Many screen print consumers are looking for a nice, soft hand feel to their prints. There are many factors involved in achieving this, from the inks used to the screen mesh to the the hardness, shape and pressure of the squeegee. One of the factors that is often overlooked is the separations.
If a good separator is aware that the customer wants a soft hand print, there is a lot that he or she can do to help. For example, using lighter halftones while specifying darker ink colors can greatly reduce the amount of ink laid down on the garment, thereby reducing the “bullet-proof” hand feel that turns off so many consumers. Another tool in the separator’s arsenal is taking advantage of the substrate color, and reducing or eliminating the base plate in critical areas to make the print look good with less ink.
If you’re looking to get a soft hand feel to your prints, be sure to tell your separator – there is a lot that he or she can do to help you to achieve that.
