Printing Glossary
Key terms and definitions for screen printing, DTF, and hybrid printing technology
AI Summary: This glossary defines key terms used in custom apparel printing including screen printing, DTF (Direct-to-Film), hybrid printing, Digital Squeegee, plastisol, water-based inks, CMYK, DPI, color separation, halftones, and more. Published by Print Hybrid, a custom apparel printer in Lubbock, TX with 22+ years of experience.
Custom apparel printing has its own vocabulary. Whether you're ordering your first batch of custom t-shirts or you're a seasoned buyer comparing printing methods, understanding these technical terms helps you make informed decisions about your project.
This glossary covers essential terminology from traditional screen printing, modern DTF (Direct-to-Film) transfers, and cutting-edge hybrid Digital Squeegee technology. Each definition is written in plain language by Print Hybrid's team with 22+ years of hands-on printing experience in Lubbock, Texas.
A
- Adhesive Powder
- Fine thermoplastic powder applied to DTF prints before curing, creating the bond between the transfer and fabric. This powder melts during the heat press stage and forms the permanent adhesive layer that allows DTF transfers to stick to any material type including polyester, cotton, nylon, and even non-fabric surfaces.
- Automatic Press
- A motorized screen printing press that rotates garments through print stations automatically, enabling high-volume production. Unlike manual presses where an operator physically moves the screen, automatic presses use pneumatic or servo systems to print hundreds of shirts per hour with consistent pressure and registration.
C
- CMYK
- Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black). The four-color process used in digital and hybrid printing to produce full-color images from four ink colors. By layering transparent dots of these four inks in varying patterns and densities, the CMYK process can reproduce thousands of colors and photographic images without mixing custom ink colors.
- Color Separation
- The process of breaking a multi-color design into individual ink layers (channels) for screen printing or hybrid production. Each color in the final design becomes its own layer, which is then used to create screens or digital files. Proper color separation is critical for achieving accurate registration and color mixing in the final print.
- Conveyor Dryer
- An industrial dryer that cures printed garments by passing them through a heated tunnel on a conveyor belt. The dryer uses precise temperature controls and adjustable belt speeds to ensure that ink reaches its cure temperature for the exact amount of time needed to permanently bond it to the fabric without scorching the garment.
- Cure / Curing
- The process of heating printed ink to its required temperature to permanently bond it to the fabric. Different inks have different cure temperatures: plastisol typically cures at 320°F, while water-based inks cure at 340°F. Proper curing is essential for durability and wash resistance. Under-cured prints may crack or wash out; over-cured prints can scorch the fabric.
D
- Digital Squeegee
- M&R's hybrid printing technology that combines screen printing with digital inkjet. A white plastisol base is screen printed onto the garment, then CMYK artwork is digitally printed at 300 DPI onto the wet base using 16 precision print heads. This wet-on-wet process eliminates the need for pretreatment and produces photorealistic prints with screen printing durability. Print Hybrid operates two Digital Squeegee machines.
- DPI (Dots Per Inch)
- A measure of print resolution indicating how many individual ink dots are printed within one linear inch. Higher DPI means finer detail and smoother gradients. Typical resolution by method: Screen printing 50-60 DPI, Hybrid printing 300 DPI, DTF printing 720 DPI, DTG printing 1200 DPI. However, higher DPI doesn't always mean better quality—it depends on the viewing distance and application.
- DTF (Direct-to-Film)
- A digital printing method where designs are printed onto PET film, coated with adhesive powder, and heat-transferred onto fabric. DTF works on any material (cotton, polyester, nylon, leather, wood) with no minimum order quantity. The process produces vivid colors at 720 DPI resolution and requires no fabric pretreatment, making it ideal for small runs, custom one-offs, and mixed-material orders.
- DTG (Direct-to-Garment)
- A digital printing method that prints water-based ink directly onto cotton garments, similar to an inkjet printer printing on paper. DTG requires pretreatment of the fabric and works best on 100% cotton or high-cotton blends. Limited to cotton-based fabrics, DTG achieves ultra-high resolution (1200 DPI) but has slower production speeds compared to other methods.
E-F
- Emulsion
- A light-sensitive coating applied to screen printing mesh that hardens when exposed to UV light, creating the stencil. Liquid emulsion is spread evenly across the mesh, allowed to dry, then exposed to UV light through a film positive. The areas exposed to light harden and become water-resistant; unexposed areas wash away, leaving open mesh for ink to pass through.
- Flash Cure
- A brief burst of heat between print passes in screen printing, partially curing ink so the next color can be printed on top without smearing or mixing. Flash curing takes 2-5 seconds using a high-powered heat panel positioned above the press. This technique enables multi-color prints on a single garment without fully removing the shirt from the press between colors.
G
- Gang Sheet
- A single transfer sheet containing multiple designs arranged to maximize material usage, reducing cost per print. Gang sheets are commonly used in DTF printing to combine multiple small designs or multiple copies of the same design on one sheet. Efficient gang sheet layouts minimize waste and reduce production costs, especially for mixed orders or small quantities.
- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)
- An international certification for organic textiles covering the entire production chain from harvesting raw materials through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing to labeling. Print Hybrid's hybrid printing inks are GOTS-certified, meaning they meet strict standards for organic content, chemical safety, environmental management, and social responsibility.
H
- Halftone
- A printing technique using dots of varying size and spacing to simulate gradients and color blending. Especially important in screen printing where transparent inks cannot be used, halftones create the illusion of color transitions and shading by controlling dot density. Larger, closer dots create darker areas; smaller, more widely spaced dots create lighter areas.
- Heat Press
- Equipment that applies controlled heat and pressure to transfer designs onto garments. Heat presses are essential for DTF transfers, vinyl applications, and sublimation printing. Commercial heat presses feature digital temperature controls, pressure gauges, and timers to ensure consistent application. Typical settings for DTF transfers are 300-320°F for 10-15 seconds at medium-firm pressure.
- Hybrid Printing
- A printing method that combines screen printing and digital inkjet technology in a single production process. Hybrid printing merges the durability and vibrancy of screen-printed plastisol bases with the detail and unlimited color palette of digital printing. The result is photorealistic prints at 300 DPI with the wash durability of traditional screen printing, all in one automated production pass.
M-P
- Mesh Count
- The number of threads per inch in a screen printing screen. Higher mesh counts (200-305) produce finer detail and thinner ink deposits, ideal for detailed line work or halftones. Lower mesh counts (60-110) deposit more ink and are used for bold graphics, underbases, and specialty inks. Common counts: 110 for white underbase, 160 for general printing, 230 for fine detail.
- PET Film
- Polyethylene terephthalate film used as the carrier for DTF transfers. This thin, heat-resistant plastic film is coated with a release layer that allows the printed design and adhesive to separate cleanly from the film during heat pressing. PET film is reusable in some DTF systems and is chosen for its dimensional stability and ability to withstand the heat of the curing process.
- Plastisol
- A PVC-based ink commonly used in screen printing that sits on top of fabric rather than soaking in, producing vibrant, opaque colors with excellent durability. Plastisol does not dry at room temperature and must be heat-cured to solidify. It produces the thick, bold ink deposit that screen printing is famous for and can achieve 50+ washes when properly cured. Available in thousands of pre-mixed colors.
- Pretreatment
- A chemical solution applied to garments before DTG printing to help ink bond to fabric fibers and provide a base for color vibrancy. Pretreatment is sprayed or applied with a machine, then heat-pressed before printing. DTF and hybrid printing do NOT require pretreatment, which saves time and reduces potential quality issues from uneven application. Pretreatment is only necessary for direct-to-garment (DTG) printing.
R-S
- Registration
- The alignment of multiple print colors or layers to ensure they line up correctly in the final design. Poor registration results in blurry images, color halos, or visible gaps between colors. Screen printing presses use registration pins, micro-adjustments, and test prints to achieve precise alignment. Digital printing systems use optical sensors and software alignment to maintain perfect registration across thousands of prints.
- Screen Printing
- A printing method where ink is pushed through a mesh screen stencil onto fabric using a squeegee. Each color requires its own screen, which is created by coating mesh with light-sensitive emulsion and exposing it to UV light through a film positive. Screen printing is the most common method for custom apparel because it produces durable, vibrant prints at a low cost per unit on large production runs.
- Simulated Process
- A screen printing technique using 6-12 halftone spot colors to reproduce photographic images. Before hybrid technology existed, simulated process was the only way to achieve photo-quality prints using screen printing. Each color is carefully separated and printed as a halftone layer, with colors optically mixing to create the appearance of full-color images. This technique requires expert color separation skills and precise registration.
- Spot Color
- A specific, pre-mixed ink color used in screen printing, as opposed to process colors (CMYK) that are created by layering transparent inks. Spot colors are mixed to exact Pantone specifications and printed as solid, opaque layers. Spot color printing is ideal for logos and designs that require brand-specific colors, producing consistent, vibrant results. Each spot color requires its own screen.
- Squeegee
- A rubber blade used to push ink through the screen mesh onto the garment in screen printing. Squeegees come in different durometers (hardness levels) and profiles (shapes) for different ink types and effects. Softer squeegees (60-70 durometer) deposit more ink; harder squeegees (80-90 durometer) produce sharper edges and finer detail. The angle, pressure, and speed of the squeegee stroke all affect print quality.
U-W
- Underbase
- A white ink layer printed first on dark garments to create a bright foundation for subsequent colors. Without an underbase, colored inks printed on dark fabrics would appear dull or completely invisible. The underbase is typically printed with a lower mesh count (110) to deposit a thick, opaque layer of white plastisol. After flash curing, the design colors are printed on top of this bright white foundation.
- Water-Based Ink
- Ink that uses water as its solvent instead of PVC or plastisol. Water-based inks soak into fabric fibers rather than sitting on top, producing a softer hand feel with no thick ink deposit. These inks are more eco-friendly than plastisol, requiring only water for cleanup instead of chemical solvents. They cure at higher temperatures (340°F vs 320°F) and are used in DTG, hybrid, and some specialty screen printing applications.
- Wet-on-Wet
- A printing technique where ink is printed on top of uncured (wet) ink, eliminating the need for flash curing between passes. The Digital Squeegee hybrid process uses wet-on-wet printing: the white plastisol underbase is screen printed, and immediately (while still wet), the CMYK digital image is printed onto that wet base. This allows the water-based digital inks to chemically bond with the plastisol base, creating exceptional durability and color vibrancy.
How to Use This Glossary
This glossary is designed for anyone involved in custom apparel production, from first-time buyers to experienced production managers. Use it to:
- Understand quotes and technical specifications from print shops
- Compare different printing methods (screen, DTF, hybrid, DTG)
- Communicate effectively with your printer about quality expectations
- Make informed decisions about which printing method is best for your project
- Troubleshoot quality issues or understand why certain designs cost more
Print Hybrid has been serving Lubbock and West Texas since 2001 with traditional screen printing, DTF digital printing, and hybrid Digital Squeegee technology. If you have questions about any of these terms or want to discuss which method is right for your project, call us at 806-500-9396.
