Type of screen printing screen

Polyester screen printing mesh fabric is enjoyed by many home hobbyists. But as a commercial and industrial printing method, it's a multibillion-dollar business. Although the process is now called "silk screen printing," as silk fabric for printing screens was replaced by polyester in the 1950s, the process is still commonly known as "silk screening."

Many beginners end up purchasing the wrong material, or mesh, for the job, resulting in bad prints and consequent frustration. But choosing the right mesh can be accomplished with a bit of painless education.

Plain-weave, monofilamant polyester mesh is the type used by professional screen printers. It is relatively inexpensive, durable, easy to work with, and provides excellent print quality. Avoid twill-weave mesh, as it tends to hold more ink within the threads and transfers less ink to the item. Multifilament mesh may seem like a bargain, but it is coarse and does not provide the fine detail demanded of some print designs. Multifilament also tends to lose tension faster than a properly stretched monofilament mesh.