Screen-printing, is a printmaking technique that Northeast Promotional Group uses to print on garments. The process of creating a screen-print is achieved by creating an image or imprint on fabric using a stencil or screen. The screen is made out of finely woven polyester stretched over a frame.
 To prepare a screen for printing, it is coated with liquid photo emulsion and allowed to dry. The artwork from our art department, printed as an opaque monochromatic image on vellum or film, is placed over the coated screen. By shining an ultraviolet light on the screen, the emulsion becomes hard and insoluble, except in areas that are covered by the opaque artwork. The entire screen is then washed in water or solvent, allowing any emulsion not hardened to rinse away, leaving a representation of the artwork on the screen. The screen is then placed atop the garment being imprinted. Ink is spread over the screen with a squeegee, filling in the mesh openings and transferring the image onto the garment. Some items are printed in multi-color designs using a wet on wet technique, while others are allowed to dry between colors that are then printed with another screen and often in a different color.

Enlarged image of a portion of a screen.
The Blue is hardened emulsion.
Ink will pass through the cream colored mesh.


Screen on press.