How to choose a screen printer

Finding a good screen printer can be a tricky proposition. Everyone has specific aspects that are more important to them than others. Without further ado I present the bullet points, in somewhat particular order:

Price: The reality is that everyone has a budget and finding a screen printer within yours should be a primary concern. It’s recommended to get 3-6 quotes and then compare, if you have the time. If you do not, get a recommendation and go with that if the price is about right. If the prices from your quotes vary wildly then price takes on more importance in your decision. If, however, the pries are in the same ball park then the rest of this list gains importance. One note on price: make sure to figure out the TOTAL price from each shop as some businesses include fees and charges in their pricing while others keep them as separate line items.

Quality: There are so many good screen printing shops that there is no excuse for not getting quality. Determining who does quality can come from a variety of places: personal referrals, testimonials, online or (ideally) in-person samples. Keep in mind that different shops have different areas of expertise. Some are great for more artistic work or hard-to-find shirts while other excel at producing high-volume orders cheaply.

Customer Service: This is important in any industry but especially so in screen printing. There are so many factors in each order that the importance of having good communication is magnified. You want to find a screen printer that you can trust to meet the job completion date and job expectations.

Proximity: Having a local shop do your printing is a good way to tackle a few of the features detailed in this post. Local screen printers are easier to communicate with, view samples and gauge reputation in the community. There are so many screen printers that finding one local, no matter where you live, should not be a big problem. In Boston alone there are dozens to choose from. Sometimes using a local printer can boost the profile of your product. Evan Webster Ink printed t-shirts for a local fundraising job. Using a local printer went along with the community-focused fundraising itself and added value to the product.