Jersey Screen Printing
Screen printing jerseys or uniforms can be very profitable. One Stroke Inks provides numerous jersey screen printing inks depending on the material you are printing on. The most common is still 50/50 T-shirts but many others could be 100% nylon or 100% polyester. Further complicating the process is the introduction of moisture management materials such as Under Armour. This website will teach you the basics about jersey screen printing ink and general knowledge of athletic printing.
50/50 T-shirt Printing
The only garment commonly used for athletics that is not a jersey is 50/50 blend T-shirts. These do not pose much of a problem from an ink standpoint. Simply screen print with Colormax Series plastisol ink to prevent any dye migration or opacity issues. Leagues filled with young children will commonly use 50/50 T-shirts to lower the cost of league fees.
Nylon Jersey Screen Printing
Nylon jersey screen printing is a little more difficult since standard plastisol inks have difficulty adhering to the slick surface of dazzle cloth. 222 Series will screen print nylon jerseys without the use of any additives such as nylon catalyst. This ink has a high gloss finish with good stretchability and durability. With 100% nylon material, always be sure to check the ink for a full cure. If the ink does not reach full cure temperature, it is very likely to wash poorly or crack.
Polyester Jersey Screen Printing
Jersey screen printing on 100% polyester requires an ink formulated for prevention of dye migration. It is very common to see white numbers on a red jersey that has turned pink. One Stroke Inks manufactures the new Sports Series to help with this problem. The Sports Series is our most "bleed resistant" ink for screen printing the polyester jerseys. It prints and cures like our other inks although the consistency of the ink may be thicker than inks for T-shirts and even nylons.
Lycra & Spandex Blend Uniforms
You may find yourself screen printing for track, wrestling, or swim teams. They can often bring in some of the most stretchable fabrics used in the athletic industry. All of these singlets and swim suits will be a blend of lycra or spandex. Check the tag to see if they are blended with nylon or polyester. If it is a nylon/lycra or nylon/spandex blend, it is best to use the Nylostretch Series by One Stroke Inks. Nylostretch inks will stretch like a rubber band when fully cured. It will also stick to these fabrics without an additive. When the garment is a polyester/lycra or polyester/spandex blend, it is best to screen print with the Polystretch Series. This ink will provide the bleed resistance necessary for the polyester dye migration problems.
Industry Links
Visit the links to our partners for more information about screen printing plastisol ink and One Stroke Inks. links
