Wednesday 8 December 2010

Silkscreen printing - with pictures!

Problems with Blogger on the move often meant
no pictures or too many.  So here is the process
of silk screen printing from white cloth to the
finished product



Stacks of screens, with permanently printed patterns


The print table - yes, it was dark with
visible fumes.  No health and safety here.


Printed cloth


At the end of the line


washed cloth ready for drying


Drying on frames, around 10ft tall with
racks to accommodate the print run


All dried and ironed ready for dispatch


Piles of small silk screens for use in 
packaging - bearing the manufactures
details and others with clients address.

After a little research, it appears that silk
screen printing is over taking the traditional
block printing.  It is easier, quicker and
pays well.  Consequently small block
printing units are closing down.
The silk screen process churns out metres
of cloth in minutes.  Unfortunately many
chemicals are involved.  Combined with the
concentration of printing activities this has
triggered a high level of pollution.
  
I think, however, there are still small
communities who carry on making the 
traditional prints.  It is a far more labour 
intensive operation.  Maybe this takes
place in villages on the outskirts of 
the town.  Their textiles, in rich blues,
reds and yellows, are still much in 
demand apparently, though probably
produced to order.  I shall have to
continue my search next visit.




2 comments:

Mostly Turquoise said...

Hi Tiggy,

Thank you for the recent, interesting posts about India! And wishing you the best for getting used to the British weather and life again,

Regina

tiggy rawling said...

Thanks Regina. Lots more to post over the next week.