How To Correctly Do Screen Printing On Plastic Bags At Home?

Plastic bags have become a household item. They are just everywhere you turn from schools to homes to shops and malls. One thing about this type of bag is that they can be made based on screen printing on plastic bags at your home.

These days, most shops, malls, and boutiques use a custom bag for packaging. The bags are made in beautiful and unique shapes and forms with their logos printed on them. They can be a form of marketing strategy as people generally get interested in appealing and attractive things.

How to print on plastic bags is an easy task. It is something that you can do from the comfort of your home. Small businesses and companies usually have a limited budget, so this will serve as a cost-effective method.

In this write-up, we will talk about how to correctly do screen printing on plastic bags at home? and give you the step-by-step process involved in doing so. Cool, right? Read on to find out more.

How many methods are there for screen printing on plastic bags?

There are different methods for printing on bags, and it is only appropriate when general principles are guiding the whole process. These are:

Decide on the way you want to use, the number of bags, colors, and the type of print required
Make sure that the size of the bag fits the printing surface for better results
Do not mix colors and dyes for a single print
Ensure you use one method all through, i.e., do not start using one way then switch to another while making a print
Select the colors you want to use early
When someone else is printing for you, send the design early to allow them ample time to prepare

Which printing type is best for printing on plastic bags?

They are numerous ways that you can print on plastic bags. Some will require rigorous and demanding steps, while others are simpler. We will give a brief overview of a few of them below:

01. Long Run Printing

This form of printing allows you to print a stretch of bags at a time. You do not have to do each bag at a time.

Flexography is the most common form of this type of printing. Using this method, you can print both images and write on bags. It makes use of flexible printing plates and steel cylinders to achieve a bright and vibrant print.

02. Short Run Printing

In this method, you can only print on one bag at a time. They are mostly used when fewer bags are to be printed on. Examples include:

Post Printing

It is a form of short-run printing that requires you to have an already made plastic bag. It can print using two colors and is only suitable for small quantities of bags.

Hot Stamping

This is another of such printing methods. It is similar to post-printing such that you can only print one bag at a time and it also requires readymade bags. The difference, however, is that this process makes use of stamp to print on the bags.

Screen Printing

Which is our main concern in this article is also a short run print. It is an effective way of printing on plastics bags, especially when working with a small number of bags.

Although you can only print one bag at a time, screen printing is fast and can make a large number of bags in a short time. It makes use of stenciled screens in the printing hence the name.

A primary advantage

One primary advantage of this process is that it is straightforward and can even be used on recycled bags to produce bright prints. It does require a certain level of mastery for the best results.

How to Print on Plastic Bags Properly?

Screen printing is a manual way of printing on flat surfaces that produce a perfect outcome. It is a cost-effective way of transferring ink to a bag using a mess to create a design.

To make this type of print, you will need the following items:

Plastic bag (stretched with no crease)
Stenciled screen
Squeegee
Framed screen
Plastic knife
Inks
Popsicle sticks
Cardboard paper
Photo emulsion liquid mixed with sanitizer
Latex gloves
Dark-room
Plastic canvas
250 watts bulb

When you get all the materials needed, Follow the following process to achieve the perfect screen prints:

The first thing you do is fix your frame on a screen. If you don’t have a frame, you will need to create one. Ensure you use durable materials like wood or aluminum for a sturdy design
Create the design you will want to print on the bag. This can be done using any of the many design software out there. The common ones are Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator
Transfer the design to a heat transfer vinyl. Designs with straight lines are easier to transfer
Scrutinize the design for any mistakes. When you are satisfied with your output, cut the design on the stencil
Soak the stencil with the sanitizer mixed emulsion. Now you are ready to start printing
Line your already stretched plastic bags on a surface. Place cardboards into them. This will stop the ink from soiling the other side of the bag
Place the stencil on the spot you want the print to appear using colored tape to ensure that they are stable
Pour the ink onto the stencil using a popsicle stick. Now, use the squeegee to spread the ink evenly on the bag while making gentle back and forth motion. By doing this, the design is transferred to the bag
Gently lift off the stencil to examine the print on the plastic bag. If the print is not well transferred, place the stencil back, and repeat the previous step
However, if the design was transferred correctly, remove the stencil and place it aside. Place on canvas and rinse out with water
Now proceed to place the bag on a surface with dry air. Alternatively, you can use a blow dryer to fasten the drying
When it is adequately dried, cross-check to be sure the design is transferred correctly
Now pick another bag and start all over

Note that,

For better results, make sure you print only one color. Also, ensure you use contrasting colors. For instance, when printing on black, use white and reverse
Always use black ink when using a transparent paper
When cutting the stencil, ensure you only cut out the white part

Standard Terms That You Should Know

If you are going to be making screen prints, they are a few terms you should be familiar with. Some of them are:

Printing Plates

These are used when customizing plastic bags, and their size depends on the bags you intend to use. When properly managed, you can make use of your plates for up to three years.

Registered Printing

When you want to have uniform bags, that is, bags whose printed design is on the same spot, that is what registered printing is about. It is not a complicated process. All you need to do is to use the same plate size on a similar bag. You can also mark the exact spots on all bags just so the design is on the precise place.

Random Printing

This is another common term in the printing industry. It refers to the type of printing where a design appears on a different part of the bag. The position is not necessarily the same and is determined by the kind of bag, i.e., if the bag is a slide or a bottom seal.

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Conclusion

In the end, knowledge is only useful when you put it to use. So you can only acknowledge whether you have learned or not when you try. If you are afraid it is not going to come out well, remember that practice makes perfect.

Irrespective of your reason for wanting to learn how to make screen prints at home is, make sure to follow this guide to get the perfect outcome.

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How to Correctly Do Screen Printing on Plastic Bags at Home?