Adding glitter to a print design intstantly elevates its value and fashion appeal. Any printer should incorporate glitter in their offering, as it is simple to print. Many start-up printers are unsure of how to print glitter or how to get the best results.
Here are some simple tips and tricks to use as a guide when printing glitter:
Choose to cover larger portions of a design element with glitter rather than design parts with fine lines or small details.
Use a low mesh count. Check your ink manufacturer’s recommendation on which mesh size they recommend. Shimmers typically use smaller-sized flakes than glitter, but each manufacturer is different.
Be sure to build up a thick emulsion layer on the shirt side to allow for a thicker deposit of the glitter flakes. This will help in preventing “bald spots” of glitter. Don’t skip this important step as it will “make or break” the success of the print.
Use a soft squeegee, 60 durometers, to allow a thicker deposit of the glitter ink onto the substrate.
After its run through the dryer, make sure to test that the entire layer is evenly cured. Glitter flakes reflect heat, so depending on the type of dryer and temperature setting, you probably will need to increase the dwell time in the dryer to assure that the entire layer is cured.
In Part 1 of this series, step-by-step techniques were listed for everything from press setup to preparing pallets and applying pallet adhesive. In Part 2, we'll start with emulsion practices and sufficient coverage on screens.
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