The Screen Print Column
Printing on stretch fabric: Five essentials you should never overlook
There’s screen printing on garments and then there’s screen printing on stretch fabrics. It takes skill, experience and understanding to be able to do this but in this column, Beppe Quaglia, CEO and president of Virus Inks, has laid out five handy steps to work with the fabric.
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tretch fabrics are no longer confined to performance apparel. Leggings, compression tops, swimwear, activewear and everyday athleisure all rely on materials engineered to move, breathe and return to shape.
Printing on these substrates requires more than experience: it demands a deep understanding of how fibres behave under tension, how inks interact with elasticity, and how process parameters affect long-term durability. These five principles form a practical roadmap for any screen printer aiming for consistent and reliable results.
1. Elasticity is a parameter, not an obstacle Stretch fabrics – whether made from lycra, elastane or recycled spandex – undergo thousands of micro-extensions during their lifecycle. Each stretch introduces mechanical fatigue, and the print must accommodate this natural rhythm. Ultra-thin graphic elements, especially lines below 0.3mm, tend to crack when repeatedly elongated.
Broader strokes, mosaic-style geometries and well-distributed halftones reduce point stress
and follow the fabric’s movement more harmoniously. Before choosing artwork, evaluate the garment’s intended use: running shorts, swimwear and compression garments typically experience different ranges of elongation. A design that performs flawlessly on athleisure may fail on high compression fabrics simply because the stretch profile is more demanding.
2. Ink selection defines performance
For years, plastisol inks were the default solution due to their ease of use, yet on stretch fabrics they often become the system’s weak link, creating rigid islands that resist movement. Modern water-based HSA formulations, along with emerging bio-based chemistries, provide elongation beyond 200%, soft hand feel, breathability and wash resistance up to 60°c.
No single ink is universally suitable: Each garment, print area and stress condition requires a specific balance of elasticity, flexibility and crosslinking behaviour. When evaluating an ink, consider: • Its minimum film thickness to maintain cohesion. • The type of crosslinker (standard or low-temperature). • Its resistance to chlorine, UV exposure and sweat. Choosing the right ink is not about convenience, it is about engineering a film that behaves like part of the fabric.
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3. Invisible phenomena can ruin a perfect print A print may look flawless when it leaves the dryer but still fail days later. Sublimation of disperse dyes can turn a bright white into pink; post-bleeding may occur gradually as pigments migrate under heat or humidity; low temperature crosslinking may stop prematurely if dwell time is inadequate. Preventive testing is critical. Use migration-blocking underbases with elastic memory, perform controlled pre-tests on fabric swatches, and monitor colour changes using basic spectrophotometric readings. A few minutes of well-structured testing can prevent costly returns once garments reach stores.
Screen printing on stretch fabrics
4. Technical parameters: Precision matters The mesh count determines ink film behaviour. • 43 to 77 threads/cm are ideal for solid deposits and full backgrounds.
• Up to 120 threads/cm can be used for fine details on light fabrics. The squeegee profile should generally be 65/90/65 Shore A, with a 15 to 20° angle to avoid over-pressuring the fabric. Excess pressure distorts the textile and increases the risk of cracking; too little pressure reduces edge definition and transfer efficiency.
Stencil thickness should never fall below 30 microns, ensuring enough ink body to maintain elasticity.
For curing, typical parameters range from 140°c to 160°c but the real variable is dwell time: Each ink has its own kinetic curve, and only full polymerisation guarantees long- term performance. Even a small deviation, 5° or 10 secs, can separate a stable print from a premature failure.
5. Testing is the real quality mark
A print for sportswear must endure much more than standard daily use.
Reliable production requires:
• cyclic stretching tests up to 500 to 1,000 cycles (ISO 20932). • wash tests up to 60°c. • chlorine resistance tests for swimwear. • UV exposure tests for outdoor garments. Monitoring colour integrity with a spectrophotometer helps quantify changes rather than relying solely on visual inspection. The transition from prototype to industrial production is validated through testing – not assumptions.
Conclusion
Printing on stretch fabrics is a delicate balance between textile behaviour, ink chemistry and process control. The goal is to create prints that move with the garment, not against it. Respecting these five principles transforms the process from guesswork into reliable craftsmanship.
January 2026 | 39 |
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