What Is Silk Screening?

Most of us have graphic T-shirts in our closets, but most of us don’t stop to think that they were most likely made through a silk screening process. The silk screen process is where an image is transferred to an item by using woven mesh that supports a stenciled ink block. A large roller or squeegee runs over the mesh in order to push the ink into the threads of the mesh. This allows the images to be transferred to the desired item.

Silk screen printing first appeared during the Song Dynasty in China, which was during the time of 960-1279 CE. The technique would not make its way from Asia to Western Europe until the later years of the 1700s. This was the first time Western Europe learned about this type of stenciling, but it did not gain popularity until much later because silk mesh was sparse. Once the product started surfacing through numerous trades, it became quite popular. This silk screen technique also became popular in Japan. The Japanese used this method along with block printing to make beautiful tapestries and garments, such as printed silk scarves.

When silk screening was first patented by Samuel Simon in 1907, its purpose was to create fine expensive wallpaper. The silk screen printing process for wallpaper was used on many different fabrics. It was used on linens, the material silk and others. The wallpapers were very popular and came in many different patterns and colors. The process was kept very tight-lipped, as many individuals were eager to copy the process so that they too could profit. Eventually, the secret surfaced and the process took off even more. On the market today, items like T-shirts and DVDs have undergone this process.

Looking back at antiques with elaborate designs, they were more than likely hand painted. While many vases and ceramics are still hand painted, many manufacturers mass produce these types of items by using the silk screening process. You can actually find items on the market that are painted by the use of a silk screen. Nowadays, it is highly likely that most hats, CDs and T-shirts have undergone this process.