sample very seriously and eliminating the mistakes at that stage. Once you keep in mind possible errors and double check the sample before placing your final order, you can save costs and make most of your deal!

To view a large variety of promotional products for your business promotion and to enjoy low price and discounts visit our website at www.promodirect.com