How a Screen Printed Shirt is Made

Want to know how t-shirts are made? Sure you do! Here's just quick a glimpse at our standard printing process and how we turn your art & ideas into custom screen printed apparel. There's a lot of steps involved in making t-shirts but, to us, that's half the fun. See how we do what we do!

CREATION OF ARTWORK Artwork is either downloaded or custom created by our talented art staff. Depending on what you're looking for, art is then touched up or proofed out for your approval using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and other graphic design programs.		CREATION OF FILMS After the artwork is approved, each design is color separated & printed onto vinyl films. Each color in the design recieves it's own individual film and each film that's printed recieves it's own silk screen.		SCREEN PREPARATION Screens are used in production to transfer ink onto your t-shirt. When screens are prepared they are first constructed and then coated with a light sensitive emulsion that allows the design on film to transfer.
SCREEN BURNING When the screen has dried, it is placed on a vacuum light table with the film. It is then exposed with a 3,000 watt metal halide light. This process physically transfers the custom artwork from the film onto the screen.		SCREEN WASHOUT After exposing the silk screen, it's washed out carefully to ensure a clean, quality image. This process removes only the emulsion not exposed by the light, leaving behind an open area for ink to run through.		PRESS SET UP Each screen is loaded and locked into place on the press. Inks are applied to each screen according to specified color and then test printed to ensure the screens and artwork line up with registration marks.
LOADING SHIRTS Once the job is setup and ready to run, a press operator loads shirts on the press. Shirts are loaded onto a flat t-shirt palette thats located directly beneath the silk screen. As the shirts go around the press they stop under each color in the design.		PRINTING The most important part of the process. This is where it all happens! After the shirts are brought underneath a screen, a squeegee on top pushes the ink color through the exposed areas of silk screen and onto your t-shirt below.		PULLING & DRYING After printing, each printed shirt must be pulled off of the press and placed on a dryer belt where it travels into a heat chamber. This process allows the ink to permanently adhere to the shirt. The ink must reach 400 degrees to properly cure.
INSPECTION & FOLDINGAfter all custom shirts are cured, a catcher personally inspects and folds each shirt that passes through the dryer. This ensures us that all printed shirts are correct & have the crisp, quality print Safari Sun is known for.		BOXING When folding is completed, all printed t-shirts are prepared for shipping & delivery to you. Each box is carefully counted by hand & then packed with all other printed shirts associated with your order.		SHIPPING Finally, when all shirts are ready to go, the completed order is loaded onto a courier truck and shipped directly to you. No matter where you are on the map, we guarantee fast, reliable delivery to you, always!