Printing Services
Yardage printing
At Ink & spindle our main focus is yardage screen printing. We have a 10m printing table that allows us to print a repeating pattern down the length of a bolt of fabric. All printing is done by hand without machinery. At this stage we are unable to assist with any placement printing enquiries (tshirts, tote bags, posters etc.)
We use water-based, solvent free inks suitable for most woven & knit fabrics with medium to low stretch. Our pigment inks sit on the surface of the fabric however they are soft and flexible.
Fabric width
Our maximum print width is 150cm. However we can also print down one side of wider sheeting fabrics.
Fabric lengths
Our minimum run length is 5 metres, however we encourage customers to print at least 20m in total to get value out of the screen setup costs. Your fabric will be cut to 10m lengths when printed.
Print quality
As the fabric is hand printed there may be natural variations in the print quality characteristic of this process.
Every new design or basecloth can present unique challenges and a learning experience. For runs of 10m or less, please allow up to 10% wasteage. For larger orders expect 5% or less.
If the print quality is deemed by us to be below these standards you will receive a printing discount, however no compensation can be provided for basecloth.
Screen setup
Each colour separation in your artwork incurs a setup fee. This one-off fee covers film output and screen exposure.
The screen itself remains the property of Ink & Spindle and will be reclaimed if not used for a period of 3 months. Your artwork can be re-exposed onto screen at a later date for a lesser fee.
Artwork must be provided in PDF / Illustrator format ready for film output. See the tutorials section of our website for assistance.
Colour matching & print samples
When choosing colours for your printed artwork, you can make your selection from 950 colours in the Pantone Matching System. You can refer to our in-house swatch book (solid, coated) if you do not have your own.
If required we can provide swatch samples of your colour selection on your chosen basecloth. Colour sampling is highly recommended as Pantone colours often appear different when reproduced on fabric.
Basecloth
Basecloth is not included in our printing charge. You will need to source and supply your own basecloth, however we have a range of suppliers that we can recommend to you, and some standard cloths that we use for our own range. These include cotton, cotton/linen and cotton/hemp blends at around 200gsm.
A full range of sample swatches can be viewed in our studio.
We are currently trying to source a new supplier of organic cotton, hemp or bamboo blend fabrics. We would prefer to purchase from an Australian base supplier or import directly.
Strikeoffs
Upon request, a full strikeoff of your design can be produced for proofing purposes. This usually covers at least 3 repeats of your design. You will need to provide at least 2 additional metres of your fabric for strikeoffs.
Custom designs
Custom pattern-repeat design services can also be provided - either for yardage prints or other purposes. Please contact us directly for an individual quotation.
