Brainstorming Ideas - Saving Money on Screenprinted Neck Labels

8861 Views 27 Replies 14 Participants Last post by Skreenprinter, Aug 23, 2014

yoitschase

Discussion Starter · Oct 29, 2008

Hey this is my first post, but I have been reading these forums for daysss, they are a huge help.

Anyways, I am looking for some ideas on how to save money when it comes to screenprinting neck labels. The main dilemma is that each size (s, m, L, etc..) requires making a new screen, thus resulting in 5 extra screen charges. And depending how nice your printer is, sometimes 5 new setup charges as well.

Here are a few ideas we have brainstormed, please help out in creating some quality ideas that can help lower costs.

1. I asked printer if he could put some tape over the other "size letters" (s,m,l,etc.) so that the ink would show through just on the size needed. Tried that, but the ink still bleed through.

2. Perhaps typing out each size.. s | m | L | xl | 2xl
on the label and have them all printed the same. Then afterward using a fabric pen to circle around the appropriate size of the garment. Haven't officially tried this idea but I have a strong feeling it is going to turn out funky looking.

3. I noticed someone from another thread suggested size tabs, that you could possibly sew in. This isn't a bad idea either, but I would rather not have to deal with the sewing and if I'm making a tagless label I might as well keep it all tagless.

4. My printer suggested a basic label graphic with no sizes printed on each garment. That would only be one screen, one setup charge. And then purchasing some small stickers with sizing letters on them that you could put underneath the label. Think new era, but not as ornate, just enough to specify the size to a customer. This idea seems pretty nice, does anyone know a cheap source for stickers like this?

I'm not sure if there is another thread focusing on this topic, if so pleas let me know.

These are just a few ideas we had, but I'm hoping some of you guys might have some interesting ideas as well. I think screenprinted labels allow more customization to the garment and have a nice look, now if we can just figure out how to print just one design for the inside of each shirt, and still be able to distinguish between sizes, we can have that extra customization at a great price as well. Please help me out if you can. Thanks

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Flint54

· #2 · Oct 30, 2008

Just an idea, depending on how many shirts what about gang printing numerous labels for heat transfer? Figure how many you can get on a 12 x 12 inch sheet, I would say close to 80 - 100 per page. Order 30 - 50 sheets each size. That along with a small label heat press and voila. Don't know your status but may be well worth your consideration depending upon quantity etc.

Bob K.

yoitschase

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 30, 2008

Sounds interesting, I was hoping to stick with screen printing methods, but I will look into this and see if maybe this is a good alternative, thanks! any other ideas??

Uncle John

· #4 · Oct 30, 2008

If I read this right, here's what we do. Design your labels in vertical rows by size, S. M L XL ect.
more for popular sizes, Gang them on the release paper you have printed. Cut them and heat press to the shirt. This is only one screen and you save the the rest for later.

yoitschase

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 30, 2008

Hey maybe I am not understanding the whole heat press method, I was under the impression heat pressing and screenprinting are totally different methods. I think heat press is like the blank white shirts labels from costco, the kirkland brand ones. Those are ok but they wash off and peel after a few washes. The screenprinted labels seem to hold there bearings much longer through washes which is why I was going for that method. Maybe I am way off, let me know. thanks for the reply

MentinkiZM

· #6 · Oct 30, 2008

Well... The cheapest I could think of. You make one screen for the tag. It would look something like this;

Awesome Brand
100% Cotton
Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
S M L XL
We are awesome.

Then have them tape off the 3 you don't use. For example, a large shirt they would just tape off the S/M/XL so no ink goes through. Leaving your L. Granted, this means sizes are in different places from left to right, but to save money its not a huge deal, no one will look at your shirt and go "WTF! The Size Is Moved To The Right!"

The screen printer shouldn't charge more for taping off some of the screen, they usually have to do it before screen use anyways around the edges so nothing leaks.

Just an idea.

-MzM

Reactions: 2

yoitschase

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 30, 2008

Yes I had mentioned this idea as well to my printer and figured he could just tape it off like you said. He tried it but said the ink is still slipping under the tape, he's using waterbased/discharge inks. Thanks for the reply, let me know if you have some other suggestions or ideas..

MentinkiZM

· #8 · Oct 30, 2008

Hmmm... Is he taping both sides? Ushualy you can just tape the outside and it will work, but when that leaks taping both sides should work if he is using some good quality tape.

Solmu

· #9 · Oct 30, 2008

yoitschase said:
Hey maybe I am not understanding the whole heat press method, I was under the impression heat pressing and screenprinting are totally different methods.

They are essentially, but you can screenprint to release paper and then use a heat press to transfer just that screenprinted ink to a substrate, which is what people are recommending. It's a fairly good option for neck labels.

yoitschase said:
He tried it but said the ink is still slipping under the tape

Sounds like he might be using masking tape. Regardless, if he can't mask off the screen with tape he's an idiot.

More likely he can but he doesn't want to (I wouldn't want to either, it's more effort than it's worth), so he's spinning you a line.

Flint54

· #10 · Oct 30, 2008

Screen printed heat transfers are made with plastisol inks that are not fully cured. Quality transfers will wear and wash virtually the same as quality screen printing if "Properly" applied. The benefit is that set up charges are less and if you "Gang" like item on one sheet your cost goes way down. Attached are examples in .jpg & .gif of a gang sheet of 3/4" labels. On a 12" x 12" sheet you cna get 144 each of these labels. You can make some rows for small, medium, large, X large, 2X etc to fill up the sheet.

From one source the price for 250/36,000 labels sheets in one color would cost $0.58 per sheet = $145.00 plus a $15.00 set up then shipping. Lets round that off to $180.00 total. This would make your individual label cost a low $.005 each. I do not know what your costs for screen printing these labels is but would figure that it is a bit more than this.

The more sheets you order the lower the cost, i.e. 500 sheets would be $0.43 each with a per label cost of $0.0034 adding an additional $30.00 for setup/shipping.

Additional savings can be realized with some companies as they do not charge set up fees if you are able to do your own artwork that they do not have to redo.

Not pushing you this way but trying to give you the information.

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Dan K

· #11 · Oct 30, 2008

Agreed that if they can't figure out how to tape off the screen you may have some issues with that printer. I would also venture to say that if they said they could print your labels for you they should already have all this figured out, and you should not have to be the person posting up here to figure it out for them...

We print labels on our manual press. We burn 4 different labels (for each size, 5 or 6 respectively as warranted) in each corner of the screen, and print them by size rotating the screen around in the press. We only charge one screen set up and only offer 1 color printed relabels. If the customer is printing say, white labels on black and black labels on white in the same run and the ink needs to be changed, we do charge 4 ink changes for that.

We've also screen printed transfers and done it that way on our hat press, but it has proven way more time efficient to use the sleeve platens on the manual press and print them that way without having to turn the shirt inside out. If you're printing one color in this fashion, we print one shirt at a time, never even rotating the platen carousel...

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Robert H

· #12 · Oct 30, 2008

My suggestion is, find a new screen printer. Your screen printer may not have the knowledge or honesty to help you on this one. I have 8 tags that I have screen printed and its only 1 screen, 1 film and charge per print. All you do is tape over the other tags on the screen when printing.

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yoitschase

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 30, 2008

thanks for the replies, and the information on the heat press method. Our neck labels are about 3.5 inches x 3.5 inches, significantly bigger than the 12x12 sheet labels you posted. Granted, I imagine I would still be saving myself money with this method so I will look into it definitely. My printer is a relatively new business owner, but he does great work with disharge/waterbase ink, and I would like to stay with him. I will relay your guys concerns about him not being able to execute the tape off method, I personally thought this idea would work fine as well and it looks as though you guys think so too. Perhaps he is just trying to be lazy, I'll find out. Solmu your post cracked me up by the way. MZM I will recommend he try taping both sides as well, what type of tape do you recommend ??

INKSCREENS

· #14 · Oct 30, 2008

Your printer should be able to "gang" the screens and should have the knowledge of printing each size without disturbing the other sizes.

It takes longer to gang screens, but it is most cost effective for our customers.

yoitschase

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 30, 2008

Is what you mean by "ganging" spreading out the 5 different labels (s-2xl) on one screen? Thus it should only be charged as a setup for one screen and not 5? And the printer just rotates or lines up the proper size label with the correct sized shirt. How do you get the ink to flood through the right label, and not seep through the other four? Taping off? My printer should have knowledge of this like you said but I am just curious for myself. Thanks Alex

Reactions: 1

splathead

· #16 · Oct 30, 2008 (Edited)

Flint54 said:
Screen printed heat transfers are made with plastisol inks that are not fully cured. Quality transfers will wear and wash virtually the same as quality screen printing if "Properly" applied. The benefit is that set up charges are less and if you "Gang" like item on one sheet your cost goes way down. Attached are examples in .jpg & .gif of a gang sheet of 3/4" labels. On a 12" x 12" sheet you cna get 144 each of these labels. You can make some rows for small, medium, large, X large, 2X etc to fill up the sheet.

From one source the price for 250/36,000 labels sheets in one color would cost $0.58 per sheet = $145.00 plus a $15.00 set up then shipping. Lets round that off to $180.00 total. This would make your individual label cost a low $.005 each. I do not know what your costs for screen printing these labels is but would figure that it is a bit more than this.

The more sheets you order the lower the cost, i.e. 500 sheets would be $0.43 each with a per label cost of $0.0034 adding an additional $30.00 for setup/shipping.

Additional savings can be realized with some companies as they do not charge set up fees if you are able to do your own artwork that they do not have to redo.

Not pushing you this way but trying to give you the information.

Bob, in your image you are still showing each label having S M L XL printed on them.

But the great advantage of ganging images for transfers is you can have the normal one size for each label.

For example let's say you gang 10 labels to a page. And 10% of your normal business is in Smalls, 40% Medium, 20% Large and 30% XL. Well then each of your gang sheet will have 1 Small label, 4 Medium labels, 2 large, and 3 XL.

Chase, stay away from circling sizes on a label with a sharpie. It's tacky.

Reactions: 1

yoitschase

Discussion Starter · #17 · Oct 31, 2008

splathead, ya man, thats why I posted this up. I even experimented with classing it up and using a nice fabric marker and it still looked weak. Do you guys have any reference sites that could maybe walk me through the process of these heat transfers? It seems as though it may be a pretty nice cost effective option.

Solmu

· #18 · Oct 31, 2008

yoitschase said:
Do you guys have any reference sites that could maybe walk me through the process of these heat transfers?

This thread is a good starting point:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/t-shirt-crossover-diary-heat-press-newbie/t13204.html

(ignore the name... it gives more than just a definition

)

jimmybloomfield

· #19 · Oct 31, 2008

Ive just recently set a label screen up for myself and this is how I ganged them,

see attached pic

I had each size put on one screen and rotated them on each edge so all i had to do was rotate the screen and tape off the ones I wasnt using. I just used brown packing tape and this held fine.

I also made a smaller squeege and this worked fine.

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yoitschase

Discussion Starter · #20 · Oct 31, 2008

jimmy, thanks for the visual on thought. I am going to recommend this to my printer and see what he says. Did you not have to print any 2xl's? I am wondering where 2xl might go on the gang sheet.

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