Decorating apparel
& specialty items like all other
arts ,are subject to trends & changes
in form, technique & style. In the past we
have seen screenprinting that emphasizes bright
colour & corresponding heavy coats of ink to
help succeed in making a bold statement . This
standard fuller front or obvious
"main surface" area print is
used typically as large as10 or 11 inches
wide & placed prominently on the front
surface of the garment or specialty item.
This style has maintained dominance in the
60s & 70’s & the influence
continued into the 80 , 90s &
even into recent times depending on the purpose
of the decoration. The 60s & 70s saw use of
halftones, photographic images & very
bright warholesque colours which from time to
time pop up currently as well.
Screen printing decoration on apparel has of late morphed into a new direction with the adoption of a great deal of "tattoo", "warrior", or " gothic" oriented motifs . Some of the more prevalent motifs are retro or “warrior” themes as evidenced in the popularity of the" Ed Hardy" or "Affliction" clothing Lines . In this new genre of screen print decoration we see the use of large print areas of 17” x 20” or more, and always in discharge or waterbase soft hand ink so that the comfort & wearability factor is maintained. Oftentimes , splashes of specialty inks like high opacity metallic ,foil , or high density gel (although used sparingly mostly ) may be used to give additional impact or uniqueness to the often subtler colours & more muted effects that these discharge & water base inks can yield.
In the the last few years there has been a tendency in screen printed graphic design to be focused towards more distressed looks . Fading textures & antiquing features are often used graphically throughout the design to give an overall worn ,faded ,or tactile sensibility to the item decorated. In some cases this effect is combined with retro or pseudo-retro graphics to give the apparel being decorated, the appearance of being an old or vintage item. Some manufacturers even go as far as to accentuate & mimic the graphic effect by actually distressing the apparel item so that it appears worn . In these cases they utilize inconsistent dyeing of the garment , stone or acid washing ,or actual physical distressing of parts of the decorated item. There has also been a recent trend towards manufacturing garments from lighter softened fabric that gives a well worn & comfortable look & feel to the garment . This trend has originated mainly in the fashion & retail areas but is increasingly spilling over into the corporatewear & advertising industry segments as well.
The recent trends towards eco friendly printable organic cotton & bamboo farbrics in the apparel trades have complemented the vintage trend and added a popular eco environmental twist . In some cases the graphics on apparel are smaller in size & more understated, such as in the left chest , upper shoulder , small backneck, or even a more subtle & hidden “inside the garment ” print positioning. This also extends into the newer trend of printing the brand, size, & content labels into the back neck of shirts as a more comfortable alternative to sewn in fabric labels .
It seems that variety, uniqueness & “out of the box” thinking are the dominant forces in screen printed decoration today . Specialty & unusual positioning of the graphic is often used to provide more punch & uniqueness to the look of the imprinted item. On apparel items this is manifested in positioning such as : printing on the sides of the garment , printing running over the rib & over the collar , & printing running over zippers, seams, & pockets, which gives each garment its own individualism & “one of a kind” look (even though it is mass produced). Dark coloured softhand printing on the inside of the garment "in reverse " on a light colored garment ( so that image subtly shows through on the outside of the garment ) is also an example of the “outside the box” thinking in decoration. Individualism & definite specialized motif style segments , are hallmarks of the popular trends in screen printing decoration today.
Article by Peter Chaltas
For more information or execution of these types of screenprinting on apparel or promotional items please feel free to contact peter Chaltas at Beavevbrook Co at 416 466-9929 or by email peter@beaverbrookco.com.
Screen printing decoration on apparel has of late morphed into a new direction with the adoption of a great deal of "tattoo", "warrior", or " gothic" oriented motifs . Some of the more prevalent motifs are retro or “warrior” themes as evidenced in the popularity of the" Ed Hardy" or "Affliction" clothing Lines . In this new genre of screen print decoration we see the use of large print areas of 17” x 20” or more, and always in discharge or waterbase soft hand ink so that the comfort & wearability factor is maintained. Oftentimes , splashes of specialty inks like high opacity metallic ,foil , or high density gel (although used sparingly mostly ) may be used to give additional impact or uniqueness to the often subtler colours & more muted effects that these discharge & water base inks can yield.
In the the last few years there has been a tendency in screen printed graphic design to be focused towards more distressed looks . Fading textures & antiquing features are often used graphically throughout the design to give an overall worn ,faded ,or tactile sensibility to the item decorated. In some cases this effect is combined with retro or pseudo-retro graphics to give the apparel being decorated, the appearance of being an old or vintage item. Some manufacturers even go as far as to accentuate & mimic the graphic effect by actually distressing the apparel item so that it appears worn . In these cases they utilize inconsistent dyeing of the garment , stone or acid washing ,or actual physical distressing of parts of the decorated item. There has also been a recent trend towards manufacturing garments from lighter softened fabric that gives a well worn & comfortable look & feel to the garment . This trend has originated mainly in the fashion & retail areas but is increasingly spilling over into the corporatewear & advertising industry segments as well.
The recent trends towards eco friendly printable organic cotton & bamboo farbrics in the apparel trades have complemented the vintage trend and added a popular eco environmental twist . In some cases the graphics on apparel are smaller in size & more understated, such as in the left chest , upper shoulder , small backneck, or even a more subtle & hidden “inside the garment ” print positioning. This also extends into the newer trend of printing the brand, size, & content labels into the back neck of shirts as a more comfortable alternative to sewn in fabric labels .
It seems that variety, uniqueness & “out of the box” thinking are the dominant forces in screen printed decoration today . Specialty & unusual positioning of the graphic is often used to provide more punch & uniqueness to the look of the imprinted item. On apparel items this is manifested in positioning such as : printing on the sides of the garment , printing running over the rib & over the collar , & printing running over zippers, seams, & pockets, which gives each garment its own individualism & “one of a kind” look (even though it is mass produced). Dark coloured softhand printing on the inside of the garment "in reverse " on a light colored garment ( so that image subtly shows through on the outside of the garment ) is also an example of the “outside the box” thinking in decoration. Individualism & definite specialized motif style segments , are hallmarks of the popular trends in screen printing decoration today.
Article by Peter Chaltas
For more information or execution of these types of screenprinting on apparel or promotional items please feel free to contact peter Chaltas at Beavevbrook Co at 416 466-9929 or by email peter@beaverbrookco.com.
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