Bold Graphics and 'Green Techniques' Surface in Screen Printing

May 1, 2008

This is an ETF soft-hand print done with opaque water-based inks and without the use of discharge chemicals.

By Michael Beckman

Distressed graphics have been riding high at retail and in custom decorating for more than a decade. Before the distress trend, screen printers would strive for precise detail and print clarity. But the soft hand of distress prints and the fashionable allure of faux-worn garments sold a lot of shirts and hoodies in the past decade — again, at retail and via custom decoration.

Most recently, successful designs often featured large decorations and unorthodox placements. Popular images have been abstract, simple and washed-out looking. The hottest looks in the past few years have been built around tattoo art, or at least have given that kind of feel. Also, trendy designs have featured images that overlap almost randomly.

Colors have been muted or tonal to the garment color, which works well with distressed graphics and printing to produce a very soft hand. These soft-hand effects have been produced by plastisols that were based-down or reduced, or are a special type of plastisol. Water-based inks have been used a lot to print large-format graphics that maintain a soft hand. And discharge ink has been a common solution for producing soft-hand graphics on dark shirts.

The way things work with trends, fashion and style is that what has been popular runs its course and is replaced by a further evolution of that same trend — or by something completely different. Recent seasons have seen evolutions of the distressed look.

This year, I think we may see the start of "something completely different." — a trend toward cleaner-edged graphics with brighter colors, and prints with smoother, upscale-looking finishes. I also think smaller graphics with a more refined appearance will come back into fashion.

However, this trend toward cleaner-edge, vibrant graphics does not signal a detour on the inevitable move toward sustainability. While there will be some technical challenges printing clean, bright graphics with soft-hand and environmentally friendly inks, I don't expect any slowdown in the growing trend toward sustainable and "green" finished products, materials and manufacturing processes.

"The 'green' buzzword has been around for a while, but it's only now that consumers are getting serious about actually incorporating green products into their everyday lifestyle," says Ed Braningan, R&D manager, International Coatings, Cerritos, Calif., a major ink supplier. "I see the trend toward organic food and renewable energy being reflected through the apparel market. Sustainability has become mainstream and I see this trend … intensifying. There has been a huge interest and response from our customers to our green products."

Dennis Gunnson of Rutland Plastic Technologies, Pineville, N.C., another major ink supplier, agrees. "Traditionally, inks as an embellishment option tended to support and, in some cases, shape a fashion trend — be it a focus on color, texture or feel (hand)," he says. "Today, environmental impact is an important new element in the design decision regarding embellishment techniques and ink choices."

While Gunnson says he sees a resurgence in bright colors and the use of textures, more important parameters for choosing inks and decorating techniques favor products that are inert, recyclable, easy to clean with an environmentally friendly solvent, reusable and compliant with regulations currently shaping the industry.

Design-wise, Gunnson says he also has begun to see very clean-edged designs, brighter colors and smaller, more complicated images coming back into fashion. While many of these new prints still have a very soft hand, there is definitely more texture being used, he says.

"In alignment with current trends and directives, I see no reason why the need to produce textile inks that become an integral part of the fabric will not continue to gain momentum," says Chris Pluck of Polyone Corp., Kennesaw, Ga., maker of Wilflex inks. "Organic clothing continues to gain exposure, along with an abundant choice of ready-to-use textile inks that can integrally support the environmental and eco-fashion demand."

Another ink trend gaining popularity might be called "rubber printing" — traditional screen printing done with water-based ink that has some added elongation properties. Printed on table presses, the graphics are built up with numerous screens until a moderate ink film has been deposited on the garment. This look can be duplicated with different types of ink that some printers might find more production-friendly.

The trend toward cleaner, smaller and more upscale graphics opens the door to limited use of special inks that lend themselves to this type of look. Although I see it happening in a restrained and limited way, there may be a return of some specialty inks like high-density, gel, metallics and what Pluck calls "textile inks that can be printed without special effects, and low-density textured inks that are smooth to touch and have high-tensile stretch and surface elongation."

International Coating's Brannigan says he also sees metallic inks maintaining a strong presence. "At MAGIC recently, foil, stones, metallic inks and threads all populated many booths," he says. "I expect this to become more prevalent on the retail side as the year progresses."

Rutland's Gunnson says he thinks "a trend that may be sustained is printing with plastisols formulated to be compliant with the phthalate restrictions around the world." Phthalates used in many plastisols, discharge agents and other chemicals related to our industry may be further limited by new regulations here and abroad. According to Gunnson, Rutland's new Claira inks are environmentally friendly, phthalate-compliant and will include a high density that can be used to create a number of special effects needed for the new looks coming into fashion.

Rick Roth of Mirror Image, Pawtucket, R.I., is a high-volume screen printer and industry leader. "Techniques are still in demand that utilize high-density ink and layered prints over the shirt. These techniques are being used in custom and promotional prints, as well as in the fashion world," Roth says. "The other trend that is not a fad, but a solid direction, is that people are searching for green, environmentally friendly decorating techniques."

As more companies make use of outsourcing and overseas production, I see potential "cross-pollination" in the types of prints being produced. This means designers and consumers will encounter prints done in many different parts of the world.

For instance, European-based customers have long required greater durability, stretch and wash fastness than end users in other markets, even as European governments have generally had much more restrictive requirements with regard to the material used for printing garments. Additionally, Europeans tend to demand a better-quality garment with more organic material content than in many other markets. Cross-pollination has brought these trends to the U.S.

Because of this continued reliance on outsourcing, there should be an expanding demand for prints that are different in appearance. There always is a great demand for anything perceived as new, and all of these new looks will need to be created with green inks and processes wherever possible. It is not always easy for a printer to use environmentally responsible inks and printing processes to create clean-edged and bright graphics with good surface characteristics and a soft hand. In fact, the "greenest" inks right now don't easily lend themselves to this type of printing. Printers who are versed in using these challenging inks, techniques, fabrics and other materials should find a competitive advantage.

As the green trend becomes more mainstream, we will see increased sophistication with regard to what true sustainability means. It won't work for much longer to simply say you are an environmentally responsible printer because you use water-based ink. Customers will be looking for a more comprehensive effort and one that makes factual sense with regard to sustainability.

In the future, it might be difficult to convince a knowledgeable customer that discharge ink is a responsible environmental alternative simply because it does not contain PVC. With increased globalization, there will probably be greater scrutiny from customers regarding labor and environmental issues.

DIGITAL ADD-ONS
Another trend that may impact our marketplace is greater customization or personalization of graphics. Some printers will offer to individualize garments for customers who want shirts to make more of a personal statement. This may take the form of add-on digital embellishments. It also may mean increased opportunity for small, "art house" printing — shops that will do very small run sizes and produce garments with one-of-a-kind graphics.

In addition to the start of a move away from distressed-looking graphics, I also see potential demand for different types of shirts. As part of the green trend, fabrics such as bamboo will make a greater impact in the market. More environmentally friendly organic T-shirts will be in much greater demand, as will higher quality garments and fabrics.

Will the American consumer pay the additional costs required to follow an effective green agenda? I willingly pay a few extra dollars for a quality organic shirt printed by an environmentally responsible company. Time will tell if the average consumer follows suit.

I look forward to the next few years in our business not only because I would truly like to see this trend toward environmental responsibility continue, but I also like the current design direction. A clean-edged, richly colored and graphically involved print that uses a variety of different surface finishes in a controlled way provides an exciting graphic challenge. Combine some of this new imaging direction with the larger-format, soft-hand backgrounds that have been the recent trend, and we will have some very interesting options open to us as designers and printers.

Michael Beckman is the research and development manager for European T-Shirt Factory (ETF), Istanbul, Turkey. Beckman pioneered the development and use of many specialty ink formulations and applications. Based in the United States, Beckman helps guide the impressive output and award-winning designs of ETF, one of Europe's largest contract screen printers. For more information or to comment on this article, e-mail Michael at mbsp@comcast.net.

Green Shop Changes Things One Shirt at a Time
This married couple's steady success proves that any decorator can become green certified and survive.
Steve and Bonnie Melgoza, owners of Livermore, Calif.-based Goza Gear, are propelled by a simple goal — to change the world, one T-shirt at a time — and they've instituted green initiatives to work toward it.
October 01, 2008

Green Cleaners Step Forward
The traditional screen printing shop can be filled with the unpleasant odors from cleaners and solvents derived from petroleum products. Handled safely and disposed of properly, these chemicals have been important tools for screen printers for many decades.
October 01, 2008

Growing Green
Effective marketing unlocks the profit in eco-friendly products and processes; here's how.
The worldwide "greening" of industries is not a passing trend, as social responsibility has become a mainstay in conducting business these days. Companies in the decorated apparel industry are doing their homework to properly educate and deliver green products and an eco-friendly philosophy to customers. But effectively marketing green products presents unique challenges for apparel decorators, so it pays to learn some green marketing lessons from the big boys.
October 01, 2008

Versatility Breeds Success in Wovens
Specialty detailing, functional features and washes give wholesale wovens advantages that rival those at retail.
The old saying, "You can't please everybody," doesn't apply to woven shirts in the wholesale apparel market. Today's wovens manufacturers offer an array of styles, fits and performance qualities to suit even the pickiest of customers. Specifically, in the corporate realm, these wholesale manufacturers have added specialty detailing that will allow custom decorators to give retail wovens a run for their money.
October 01, 2008

Productivity Grows with Proper Art Department Gear
Follow these tips when shopping for equipment and software tools for your art department team.
If you're thinking about adding an art department to your business — or if you're just considering upgrading your existing one to make it current — you may be wondering where to begin. What kind of equipment do you really need? What kind of pens, pencils and brushes should you buy? What size computer and which software programs?
October 01, 2008