PAD PRINT

Do you remember using stamps during arts and crafts as a kid? Think of pad printing as the grown up, mechanized version. This is an offset printing process that involves an image being transferred onto a product via a silicone pad. The first step is using an inset plate that is shaped like the custom design. From there, the ink is lifted from the plate and moved directly onto your promotional products.

SCREEN PRINT

Screen printing is one of the most commonly used techniques for decorating custom giveaways. A wide variety of products, from bags to umbrellas, rely on this process to receive a logo or advertising message. Screen printing works by forcing ink onto a surface through a prepared screen of fine material so as to create a picture or pattern. Every time a new color is used, the manufacturer pushes the ink through a different screen. At the end, the product goes through a dryer and the ink is permanently cured onto the item.

DIRECT UV DIGITAL

Also known as the four colour process or CMYK printing, digital printing is the method of moving a digital-based image directly to an item with a laser or Inkjet. It’s like enlarging your printer at home and loading it with promotional products instead of paper. This process allows for a wide range of colors to be printed onto your item, without any extra costs or time in production.

DIGITAL HEAT TRANSFER

Did you go through a punk phase in high school when you ironed patches onto a denim vest? If so, then you’re familiar with the basic concept of heat transfer! The heat press works by imprinting a design onto an item through heat and pressure. The image is printed on special Teflon paper, pressed with a large flat iron at high temperates, and cured onto your promotional products.

EMBROIDERY

Contrary to popular belief, embroidery isn’t an old-fashioned decoration process reserved for grandmothers. Modern technology has made this customisation technique faster and easier than ever before! At its basic level, embroidery is the art of raising a design with a needle into any woven material. Your custom design is loaded into computerised software and transferred through mechanized needles onto the imprint area of a product. Each thread colour is stitched individually to create your logo or advertising message.

EMBOSS AND DEBOSS

There are a variety of techniques for printing your logo or advertising message on a custom design. One of the lesser known is embossing, which involves stamping a raised design on a product. The other option is debossing, which is when the design looks more indented or engraved. During both processes, the logo is molded onto a metal plate and sealed in temperatures. Think of it like branding a cow with a hot iron, only significantly less painful.

LASER ENGRAVE

You might think of sci-fi movies when you think of lasers, but they are actually used for a variety of purposes. For instance, laser engraving is used to customise your promo items. The process works by creating depth patterns in a surface by direct incisions from a laser. The artwork is programmed into specialized software and the product is placed under the laser. The light energy is converted into heat and then engraved directly into the item.

DIGITAL LABEL

Similar to direct digital printing, however it is printed onto a white adhesive sticker label then applied onto your product. Digital label printing involves the transfer of the ink directly from the printer head of an inkjet machine to a plain white adhesive sticker label. This process is printed in CYMK only. Only one set up charge is required irrespective of the number of print colours. The machine is slightly slow during the printing process however the drying is basically instant.

DOME LABEL

A resin coated finish that is produced by printing the artwork onto a vinyl material with strong adhesive on the reverse. The branded area is coated with a crystal-clear resin which is allowed to dry. Once dry, the finished dome decal is applied to the product and the adhesive forms a permanent bond. This process is printed in CMYK, so PMS matching is not possible.

ROTARY SCREEN PRINT

Very similar process to the standard screen printing method. A porous mesh screen is made with your custom stencil design transferred onto it. The difference between a screen print and rotary screen print is the rotary machine will turn the wheels the product is laying on, making the product rotate 270 degrees as the machine presses the screen logo onto the product. Rotary screen print can only be performed onto flat round surfaces and normally take up to 1 – 2 spot colours.