S creen Printing may no longer be in print, but at 70 years old, this publication is as vibrant and relevant as ever.

Just ask the Brain Squad. Conceived in 2021, this growing community is incredibly active. In fact, monthly feedback from this online survey group has become one of the main sources of content published in these digital pages. Spanning a wide range of backgrounds and shop specialties and located across the globe, the Squad is a sufficiently representative sample to serve as our eyes and ears into the screen printing industry.

The diversity of the squad is reflected in the diversity of our content. This very issue is a prime example.

Those who aren’t old enough to relive glory days with Andy MacDougall in his latest column can still understand the importance of time-tested screen printing fundamentals. Meanwhile, any “boomer” shop owner could appreciate what someone like Nicole Pape, a regular columnist of an entirely different generation, has to say about attracting employees. Deep dives into new technology (pages 30 and 36) often run alongside pieces covering the growing importance of social media influencers and issues near and dear to all our hearts, such as diversity and sustainability.

Enough about us. What better way to celebrate our birthday and screen printing generally than letting screen printers’ own voices ring out? Here’s some recent feedback from the Squad on what they like about being screen printers and what makes this industry special:

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WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT SCREEN PRINTING?

• • Watching your art move from your mind, to your screen, to your shirt — there is something very satisfying about seeing that process. — Dee Reeve, The E.B. Wood Group
  • The industry is fully grown up, and the amount of information available to people starting out is more now than ever before. — Ian Graham, Fine Southern Gentlemen
  • [Screen printing can be better than ever] if you take advantage of proper procedures, invest in the newest equipment and supplies, and have good training in your shop. There is a lot of good information available, but also a lot of bad. Know who you’re dealing with to get the best advice. — Charlie Taublieb, Taublieb Consulting
  • So many new technological advances have changed the game. — Shaun McCarthy, GL Imprinting
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    Technological advances have aided screen printers in putting out a higher quality product with a lower turn time. — Colette Wilhelm, Contract Impressions; Howard Custom Transfers

  • It’s so rewarding to bring people’s vision to life. Typically T-shirts and merch are very personal. Custom logos are something very important to the customer (their brand, their kid’s passion, their passion project, etc.), which makes the relationships we build very personal and special. It’s an honor to help elevate their brand and passion. — Jessica Tillery, All Quality Graphics
  • [There are] more, different opportunities for the process to be used. — Ken Johnson, Specialty Screen Printing
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    Printmaking has always defined me, not just screen printing, but I do feel a sense of artistic courage that comes from being a screen printer. To be able to confidently assure someone you can pull of their idea onto a garment makes me feel good. It’s nice to be paid as well, but it’s almost always more rewarding to hear of a job well done. — Maxwell Beehner, Family Industries

  • [Screen printing is better than ever for] so many reasons! Photoshop seps! LED exposure units, the M&R Hothead, computer systems that streamline your production, so many improvements in inks! And for me personally, the best staff ever! — Matthew Pierrot, GetBOLD
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    There are more options in garment choices and decoration methods than ever before. Partner that with the powerful free marketing available via social media to get your message out – there is tons of opportunity out there! — Charlie Vetters, Organic Robot Designs

  • As anything progresses, the more it adapts. [There are] better ways of doing things like ink chemistry, cleaning chemicals, etc. — Shawn LaFave, North Georgia Promotions
  • The very best thing about screen printing was seeing an “A to Z” — the beginning and the end of projects. Although it has many steps to make great product, it is a controllable multi-area quality control capability… I love having many eyes to watch and control quality. — Tracey Johnston-Aldworth, Traces Screen Printing
  • When you deliver a project and you can feel that your customer emotionally connects with the shirts. Taking extra time to find out the story behind the design so that it can be portrayed correctly on the shirts is one of my favorite things about what we get to provide for our customers. — Joe Ortinau, Ortinau Art
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    Being able to connect with peers online has created such a great community and provided the ability to learn from others in the industry. — Elisa Serrano, Don’t Lose Hope Screen Print

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  The constant change in clients [is the best thing about screen printing]. It’s never the same client or project and it keeps it fresh. — Ryan Toney, P&M Apparel

• Compared to just 10 years ago, most shops are using a completely different set of tools, from software and technology to consumables, equipment, and even the substrates being printed. It’s a fantastic new ballgame and gets more exciting every day. — Marshall Atkinson, Atkinson Consulting
• There is such a return to “craft” and custom/local manufacturing that when someone with ideas finds out screen printing is the answer (or one of them) they bring it in – so I see a lot of startups with access to better equipment. Plus, the old standby: innovation. Even as some areas that screen printing invented and built — outdoor advertising, advertising specialties, in-store advertising, textile printing — get overtaken by newer technologies, screen printing still stays useful and has created gigantic markets in industrial manufacturing (solar cells, alternative fuels, batteries, parts labelling and controls), medical devices, testing and sensors, and of course printed electronics and other functional print. — Andy MacDougall, MacDougall Screen Printing
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  Technology keeps getting better and better. — Eric Solomon, Night Owls

• Servo-driven presses [have made a big difference]. — Michael McCall, Chattanooga Labeling Systems
• We like that we can be creative and help others for fundraising needs. Most customers get excited about their apparel. — Jim Heiser, Bullseye Activewear
• I’m still fairly new (I’ve only been involved for six years), but I do think we’re in a bit of revolution with how digital is developing. — Sam Lapcevic, Branded Threads
• I love making friends with my customers and seeing our designs on tees all over town! — Kristin Deutsch, Hair of the Dog Graphics

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