TRAINING
Art Guidelines
Our preference for electronic art is in vector format (points, lines and arcs) such as .AI, .EPS, or .PDF. We use the most current version of Adobe Illustrator but most programs have the ability to ‘save as’ or ‘export’ to an .AI file.
If you file was created in a raster program such as Adobe Photoshop, we can work with that too just send the native .PSD file. Or if you’ve used some other raster program, we can use a high resolution .PNG or .TIF file at 300 DPI.
Please remember to include fonts that you’ve used if a copy change is required or “convert text to outlines” and make the file the actual size that you desire on the garment.
If files are too large to upload, you may share a DropBox folder with us. Email invitations to aaron@saluteapparel.com.
We include a few minutes of art time in every project but additional charges may apply, especially if custom color separations are required. Please contact us for questions regarding art prior to uploading or sending files.
It is extremely important that you review your art prior to approval. Salute Apparel takes every precaution possible to avoid mistakes but they do happen. We cannot be held responsible for errors that were missed on artwork that you have approved.
Ink Types
The 3 most popular inks available today for screen printing on textiles are:
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Plastisol – this is the most common and forgiving of the 3. The ink sits on top of and is bonded to the garment. With multi-colored projects where the ink is “stacked” the image could have a “plastic” feel to it and appear glossy. Plastisol is also the most economical ink to use.
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Water Based – this is the most eco-friendly ink. It has a matte finish and is softer to the touch than plastisol but it has it’s drawbacks. The opacity is harder to achieve, especially on dark fabrics. It can also lose it’s elasticity over time and crack, particularly if proper care has not been taken during the drying process. This is still a very good option if printed properly.
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Water Based Discharge – a great option for printing water based inks on dark shirts. The inks actually bleach the dye out of the shirt and changes it back to it’s original color. Pigment can be added back into the ink which re-dyes the shirt as it goes through the dryer. The drawback is that it cannot be used on synthetic fibers (polyester, nylon, etc…) and most blends. Cotton, bamboo and some blended heathers can achieve somewhat predictable results. Exact color matches to the Pantone system or even to previous runs with this type of ink are nearly impossible.
Color
We can usually match most color in the Pantone Matching System in plastisol and water based inks (see disclaimer above for discharge). Click on the image to the right to see our standard plastisol colors. Contact our office for recommendations based on material type. Some charges may apply for color matches.
Print Sizes / Locations
We have the ability to print many different sizes and locations on your garment but we do have some limitations. Seams, zippers, buttons, etc… all need to be taken into account. A common mistake is sizing a job for a large shirt and then ordering youth shirts. Size it so that it will fit on everything you order. Contact our office for help determining sizing.
Our maximum print sizes are as follows:
Standard Front/Back: 15” W x 17” T
Oversized Front/Back: 17” W x 22” T
Inside Tags: 3.5” W x 3.5” T
Sleeves: 4” W x 17” T
Ladies Fitted: 11” W x 17” T
Youth/Toddler/Infant: Not currently available
Spoilage
There are a lot of things that can go wrong in the screen printing process and we do our best to avoid them. But realistically we can’t be perfect all the time. Although we will not charge for spoiled items, we reserve the right to be up to 3% short on orders. We recommend ordering extra items to account for this. If an exact count is needed, please let us know ahead of time and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Turnaround Times
Our normal production time is 7-10 business days from the time we receive payment and art/product approvals. We observe all major holidays so these days will be added to the 7-10 days.