Have you ever created a design so awesome that you wanted to print it larger than life?

If so, large format screen printing is for you. BTW, there are lots of other reasons why you might want to print a massive design on a shirt. Maybe you’re printing for a group, or perhaps you just want to make a statement with your custom apparel. Whatever the reason, you can’t go wrong with large format screen printing.

What is large format screen printing?

Large format screen printing is simply the process of printing giant designs on t-shirts (or other garments) using a screen printing machine.

Sounds pretty simple, right?

Well, there’s a little bit more to it than that.

Why large format screen printing is special

Not many screen printing companies offer it.

Most screen printing companies have a max print size of 14″ x 17.” That’s because most screen printing machines are only built to accommodate that size.

But we’re not most screen printing companies.

At Scrappy Apparel, we have large format screen printing capabilities. Our machines can accommodate prints up to 20″ x 28″ (and maybe even larger if you choose all over screen printing).

So, if you’re looking to print your design big, you know who to call.

The benefits of large format screen printing

Some of the perks are obvious, but others are not. Here are a few benefits of large format screen printing:

• Print massive designs: Large format screen printing allows you to create designs that are up to 2x larger than what you could achieve with a standard screen printing machine. This means your design will be more visible and eye-catching.
• Make a splash: Not only will your design be more visible, but it will also have a bigger impact. A large design on a t-shirt is sure to turn heads and get people talking.
• Get shirts for the whole gang: If you’re printing for a large group, large format screen printing is the way to go. It will allow you to print all the shirts you need in one go, which is much more efficient (and cost-effective) than printing smaller batches.
• Get the most bang for your buck: Large format screen printing is a great way to get maximum impact without breaking the bank.

If you want to ensure that your large format screen printing project turns out looking amazing, keep reading—because this is about to get good.

The different types of large format screen printing

Of course, we’re always going to go big or go home—but exactly how big do you want to go?

That will determine the type of large format screen printing you choose. Here are your options:

• Oversize screen printing: 16 x 20 inches
• Jumbo screen printing: 17 x 22 inches
• Monster screen printing: 20 x 28 inches
• All over screen printing: Your entire garment from seam to seam!

Here are a few tips to get head-turning, WOW-worthy results with your large format screen printing project:

Make sure your design is ready for the big screen.

Not the kind you’re thinking of.

We’re talking about making sure your design is large enough and has enough detail to look great printed large.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people try to print a design that’s too small or doesn’t have enough interest.

When in doubt, go bigger. Your large format screen printing project will thank you for it.

Choose your color palette carefully.

You might not realize this at first, but large format screen printing can be quite limiting when it comes to color.

In general, screen printing works best for designs that only have a few colors in them. Printing fewer colors will also help you save on production costs.

Worried that your large format screen printing project will be too boring with only a few colors? Don’t be. When it comes to color, less can be more.

But if you’re dead set on printing a design with every color in the rainbow, large format screen printing might not be the best option for you.

Use contrast strategically in your design.

The human eye has a hard time processing large amounts of information at once.

To make your large format screen printing project more readable (and therefore more effective), use contrast strategically in your design.

For example, you could use a light color on a dark shirt or vice versa.

Or, you could use a large block of color to break up a busy design.

No matter what, just make sure your design has enough contrast—or else people will quickly lose interest.

Think about the bigger picture—literally and figuratively.

Well, for starters, take a step back and look at your design from a distance.

This will help you see things that you might not have noticed when you were up close and personal with your design.

Are your colors too bright? Can you actually read the text? Are the proportions of your design on point?

All of these are valid concerns that you might not notice until you take a step back—literally and figuratively.

Use luxury-level, vibrant inks.

This is especially important if you’re printing on a dark garment.

You want to make sure your design pops, so use inks that are rich and colorful, like they were birthed from the rainbow itself.

At Scrappy Apparel, we use the highest quality inks on all of our large format screen printing projects.

We want your design to look amazing, so we make sure to use inks that will make your colors pop—no matter what color garment you’re printing on.

Choose an all-over print.

Large format screen printing is the perfect opportunity to go all out with your design.

An all-over print is exactly what it sounds like—a design that covers the entire garment from top to bottom and side to side.

All-over prints are attention-grabbing and sure to turn heads, so if you want to make a statement, this is the way to go.

Keep your typography size in mind.

With large format screen printing, you have the opportunity to go big with your typography—but that doesn’t mean you should.

Sizing your text correctly is important, no matter what size your garment is.

Creating your text to be too large will make it look childish, but sizing it too small will make it hard to read. Our team can advise you on the best font size for your design based on the printing size you choose.

Give your design some breathing room.

Suffocating your design with too much text or too many elements will make it look cluttered and busy.

Large format screen printing gives you the opportunity to spread out your design, so take advantage of that!

Give your artwork some breathing room by leaving empty space around the edges. This will make your design look clean and polished.

Create your design with large format screen printing in mind.

The best way to get amazing results with large format screen printing is to seed your design with it in mind from the very beginning.

Think about how your design will look printed large—and make sure it’s ready for its close-up before you even start screen printing.

It’s important to consider perspective as well. Crowded designs often don’t scale well, so it’s helpful to create a design with large format screen printing in mind from the beginning.

Screen print on an ultra-soft, wearable garment.

Large format screen printing is all about making a big impact, so you want to make sure you’re using a high-quality garment that won’t fall apart after a few washes.

At Scrappy Apparel, we source the best materials in the world, like our Peruvian Pima Cotton, to use for our garments. Shirts made from this top-of-the-line cotton are silky soft, yet durable.

Shirts made from our Peruvian Pima Cotton are the perfect candidates for large format screen printing.

They’re soft, comfortable, and will last wash after wash—so you can enjoy your tyrannosaurus-sized print for years to come.

Use equipment that can handle large format prints without breaking a sweat.

Trying to print large format designs on a small-scale screen printing press is a recipe for disaster.

You want to make sure you’re using equipment that’s large and powerful enough to handle your design without any problems.

Even if you’re into DIY screen printing, we don’t recommend taking on a large format project on your own. And unless your local print shop has specialized equipment to print huge designs, they may not be able to execute your project well either.

At Scrappy Apparel, we use SROQUE Technology (a.k.a. some of the most cutting-edge machinery on the market). Our top-of-the-line equipment can handle oversized prints with ease, so you can rest assured that your large format screen printing project will go off without a hitch.

Unexpected large format screen printing challenges and how to overcome them

Like anything in life, large format screen printing comes with its own set of challenges. Here are a few you might encounter—and how to overcome them.

The design is too small for the shirt.

Designs often don’t look proportionate when they’re printed on an oversized garment, so it’s important to resize your design accordingly.

If you’re not sure how to resize your design, our team can help! We’ll make sure your large format screen printing project looks like a dream.

Oversized prints can be tricky to register.

When you’re printing large designs, it’s important to make sure each color is perfectly aligned. Oversized designs can be difficult to line up correctly, but our team of experts has years of experience printing large format designs. We’ll make sure your design is perfectly registered so it looks flawless.

You might need more ink than you think.

When you’re printing large, your ink needs will be different than when you’re printing small. Oversized designs often require more ink to get full coverage, so it’s important to take that into account when you’re budgeting for your project.

Our large format screen printing process

Now that you know what type of large format screen printing you want, it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of how it works. Here’s a quick overview:

1. You request your free quote from us.

Just like magic—within 24 business hours, you’ll receive a detailed estimate. Totally free, no strings attached.

2. You’ll meet your Scrappy Sales Rep, who will finalize your project details.

Larger-than-life prints need some extra TLC. We’ll work with you to make sure every detail of your project is perfect. If you’re not sure what size or level of detail to go with, don’t worry—your Scrappy Sales Rep will help you decide.

3. We’ll reveal your pre-production layouts that show exactly how your design will look when it’s printed.

This is a crucial step in the process because t-shirts are like canvases—and we want to make sure your large format screen printing project looks exactly the way you envisioned it. We’ll work together to make sure your design is on point before it goes to print.

4. We’ll produce your order and ship it straight to your door

Once your order is complete, we’ll fold it, polybag it, and package it up. T-shirts that are large and in charge deserve the royal treatment, which is why we take extra care when shipping large format screen printing orders.

Ready to choose us to be your large format screen printing partners?

At Scrappy Apparel, we specialize in oversize, jumbo, monster, and all over screen printing.

If you’re looking for a team of experts to help you with your next big project, look no further than Scrappy Apparel. We have the experience, equipment, and passion to execute large format screen printing projects flawlessly—and we’re always up for a challenge.

We’ll treat your large format screen printing project like the WOW-worthy event it is. It’s not every day that you get to print large—so when you do, make sure to do it right.

Let’s get started: Grab Your Free Quote