is it possible to do screen printing on 5050 blends

Is It Possible To Do Screen Printing on 50/50 Blends?

Is It Possible To Do Screen Printing on 50/50 Blends? 29Apr, 2021

Screen printing has always been done on 100% cotton materials, traditionally, since these facilitate easy and cheap medium for this process. Nevertheless, the screen printing market in Texas has grown and now 50% cotton and 50% polyester. So, the screen printers are pushing the boundaries to perfect screen printing trends on 50/50 blends. In fact, the professionals offer screen printing on silk materials as their customers will need.

Besides, the professional screen printers of Texas have developed a process to make accurate and attractive screen printing trends on 50/50 blends.

Why Screen Prints on 50/50 Blends Are Not Normally Done?
Because of its composition, the 50/50 fabric blends suffer from bleeding. The screen printing process on the 50/50 fabric blends is done on heating the fabric on which the printing is to be done, and which is able to start the transition of 50/50 dyes of fabric blends to gas. This in turn results in the fabric dye mixing with the ink. It is even likely to happen at the screen printing's drying phase, which is always a hindrance to the successful screen printing on 50/50 fabric blends.
With technological advancements, the screen printers can monitor the ink temperature using more accurate ways along with the 50/50 blend dyes temperature for the prevention of this unaccepted messy result.

The screen printing professionals of a reputed firm in Texas working on 50/50 blends deal with a different dye type from the ones used for screen printing on the 100% cotton fabrics. These different inks are highly resistant to bleeding because of color running susceptibility from the dyes of fabrics. With the 50/50 blends increasing in the market, professionals are using these dyes for neat and successful results.

The success of Screen Printing on the 50/50 Fabric Blends
As screen printing on 50/50 blend shirts can be done, so the professionals having significant expertise can ensure the final product will be awesome. First, they are attentive to fabric temperature during processing. They have to heat up the ink till 320º Fahrenheit since the 50/50 fabric blends are not able to surpass 360º Fahrenheit before color running takes place. They make sure to keep the lowest ink film thickness for easily controlling the ink temperature. Being the masters at screen printing trade, they are familiar with the basics of their profession.

High Screen Tension is needed for best quality screen printing on 50/50 blends – it is beneficial for screen printing on different fabrics, but it is incredibly important when screen printing is being done on 50/50 blends. Through high screen tension, low off-contact is produced that is the space between the screen and the fabric exactly needed for getting the best result on 50/50 blends. High screen tension even facilitates printing using less ink, thus allowing for think ink film that successfully creates a better product.

The curing process is the final and vital step in creating splendid screen prints on 50/50 fabric blends. It ensures ink's retention on the fabric on which the printing is done. Four standard ways determine the correct cure of the prints and how one tops the other.
The first is checking the cure using heat–tape strips. But these strips do not give the exact temperature measurements, so they will not be working well for precise screen printing on 50/50 blends.
The second is using a pyrometer which reads the temperature without having to touch the ink. Nevertheless, this reading just reflects the ink's temperature and not the fabric dyes – and both must be seen to achieve the best results.
The third way is using the digital ink probe, but this process brings up the same problem as does the pyrometer.
These three above-mentioned ways ensure printing is correctly done on the fabrics, but the only actual way for testing the 50/50 blends is washing the fabric and checking how did the print hold up. This process is the slower and expensive one compared to the others, but it is extremely necessary for screen printing on 50/50 blends.

When Do The Professionals Avoid Screen Printing on 50/50 Fabric Blends?
Screen printing on 50/50 fabric blends is possible, but a few colors can be captured easily compared to others. Working with certain colors, like kelly green, purple, royal blue, and turquoise, is difficult even when the fabrics are 100% cotton. They are not going to appear true on the 50/50 blends to the intended colors. Even it is difficult for creating an exact Pantone color on the 50/50 fabric blends. So for strong jewel tones and precise match, the better option is the 100% cotton fabrics.


Screen printing on 50/50 fabric blends has gained a great market in Texas, thanks to the efforts and skills of the dedicated screen printing professionals. They are well versed in their profession, and they know the process to apply so that the printing on these 50% cotton and 50% polyester blend fabrics are neat as desired by the clients.

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