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2024

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Best Screen Printing Services in Washington DC

Our Recommended Top 6

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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Washington DC Screen Printing Services on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

138Reviewed

85Curated

6Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

Woodbridge, VA 22191

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (38)

Why choose this provider?

Rogers Screen Printing delivers exceptional service and top-quality printed apparel at affordable prices. The Washington D.C.-area business has been providing customers with excellence in screen printing for nearly 40 years. The company offers a variety of quality sportswear and apparel items from top name brand manufacturers like Jerzees and Gildan. Rogers Screen Printing also offers vinyl names and numbers suitable for shirts and sports jerseys. The business maintains state-of-the-art equipment and uses only the highest quality inks for top-notch results. Customers can rely on Rogers Screen Printing to meet or exceed expectations on every printed hoodie, t-shirt, polo shirt, and more.

Arlington, VA 22203

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.2 (11)
Yelp
5.0 (8)

Why choose this provider?

ASAP Screen Printing has been serving Washington D.C.-area customers with quality printing and silk screening services for over 30 years. Customers can rely on the business to deliver high-quality products and services at the best possible prices. Knowledgeable professionals are on hand to answer any questions regarding product selection and custom graphic design. ASAP Screen Printing maintains state-of-the-art equipment to produce a full complement of offset printing services. The business can fulfill a range of needs including bindery, finishing, lamination, and full color or black and white printing. Highly trained staff can produce a range of products for business and personal use including brochures, catalogs, newsletters, letterhead, envelopes, flyers, and much more. ASAP Screen Printing uses only the highest quality ink to deliver top-notch results on all printable products.

Alexandria, VA 22312

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

BLT Shirt Printers has been providing quality custom screen printing and embroidery for 30 years. The Washington D.C.-area business specializes in printing everything from family reunion shirts to custom uniforms in all sizes for business or special celebrations. Customers can rely on the company to deliver the latest shirt styles and the coolest fabrics. BLT Shirt Printers only use the highest quality apparel products, inks, and threads to customize customer orders. The company maintains sophisticated multi-color presses and state-of-the-art machines to create the latest upscale looks with custom screen printing and embroidery. BLT Shirt Printers has expert designers on staff with extensive experience in fine art and graphic design. Friendly and knowledgeable staff stands ready to serve businesses, governments, non-profit organizations, schools, clubs, and many others with every custom screen printing and embroidery need.

Columbia, MD 21045

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
4.7 (30)
Google
4.0 (29)
Yelp
3.0 (6)

Why choose this provider?

Nightmare Graphics has been a go-to source for quality screen and promotional item printing services for more than 30 years. The Washington D.C.-area company has BBB accreditation and commits to providing the highest level of service and satisfaction for every job. Nightmare Graphics specializes in screen printing, embroidery, dye-sublimation, and printing promotional products. Businesses, schools, sports leagues, churches, and many other types of organizations rely on the company to deliver quality apparel and items to promote business brands and events. Quality control is of utmost importance, and Nightmare Graphics uses many industry-leading brands on which to print. The company maintains an expansive 30,000 square foot facility with advanced technology capable of fulfilling orders of all sizes. There are infinite options for brands, styles, colors, and sizes from which customers can choose. Nightmare Graphics employs talented graphic artists dedicated to creating and preparing all types of artwork necessary for printing projects.

Sterling, VA 20164

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (232)
Yelp
5.0 (12)

Why choose this provider?

Studio One Screen Printing & Embroidery has been serving Washington D.C.-area customers for nearly 15 years. The family owned business runs a full-service print organization with all work done in-house to ensure superior quality. The company has the dedicated personnel and state-of-the-art equipment to custom print a range of apparel items including t-shirts, polo shirts, pants, shorts, hoodies, dress shirts, as well as pet tees and vests. Studio One Screen Printing & Embroidery only uses apparel products from top name brand manufacturers like American Apparel, Hanes, Jerzees, Gildan, and Champion. Quality is a top priority, and the business employs professional screen printers to inspect every item for any inconsistencies in the final product. The company maintains an industrial level capacity to produce thousands of pieces to meet the needs of volume ordering clients. Studio One Screen Printing & Embroidery currently serves more than 40 private label clothing companies that require a discerning screen printing provider able to adhere to specific requirements. Customers can count on the business to deliver the highest quality product and exceptional service on print jobs of all sizes.

Capitol Heights, MD 20743

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

Place 4 Print provides quality custom t-shirts, embroidery, and promotional items at affordable prices. The Washington D.C.-area business specializes in offering everything necessary for businesses, churches, schools, and sports teams to promote brands and events. Place 4 Print keeps thousands of quality shirts in stock by leading manufacturers, and can complete any job from large bulk orders to even a single shirt. Customers can rely on the company to have the latest in hats, bags, pens, and other apparel and promotional gift items. Customer satisfaction and product quality are top priorities at Place 4 Print. Service is helpful and fast with no setup fees. The business keeps customer costs low by managing the entire printing process in-house. Knowledgeable printing professionals use the latest printing technology to achieve multi-color printing and hard wearing high-quality LED printing, which offers benefits over vinyl such as no color limits and calculations, no minimums to order, durability, and no cracking before wearing.

Compare our Top Screen Printing Services

NameExpertise RatingAddressPromotionsLearn more
Rogers Screen Printing
Woodbridge, VA 22191
ASAP Screen Printing
Arlington, VA 22203
BLT Shirt Printers
Alexandria, VA 22312
Nightmare Graphics
Columbia, MD 21045
Studio One Screen Printing & Embroidery
Sterling, VA 20164
Place 4 Print
Capitol Heights, MD 20743

FAQs

  • What is screen printing?

    Screen printing is a method of applying graphics to a T-shirt. It typically involves layering thick inks onto the shirt's surface instead of soaking them into the fabric. Screen printing is also sometimes called silk screening.

    Since screen printing generally uses thicker inks, this type of fabric printing is usually better for graphics with one or two colors. If you have more complicated, colorful graphics, direct to garment printing, or DTG, may be a better option.

    Major fabric printing methods include:

    • Screen printing or silk screening

    • Direct to garment printing

    • Stamp printing

    • Thermal transfer printing

    • Sublimation transfer printing

  • How does screen printing work?

    Screen printing works by using a silkscreen with an exposed design. Ink is swiped across the screen with a squeegee tool, and this action sends the ink design through the screen and onto the T-shirt.

    When graphics are printed onto a T-shirt using screen-printing techniques, the colors are sometimes allowed to dry between color applications, and subsequent colors are printed with another screen after the T-shirt is realigned on the press.


  • What is silk-screen printing?

    Traditionally, screen printing has been called silk-screen printing because originally, silk was the primary material used in the process. The mesh portion of the screen was made of silk. In modern times, synthetic threads are commonly used in the silk-screening process, with polyester being one of the most popular choices. Nylon and stainless steel are also used in some screen-printing applications.


  • How do I start screen printing?

    If you want to try screen printing at home, you can do it with a little bit of practice and some basic materials. To get started with screen printing, you may need:

    • A screen, usually made of polyester

    • Photo emulsion

    • A 150W light bulb

    • A screen-printing squeegee

    • Fabric paint

    • Two pieces of glass

  • How can I print T-shirts?

    To print T-shirts at home, you can try the screen-printing method described above. To print a lot of shirts, you may consider using a screen-printing company.

    While the exact steps and process varies by company, in general, you can expect to provide the T-shirt company with your desired design, either electronically or in person. You can choose other options, and the screen-printing company typically sends you a mock-up of what the finished design will look like; Then, after you approve it, they produce it according to your specifications.


  • How can I make a custom T-shirt?

    If you'd rather not go the screen-printing route, you can customize T-shirts in other ways.

    • Heat transfers, which involve using a printing machine and heat press machine to transfer designs to fabric

    • Embroidery, which involves intricate stitching using thread and special needles

    • Direct to garment (DTG) digital printing, a process that uses a special inkjet printer with special ink to print designs onto the fabric directly

    • Engraved roller printing, a process that involves dye being applied to fabric that’s passed through rollers engraved with designs in a printing machine

  • How do I design a T-shirt?

    When you design a T-shirt, there are a lot of factors to consider. Most of the time, screen-printing companies will ask you to submit a high-resolution file of the design you want printed. Sometimes, the company has in-house graphic designers who can create a design for you based on your specifications or ideas.

    Here are a few suggestions for optimizing your T-shirt design:

    • Ensure any text is readable, and you can do this by selecting the right fabric and paint color combination

    • Consider creating a contrast between your chosen T-shirt color and the screen-printing ink

    • Make sure the type size is big enough to read from a distance