Screen printing

It helps that screen printing is a highly versatile printing solution. It is true that it is mostly used for printing T-shirts, but another truth of the matter (which the people who are in the printing industry know) is that it can be used for many other things. Whether it is for printing hats, CDs, DVDs and so on, screenprinting comes out as a printing technology that can be used for a lot of things.
Of course, most other emerging printing techniques can also serve a variety of roles. What makes screen printing special, though, is the fact that in order for you to do something else with it, all that you often have to do is to change the stencils you are using. The basic equipment can be used for pretty much everything. This is hardly the case with the other techniques that are emerging as alternatives to it. With these other ones, time consuming and often painstaking modification of equipment is typically essential, before they can switch from one application to another. Thus, the true versatility associated with screenprinting makes it a highly popular printing solution.

Many players in the printing industry still view screen printing as one of the most cost effective printing technologies. This, especially, has to do with the economical utilization of printing ink it makes possible. There is relatively little wastage in screen printing , especially where it is carried out by experienced people who really know what they are doing.

With regard to cost-effectiveness, the versatility advantage previously mentioned remains another great attraction; because after buying the basic screen printing equipment, all that is required to switch it to other applications is simply changing the stencils used with it. Compare that with the major equipment modification often required to switch the equipment used in the other printing techniques to other printing roles, and you see where cost-effectiveness comes in, as an advantage to do with screenprinting as printing technique.

Even where another (truly) more cost effective printing technique arises, there is always the question of initial investment, with most printers having invested heavily in their screen printing equipment, when screen printing was rocking. This therefore makes them reluctant to switch from screenprinting to those others, for fear of the huge capital outlay doing so would require.

Add all those factors together, and you see why screenprinting remains so widely used, the availability of other printing technologies notwithstanding.

. There is no denying that screenprinting is a technique that often calls for a lot of skilled input, if proper results are to be obtained out of it. Most of the other available printing techniques are less demanding, in terms of required skill sets, when compared to screenprinting. Yet there is also the paradoxical situation where easier as the those other techniques may be, most printing industry veterans (who are the guys who call the shots in the industry) don't know the little that is required to operate these new machines. So they decide to stick with screen printing, which is harder to operate (but which at least they know how to operate), rather than opting for the new printing technologies which are easier (but which they are still not conversant with).

Worth noting in this regard is that the kinds of projects where these technologies are used tend to be sensitive high value projects, where there is simply no room for mistakes. It therefore becomes preferable to stick with screenprinting with which you are completely conversant, than attempt to switch to another funkier technology - and end up making costly mistakes

It also helps that screenprinting is a printing technique that allows for some artistic/direct human input, compared to most of the other available printing techniques that are rather too automated; at least in the view of some printing industry practitioners. To use an analogy, this is the same way that it is possible to very easily produce music with software such as FruityLoops, yet why many musicians still prefer to be making music with instruments such as guitars and pianos. It is all about the artistry, and it matters a great deal. Put another way, it is about the challenge, and the adrenaline rush that comes out of the knowledge of the fact that 'if you get it wrong, your work would be doomed.' This is especially at the points when you are developing the stencils and applying paint to the stencils. In this regard, inkjet printing (widely presented as an alternative to screen printing) is viewed as being too easy to be exciting.

There are those who feel that the printing results that screenprinting makes possible look more authentic than what one can come up with through most of the other available printing techniques. It is not necessarily that they look better. Indeed, their imperfection could be the greatest attraction to them. It is pretty much the same way that music developed with instruments sounds different from music developed with the 'note generation' software. It is also the same way that for some things, manuscripts (writings made by hand) are seen as being more ideal than typed scripts. It is all about authenticity. And it is definitely a major attraction to technologies such as screenprinting.