Is T Shirt Printing Screen Printing Right for Your Project?

LAKEWOOD, COLORADO — Choosing the right printing method can make a noticeable difference when creating custom apparel. Whether the project involves company uniforms, event merchandise, school shirts, team apparel, promotional clothing, or a personal design, it is important to consider the artwork, garment, quantity, colors, and desired finish before production begins.
For many apparel projects, T Shirt Printing Screen Printing remains a practical option. Choice Image, a custom apparel company serving Denver and the Front Range from its Lakewood facility, has provided screen printing, embroidery, direct-to-garment printing, and artwork services since 1982.

Understanding Screen Printing
Screen printing uses a mesh screen and stencil to transfer ink onto a garment. A squeegee pushes the ink through the open areas of the stencil, creating the printed design on the shirt. It is a long-established method of decorating apparel and continues to be widely used for custom T-shirts.

One of the main considerations with screen printing is the number of colors in the artwork. Each color can require its own screen and setup, so the design and order quantity can influence the overall production approach. Choice Image works with customers to analyze artwork, color contrast, and setup requirements before production.
This makes the process particularly useful for customers who want to produce a larger number of shirts with the same design.

When Is Screen Printing a Good Choice?
There is no single printing method that fits every project. However, screen printing can be a useful option when you need multiple garments featuring the same artwork.

Businesses can use custom screen print apparel for employee clothing, promotional campaigns, company events, and branded merchandise. Schools and organizations can use printed shirts for fundraisers, clubs, activities, and special events. Teams can also create matching apparel that gives members a consistent appearance.

Choice Image works with businesses, teams, events, organizations, and individual projects, offering apparel decoration for both smaller projects and larger production runs.

Artwork Matters
The quality of the final shirt starts with the artwork. A design that looks good on a computer screen may require adjustments before it is ready for screen printing T-shirts.

Choice Image has an in-house art department that works with illustration, image cleanup, photo retouching, logo artwork, and artwork preparation for apparel production.

Customers can also supply their own artwork. According to Choice Image, screen printing requires production-ready artwork and generally uses spot colors for the printing process. The company can work with various file types and help prepare artwork when necessary.

Taking care of artwork before production can help reduce avoidable problems and ensure the design works properly with the selected garment and printing method.

Consider the Number of Colors
Color is another important factor when planning a screen-printed shirt.
A simple one- or two-color design may have different production requirements from a detailed multicolor illustration. Choice Image offers advanced multicolor screen printing and states that its equipment can handle up to eight ink colors. Specialty inks, including glitter, puff, neon, metallic, and other effects, are also available.

The shirt color itself can also influence how the artwork appears. Dark garments may require different artwork preparation and ink considerations than lighter shirts. Choice Image's graphic arts team considers the garment color and printing process when preparing artwork.

Screen Printing vs. Digital Printing
Customers ordering custom apparel may also want to compare screen printing with digital direct-to-garment printing.
Digital printing can be useful for highly detailed artwork, photographs, or projects requiring only a small number of full-color garments. Choice Image explains that DTG printing can produce full-color designs without traditional screen stencils and per-color screen setup.

Screen printing, meanwhile, can be particularly relevant when the same design needs to be reproduced across multiple garments. The appropriate choice depends on the artwork, garment, quantity, colors, and project requirements.
Rather than selecting a process based only on appearance, customers can discuss the complete project with an apparel printing provider.

Why Project Planning Makes a Difference
Before ordering custom T-shirts, consider several basic questions:
How many shirts are needed?
What type of garment will be used?
What color will the shirts be?
How many colors are in the artwork?
Where will the design be placed?
Is the artwork production-ready?
Is the project better suited to screen printing or digital printing?
What is the required completion date?
Having these details ready can make it easier to determine the appropriate printing process.
Choice Image offers a simple process for custom apparel: customers can choose a product, add their design, and request a quote, with the design team assisting with the remaining production steps.

About Choice Image
Choice Image provides custom T-shirt printing, screen printing, embroidery, direct-to-garment printing, graphic art, and apparel decoration from its Lakewood, Colorado facility. The company has served Denver and the Front Range since 1982 and produces apparel in-house.

For customers considering T Shirt Printing Screen Printing, the best starting point is to look at the complete project rather than the design alone. Artwork, garment type, color, quantity, placement, and production method all work together to determine the final result.

Whether the goal is a company apparel order, school fundraiser, sports team shirts, event merchandise, or a personal project, taking time to understand the printing process can help ensure the finished apparel matches the original idea.

Address: 1420 Quail Street, Lakewood, CO 80215, United States
Phone: 303-232-4250
Email: [email protected]
Business Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM