Printing Jackets and Other Lined Garments

by Douglas Grigar, Master Screen Printer

(A version of this article originally appeared in the August 2007 issue of PRINTWEAR.)

 

When I set out to write an article about printing jackets, try as I might, it started to sound like the same old rehash of the same old information available from every ink manufacturer and information site on the ‘Net. I asked myself, do I write an article about printing jackets and not sound the same as scores of other articles?

Frustrated, I stepped back and looked at the subject logically. Why is it even necessary to write about this subject? Well, mainly because it is a printed item that – unless the business specializes in jackets – shows up relatively infrequently in most shops, and it’s the rare printer who can become proficient in any type of printing without regular repetition. But flattening the learning curve of printing unusual items can be as easy as looking at familiar items and methods, few other basics, and just a little logic. Shall we?

Start with Identification

When somebody mentioned “jackets” a few years back, screen printers were specifically talking about woven nylon material forming a shell, often assembled into what was known as a wind breaker, award, or coaches’ jacket. Today’s screen printers are faced with an almost unlimited selection of garments comprised of various materials assembled into interesting and unusual shapes and styles. It is much harder to pin down what a “jacket” is now and the various materials make printing a challenge of technique and proper chemical and ink choice, dependent on planning and careful execution.

The goal for a garment printer is not only to print a substrate, but to also make sure the inks used will launder and wear for the client without deterioration in normal use. Knowing that a clean, clear, and lasting print is necessary, the choice of inks to match the material to be printed is imperative. And it is not unusual for a garment to be made of several different materials assembled together, and each section could require special inks or additives that change from location to location on the garment. It will become clear with any unusual garment that identifying the materials, matching the best choice of inks to the materials and assembling and special tools and attachments needed to successfully finish the project are the fundamentals of a solid jacket job.

[Figure 1: Adding to our jacket-printing challenge, we no longer have just a few choices but a large selection of styles, constructions, and materials.]

 

What is the Garment Made Of?

On the website of but a single online wholesale supplier, I clicked on their “jacket” section and was shown 15 different materials and 122 separate garments to purchase – everything from polyester micro-fleece to a 100% nylon taffeta shell with a heavy, polyester-fleece liner. While polyester and cotton fleece are simple enough to print with plastisol (not counting the issues of color transmission when printing polyester), other materials may need specific additives or possibly special inks not of the plastisol family. It is imperative that the inks are compatible with the garment, and the best information on this will come directly from your ink manufacturer.

I cannot over-stress that you completely research the materials and inks you need for any unusual garment, and simultaneously warn you of problems with the old adage about “never having enough time to do it right the first time, but always having time to do it right the second time.” Testing on samples, detailed research, and practice will prevent hundreds of dollars worth of mistakes.

How is the Garment Assembled?

Again, an almost endless offering of creative styles and designs are available. But these days, fewer square inches of flat, unmodified area of available material for printing will make the process more challenging. Printing on the slick, flat surface of a nylon shell with a “bonding agent” is challenging enough, but add three or more seams of folded and sewn sections, a liner (possibly with seams of its own), and Velcro, zipper, or button closures, and we have a challenge for any printer and his or her tolerance. Often the art will have to be sized down to fit a smaller print area and raised areas on the platen constructed to accommodate surface contours. The use of smaller platens to make sure seams or construction items such as zippers or buttons drop below the printing area are often a viable solution.

 

[Figure 2: Placement and image size become important when the style of the garment features creative construction. Buttons, seams, waffle-pattern liners, and zippers can all lift the squeegee and mesh from the product while printing and cause “orange peel,” smearing or secondary images to appear. Raising areas of the platen or using smaller platens often help with raised construction areas.]

 

[Figure 3: The “jacket hold-down” forces the outer layer of a lined garment to pull tight over the liner and presses against the platen holding the entire garment tightly across the platen.]