Frequently Answered Questions

Screen Printing vs. Digital Printing

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Do digital stickers fade outside? I’ve heard they do.

• Water based inks used on some digital stickers fade fairly quick, but the solvent based inks we use do not. Car wraps are digitally printed, and that’s about as outside as you can get. They last for years, like our stickers.

 

Do screen printed stickers last longer than digitally printed ones?

• That depends. There are some specialty screen printing inks used for aerospace and military applications designed to last decades. However, most commerical screen printers use UV inks which can fade or become muted at about the same rate as digitally printed ones, 2-5 years. The key factors are the colors used, if it's used indoor or outdoor, and the stickers relation to direct sun light.

 

Does a UV clear coat prevent fading?

• This is a common question. Most sticker companies use UV inks meaning they are UV cured not 100% UV sun protected like sunscreen. UV clear coats help extend outdoor durability, but they are not designed to provide permanent UV sun protection.

 

What’s better, screen printed or digitally printed stickers?

• They both serve different needs. Digitally printed stickers are great for short runs, graphics so detailed that screen printing cannot hold the quality, quick turn times, and large format short runs like car wraps and window graphics. Screen printing is perfect for the higher volume runs or when specialty materials are needed.

• Screen printing requires a screen for every color. If you have a six color run, that’s six screens, six films, and six times through the press. Digital prints in four color process so it only requires one time though. However, digital printing has a drawback, it’s a slower process. So, if you need 1000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 stickers digital may not be as cost effective. That’s where screen printing comes in. It’s perfect for the longer runs because sheets fly through the press at about 1,000+ sheets per hour where as digital may be 20 per hour. In general, screen printing becomes more cost effective above 500 stickers, but there are a lot of other variables. We’ll help you decide....we do both.

 

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18435 Bandilier Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Ph: (714) 964-1230  ~  Fax: (714) 964-1231

www.specializedscreenprinting.com  

       ~ Established 1998 ~