From what quantity does screen printing on bags become cost-effective?

We offer screen printing on paper bags as standard in quantities ranging from 100 to 1,000 pieces, which is ideal for smaller online shops and one-off events. For cotton bags and rucksacks, the minimum order quantity is even lower – we can print orders from as little as 30 pieces.

How long does it take to produce bags with screen-printed designs?

The standard production time is approximately one week, outside the peak Christmas season. If you need the bags sooner, we also offer an express printing service with delivery within 3 days.

Why is a vector logo required for screen printing?

Screen printing requires a separate screen for each colour in the logo, which is produced on the basis of precise curves (vectors). If you only have a bitmap image, our graphic designer will vectorise it to ensure the final print on the bag is sharp and precise.

Is it possible to print a photograph onto a bag using screen printing?

Screen printing is ideal for flat graphics such as logos and text, but it is not the best choice for photographs – they have to be rasterised and the result will not be as fine as with digital printing. If you need to print a photograph, we recommend digital printing instead.

Why is there a charge for screen printing set-up even for repeat orders?

For capacity reasons, screen printing screens are not kept in stock – after each job, they are stripped and cleaned for reuse. This means we have to produce the printing plate from scratch even when a repeat order is placed for the same design.

What is the difference between screen printing on laminated and cotton bags?

With luxury laminated bags, the ink is cured in a UV tunnel after printing; as a result, the process is more complex and, during the peak season, we only offer single-sided printing. With cotton bags, the ink is partially absorbed into the fibres, creating a more natural and durable finish than digital transfer (DTF).

Screen printing: A timeless star in bag printing

Do you want your printed paper bags to look absolutely perfect, but find yourself a bit lost when it comes to the technical terms? Don’t worry, that’s what we’re here for. Choosing the right technology is the key to success. If you’re after rich colours and a luxurious look, and you’re opting for a premium drawstring bag, screen printing should be your obvious choice. In this article, we’ll explain why this method never goes out of fashion, where it excels, and what to look out for when preparing your print files.

What actually is screen printing?

Screen printing is one of the oldest and at the same time one of the most universal printing technologies in the world. Even in today's digital age, it has its irreplaceable place in the production of promotional bags.

The principle of the technology (Step by step):

Simply put, screen printing works on the principle of pushing ink through a stencil.

1. Screen preparation: A photosensitive emulsion is applied to a frame with a fine mesh stretched over it.

2. Exposure: Using UV light and a film, the design is transferred onto the screen. Where the design was, the emulsion is rinsed out with water, creating "open" areas through which the ink can flow.

3. The printing itself: The bag is placed under the screen, ink is applied, and using a squeegee (a rubber scraper), the ink is pushed through the screen directly onto the paper bag.

4. Drying and curing: On luxury bags with lamination, the ink dries in a UV tunnel. On bags without lamination, the ink soaks into the structure of the paper and curing happens naturally.

Did you know that modern screen printing was made especially famous by Andy Warhol? His famous portraits of Marilyn Monroe were created using precisely this technique. What he did as art, we do for your brands – with an emphasis on precision and richness of colors.

Why choose screen printing specifically? (Key features)

1. Unrivaled richness and coverage

Screen printing applies a much thicker layer of ink than offset or digital printing. This makes the colors vibrant, rich, and perfectly opaque. If you have a black or dark blue bag and want a bright white logo on it, screen printing is the only way to ensure the background doesn't show through.

2. Metallic colors: Gold and silver with a metallic shine

Screen printing loves specialties. As one of the few technologies, it allows printing with metallic inks that contain tiny metal particles.

Silver: With us, it's included in the printing free of charge.

Gold: Looks incredibly luxurious (it comes at an extra cost depending on the size of the design).

3. Tactile experience

The layer of ink can be felt by touch on the paper. When you run your finger over the logo, you can feel its texture, which subconsciously increases the perceived value of the whole gift bag.

TIsk ExtraTWIST black — Double-sided printing of a black ExtraTwist 24x11x33 bag.

Advantages and disadvantages (So nothing catches you by surprise)

Advantages:

Availability from small batches: Screen printing is available to everyone with us. We standardly produce printed paper bags starting from 100 to 1,000 pieces, which is ideal for smaller e-shops or one-time sales.

Cotton bags starting from 30 pieces: Planning a smaller company team building event or gifts for partners? We can screen print cotton bags or backpacks for you starting from as few as 30 pieces.

Durability: The print is mechanically very resistant and the colors are lightfast (they won't fade in the sun).

Precision: We use Pantone C color charts, so your company color will always be identical. You can read more information about Pantone color charts in our article on Pantone color charts.

Speed: The standard production time is approximately 1 week (outside the main Christmas season). We also offer express printing within 3 days.

Disadvantages:

Fixed costs: Screen preparation and exposure are demanding processes. Printing a single piece is not worth it; it economically makes sense from about 100 pieces upward.

Not suitable for photos: Screen printing excels at flat graphics (logos, lettering). Photographs must be rasterized and the result will never be as fine as with digital printing.

Registration of multiple colors: Each color requires its own screen and a separate pass through the machine, which increases the price of print preparation

While digital printing or offset applies ink in microscopic layers, screen printing is "honest printing". With this method, the layer of ink can be up to 10 times thicker than with other technologies. That's exactly why the colors on your cotton bags are so rich, vibrant, and you can literally feel them under your fingers. It's simply a layer of material that will last.

Screen printing on bags — Two-color printing of a white ExtraTWIST 32x12x41 bag.

Which bags do we use this method to print on?

Machine-made paper bags with flat and twisted handles

We print on all our warehouse stock – from the ExtraKraft line with flat handles to ExtraTWIST with twisted handles. On brown and white bags, we use Pantone C colors, which ensure a faithful shade unaffected by the background. On colored bags (the ExtraTWIST, Mosela, or Toptwist lines), we offer printing in white, black, silver, or gold.

Luxury laminated bags

Here, screen printing is an absolute standard. The process here is more demanding: after printing, each bag is manually placed on a drying rack and then goes into a UV tunnel for curing. Due to this space demand, during the main season (September–December), we only offer single-sided printing for laminated bags. Outside the season, we also print double-sided, we just need to make sure that the design on the back doesn't extend below the folded bottom of the bag, because the ink is cured in the UV tunnel while the bag is in its folded state.

Cotton bags and backpacks

Screen printing on canvas bags looks very natural and eco-friendly. The ink partially soaks into the fibers while part of it remains on the surface. It's a much more durable and "more natural" option than digital transfer (DTF). On natural and white cotton bags, we print with Pantone C colors, and for colored variants, black printing is recommended.

Did you know that astronauts on the Moon might not have managed without screen printing? This technology is incredibly precise and durable, which is why it is still used today to print circuit boards in electronics and instrument panels in airplanes and spacecraft. So the next time we're printing your logo on paper bags, know that the same principle helps your smartphone or NASA's technologies to function as well.

Print data: It won't work without curves

In order to print your logo, we need it in vectors (curves). If you only have an image, a graphic designer must "vectorize" it. Remember that we produce a separate screen for each color in the logo.

Important info: Due to capacity reasons, a screen printing screen cannot be stored in the warehouse. After each order, the screen is stripped and cleaned for further use. That's why print setup is charged even for repeat orders – the printing form must always be produced again.

A final tip:

Do you want 500 white bags with a single-color logo? Choose screen printing – the quality will be top-notch.

Do you want 500 natural cotton bags with a single-color logo? Screen printing is the best choice both economically and time-wise.

Do you want 100 bags with a color photograph? Then digital printing is more suitable for you.

Not sure? Send us your design at [email protected] and we will recommend the best technology for you.