Screen printed garments have grown in popularity since artist Andy Warhol invented the screen-printing technique in the early 1960s. Screen printed tees have always been a go-to style trend since their inception not only in the United States but across the world. These top-selling souvenir items provide a great way to show love for a team, advertise a business or event, or support a particular course.
While screen printed garments can make you stand out, they call for proper care to remain vibrant and colorful for many years to come. The shirt is likely to encounter high heat exposure along with other external or internal factors that can make it crack and lose their prints. You might not be able to notice this immediately since the colors fade away gradually.
Business Print recommends keeping your screen printed garments in good condition to prevent them from changing their image. Today, we will be focusing on 7 quick tips to care of your screen printed t-shirts and keep them in excellent condition for several years. Below are easy-to-follow tips that will ensure you get the most out of your T-shirt purchase.
Flip your screen printed t-shirt inside out
Screen printed tees must be turned inside out before washing. Flipping the t-shirt inside out is vital to protect its delicate exterior during washing. It also prevents the print design from beating and gives it a better chance for a decent image over an extended period of time.
It is important to note that also jeans can significantly benefit from being flipped inside out when washing. It is a perfect technique that prevents the colors from fading away too quickly. Always turn your garment inside out to protect the screen print from abrasions.
Wash similar garments together
Many people overlook this simple technique when washing their clothes. You may have already known this, but some individuals still have no idea why similar garments have to be cleaned together. You see; we are not only trying to maintain the colors, but also the texture of the garments.
Washing clothes with others that have similar fabrics can help safeguard the colors and texture. Try to separate screen printed tees from denim and other items that have buttons and zips. Prints might get rubbed and flake off if they come into contact with harsh elements.
Wash with cold water
As far as clothes are concerned: heat is bad, cold is good. Make sure to keep this in mind every time you are doing your laundry. Try not to wash your garments with hot water, unless they get really soiledbeyond imagination or you work at a health facility.
Cold water does an excellent job when it comes to cleaning garments. It prevents the ink from distilling and consumes less electricity. You might want to use a mild detergent to wash your screen printed clothing, too.
Avoid stain removers or bleach
Under no circumstance should you use stain-removers or bleach on your screen printed garments. You might want to spot clean them, if at all necessary. Also, stay away from fabric softeners.
Basically, steer clear of anything if it is not a mild laundry detergent. Strong detergents like softeners can dissolve the adhesive in pieces of vinyl. A milder soap will do the trick when it comes to taking care of your clothes.
Avoid dryers
We all know that dryers can save us time. But they can be terrible for clothes, especially screen printed ones. Dryers can shrink garments and cause a print to crack or peel. The rule of thumb is to air dry the clothes to retain their imprinting.
Air dry them under the shade
Hang your screen printed t-shirts to air dry, but avoid placing them in direct contact with sunlight. The light emitted by the sun is detrimental to colors.
Also, do not squeeze the shirt tightly or rub it before hanging it to dry. Gently squash the excess water out of the screen printed shirt and hang it to dry.
Iron with low heat
As stated earlier, high temperatures are not suitable for screen printed garments. If you must iron them, then you should turn the garment inside out and use the lowest heating setting to smooth it. Gently press the iron in waving motions across the flipped shirt to set the ink.
Also, try ironing your screen printed garments between two pieces of clothing to extend their life. Business Print does not recommend applying steam or moisture to your screen printed t-shirt before ironing. It might affect the structural integrity of the imprint.
The quality of the screen printed tee will reflect how it will react with soap and water as well as how long the print will last. The print will last longer if the screen printed tees are of high quality, so try to read the label on the garment to determine its material. For more info on how to take care of your screen printed garments, Business Print will be happy to help.
