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Why You Shouldn’t Try to Screenprint Your Own Merch (Even Though You Technically Could)

Posted by Derek Drifmeyer on

Why You Shouldn’t Try to Screenprint Your Own Merch (Even Though You Technically Could)

Screenprinting is one of those things that looks simple from the outside — throw some ink on a screen, press it down, and boom: a shirt. With enough YouTube tutorials and a cheap starter kit, a lot of people think, “Hey, I could probably do this myself.”

And to be fair…
You can.

But should you?

Probably not — and here’s why.

You Already Have a Business to Run

Whether you're a band gearing up for a tour, a small business trying to grow, or a brand preparing for your next drop, you’ve got enough on your plate.

Designing merch is exciting.
Printing it yourself?
That’s a whole separate business.

Running your actual business (or rehearsing, booking shows, shipping orders, or managing customers) is already a full-time job. Adding screenprinting on top of that is like saying:

“I’m opening another business today.”

Even if you could save a few dollars, what is your time worth?

Screenprinting Isn’t Hard — Until It Is

The basics are easy to understand. The execution, however, is where people hit a wall.

Professional-level screenprinting requires:

  • Perfectly coated screens

  • Accurate exposure times

  • Clean, crisp stencil burns

  • Even ink coverage

  • Consistent pressure

  • Temperature-controlled curing

  • A dust-free, humidity-controlled workspace

  • Equipment that won’t fight you every step of the way

This is why so many DIY kits lead to:

  • ink bleeding

  • fuzzy lines

  • underexposed screens

  • overexposed screens

  • muddied colors

  • peeling prints

  • crooked placements

  • shirts that wash out after two or three cycles

None of this feels good when you’re trying to represent your brand.

Coating & Burning Screens Is a Precise Art

Here’s the part nobody tells beginners:

The entire print depends on how well the screen was prepared.

If the emulsion is too thick, too thin, uneven, contaminated, or dried poorly…
Your entire print fails.

Burn the screen wrong by even a few seconds?
The details blow out or never wash out at all.

It’s one of the most delicate parts of screenprinting, and it requires experience, proper equipment, and a controlled environment.

This is why professionals obsess over screens — and why DIY setups almost always struggle.

Cheap Equipment Makes Everything 10× Harder

Sure, you can buy a $150 press on Amazon.
But here’s the truth:

Cheap equipment = inconsistent results.

Low-end presses drift out of alignment.
Exposure bulbs are too weak.
Dryers don’t actually cure ink.
Screens warp.
Clamps slip.
Registration is never perfect.

Even if your art is great, the equipment will fight you at every step.

Professionals invest thousands — sometimes tens of thousands — into:

  • micro-registration presses

  • consistent LED exposure units

  • high-quality screens

  • professional-grade inks

  • conveyor dryers that cure evenly

  • clean rooms

  • humidity control systems

You’re not just buying a shirt from us — you’re benefiting from years of refining this entire setup.

We’ve Been Doing This for Years — So You Don’t Have To

We’ve already:

  • dialed in exposure times

  • learned the quirks of different inks

  • figured out the best shirt blanks

  • solved registration challenges

  • mastered color mixing

  • optimized curing temperatures

  • upgraded equipment over and over

You get flawless prints because we’ve put in the years of trial and error so you don’t have to.

Yes, You Might Save a Few Dollars — But at What Cost?

DIY printing can save money at first glance.

But when you factor in:

  • the equipment

  • the learning curve

  • wasted shirts

  • wasted screens

  • wasted ink

  • failed exposures

  • time spent troubleshooting

  • time spent redoing prints

  • time spent cleaning everything

  • time not spent on your actual business

…it stops being “cheap” very fast.

And again: what is your time worth?

If you’re a business owner, creator, or touring band, your time is better spent doing what you’re actually great at — not trying to become a full-time print shop.

Focus on What You Do Best — We’ll Handle the Printing

Let us worry about:

  • coating screens

  • burning screens

  • dialing in colors

  • curing temperatures

  • consistency from shirt to shirt

  • getting your order shipped where it needs to be

And you can focus on:

  • booking your next gig

  • running your business

  • creating new products

  • planning your tour

  • growing your audience

  • managing customers

Screenprinting is doable.
But you’ve probably got bigger things to do.

Let us take care of the messy, precise, time-consuming part — and you can keep building the thing you’re actually passionate about.

👉 Need high-quality screenprinted merch without the headache? Get in touch:
Contact us

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