Gloss Printing

Gloss Printing – It’s difficult to catch the full majesty of this effect in a photograph. But  as you can hopefully see from our pic here, this does what it says and adds a high sheen finish to what would otherwise be a standard solvent based ink. So hopefully it gives your image  a more expensive lux look, and especially onto heavier weight garments justifies a much higher price point.

Gloss printing, how on earth do we do it?

Well we’re glad you asked, and if you didn’t we’ll have to tell you anyway. Firstly, it’s aprons on – a tidy print room is a happy print room. We begin by setting up the a screen in the machine as we would do on any other day. Next we print a standard solvent based plastisol ink onto the garment. Then we have two options – we  can either waft a clear base layer of ink over the plastisol, like a varnish, and heat the garment to bloody buggery in a big textile dryer, thereby creating a shiny finish. OR, we heat press the original screen printed ink with a silicone release paper (or SRP – just made that up, don’t quote it anywhere else). Once this has been allowed  to cool down, the paper is carefully peeled off, leaving your origianl print underneath polished up like your Granddad’s brogues.  Either way, a deep and glossy, antique furniture style patina is created. Probably our favourite usage, would be a nice  black on black brand carrying print onto our classic unisex sweat. Black on black? Can it be seen? Yes it can, especially if it’s a nice big old print to maximise the chance of it catching the light as you quietly go about your business. It brings subtle and shiny together in a special combo, suggesting discretion, but with a hint of danger.