Life and Times of Bumpy Pitch Vol. 4

Screen Printing

Screen printing is an art of its own. From choosing the mesh of a screen to the type of printing technique there are a variety of factors that ultimately decide the quality of the print that ends up on the garment.

When we first started we knew very little. But one of the things that we did know, was what we didn't like. We didn't like the feeling that certain shirts or sweatshirts had in regards to the print. The ink felt heavy. It would crack after being in the dryer. It rubbed through the shirt wrong. Ultimately shirts that had this type of printing just didn't feel good to us. So we decided that we would do our best to make sure that we learned to understand the printing process so that we could ensure that the products that we printed on felt good to the touch and were comfortable to wear. 

Picking colors can be more difficult than it sounds. It's a fun part of the process but has proven tricky more than once. A red shirt with a white print can prove exceptionally tricky especially when trying to use any printing technique other than plastisol. 

Screen printing can be a pretty rudimentary process. It is still often done by hand and just like many crafts, the skill of the person handling the craft decides the quality of the end product. But as with just about everything else, screen printing has been modernized. And when you need to turn out numbers, you opt for the automatic machine. Here is command center. 

As with any craft, screen printing is a labor of love. It's about getting the details right. Working with talented people who care about what they do. We have been lucky to be able to work with some of the best of the best. These folks are just around the corner from us here in Los Angeles. They have helped us keep production local and have allowed us to be a part of the process every step of the way. It's been "bumpy" and challenging at times, but we've tried to do it the only way that we know and believe in.

 

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