The Screen Print Column
Lessons from 42 Years on the press
A new entry to our screen print column, Printwear & Promotion, asked Dave Roper, managing director of Screen Print World, to give his insight into the industry. Set to be a new regular for the slot, he writes about his experiences over the last half a century.
Dave Roper, managing director of Screen Print World
repetition and volume, digital printing introduced flexibility. One-offs and short runs suddenly made commercial sense. Machines like the M&R DTF Quattro have opened doors for smaller operators, while pushing traditional screen printers to rethink how new technology fits into their workflow. With the introduction of digital coinciding somewhat with the global pandemic of 2020-2021, I’d say our industry has seen the greatest ever level of change. Nowadays, everything seemingly needs to be instantaneous. It’s not a trend that’s unique to our industry, but it’s certainly something that has greatly impacted our industry and the way we produce our garments. Automation has become less of a luxury and more of a necessity, and I have to say, I think our industry has adapted remarkably well.
One truly seismic moment for me was seeing the M&R Polaris prototype in Chicago USA, around six or seven years ago. It was a million-dollar-plus machine and felt like the first time digital genuinely ticked all the boxes. Before that, digital printing was largely limited by speed and garment type; the Polaris, however, could handle individual pieces, heavier garments like hoodies, sweatshirts and poly shirts. Along with a high production output, the Polaris was a win-win.
I Keeping up with progress
’ve been in the screen print industry for 42 years now, which is slightly terrifying when written on paper. I started at 15 years old on a Youth Training Scheme, earning £25 a week, working in a small print shop in Kidderminster – ironically about 500 yards from where we’re based today. That company doesn’t exist anymore, but it shaped everything for me. We used to print carpet sample books, and it’s where I learned printing fundamentals: coating and exposing screens, printing with various ink systems and, most importantly, trusting the process. I was studying at the same time, but I loved being on the print shop floor – it’s where the ‘real’ education happened.
Back then, you learned by doing. There was no internet, no YouTube tutorials, no overnight ‘experts.’ If something went wrong, you figured it out through trial and error. It was slow and frustrating at times, but it embedded knowledge in a way that’s hard to replicate today. Screen printing used to feel like an art form. Now, if I’m honest, it’s largely a business dominated by margins, speed, and turnaround times.
How the times have changed
The ability to personalise garments quickly, brought about by the introduction of digital, has completely changed expectations. Where screen printing was once about
| 64 | February 2026
Following that, hybrids were born, bringing screen print and digital together by laying digital images over a screen-printed white base. It was genuinely awe-inspiring at the time, and it was then that I realised just how big this industry could become.
Looking ahead, I think the industry is levelling out from the introduction of DTF. Although I do see a clear distinction and gap with smaller shops reflecting the ‘cottage industry’ it once was, whilst the top end, serious screen printers who invest in multiple new screen print machines are pulling further ahead. What’s more, at Screen Print World, we’re seeing the development of smaller printing businesses evolving from DTF to screen printing machines as they grow. As they scale, they recognise the limitations of DTF and realise that the feel, durability, and colour strength of screen printing are unbeatable.
It’s an exciting time for the screen printing industry. I feel like the intensity of the last decade is settling into a bright future, and I’m looking forward to it.
As I think of the future and reflect back on my 15-year-old self, there’s one piece of advice I would give: Never stand still. The industry will keep changing, the technology will keep evolving, and the ones who thrive are those willing to learn, adapt, and respect the craft but invest in the future as well. I can’t say he’d listen, but I’m sure he’d be proud of me.
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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