Screen Printing
Process Introduction
Screen printing is a high-efficiency, cost-effective mass printing process widely used for flat and low-curvature surface decoration of vinyl toy, pvc figure, resin figure and wood figure. The process works by squeezing special toy-grade ink through custom woven mesh screen templates, depositing a thick, uniform ink layer onto blank surfaces to form solid color blocks and regular flat graphics. The printed ink thickness ranges from 0.05mm to 0.1mm, delivering strong covering power and saturated color layering that covers background flaws completely. With a stable hourly output of over 500 pieces and low consumable costs, it serves as the mainstream bulk coloring solution for standardized low-to-mid volume toy orders and flat toy packaging printing.
Core Types of UV Printing
1. Single-color Flat Screen Printing: For large-area solid color backgrounds and simple flat patterns, the most cost-effective bulk printing solution.
2. Multi-color Registration Screen Printing: Precise color overlay for dual-color and multi-color flat graphic designs with fixed positioning fixtures.
3. Partial Texture Screen Printing: Special matte, glossy and frosted ink printing to enrich surface tactile effects for regular toy parts and packaging.
Core Advantages
1. Outstanding color saturation & coverage: Thick ink layer fully covers base material color and surface minor blemishes, presenting pure, high-contrast solid color effects.
2. Ultra-low bulk production cost: A single-color screen mesh template only costs $50–$100, with no expensive plate fees, making it highly economical for large-quantity orders.
3. Stable mass production yield: Mature and standardized operation process, with a long-term stable pass rate above 93% for batch production.
4. Rich customizable surface effects: Supports matte, glossy, frosted and partial embossed ink finishes to diversify surface texture styles.
5. Simple post-processing and high color fastness: The cured ink layer features strong friction resistance and anti-fading performance, suitable for daily-play toy products.
Disadvantages + Solving Methods
Disadvantage 1: Unable to render delicate color gradients, subtle shadows and ultra-fine transitional layers
Solution: Adopt hybrid process matching. Use screen printing for large-area solid color base layers, and combine with UV printing or hand painting for local gradient transitions and shadow detailing to achieve both flat color uniformity and layered artistic effects.
Disadvantage 2: Poor adaptability on curved, arc and concave-convex irregular surfaces, prone to hollow printing and uneven ink layers
Solution 1: Strictly limit screen printing to flat and low-curvature parts; switch to heat transfer printing or water transfer printing for high-arc and three-dimensional surfaces.
Solution 2: For slightly curved parts, use flexible mesh screens and adjustable squeegee pressure to fit subtle surface undulations and reduce printing hollow defects.
Disadvantage 3: Custom screen mold is required for new patterns, resulting in uneconomical cost for small-batch & frequent-style replacement orders
Solution 1: For small-batch prototype orders, replace screen printing with water decal printing or UV printing that requires no mesh opening fees.
Solution 2: For repeated small-batch orders, reuse existing universal screen templates and optimize graphic layout to avoid repeated mold opening costs.
Disadvantage 4: Multi-color registration is easy to deviate, leading to inaccurate pattern alignment
Solution: Custom dedicated positioning fixtures for multi-color printing, adopt laser calibration positioning technology, and unify manual operation standards to control color registration deviation within 0.1mm.
Application Scenarios
1. Large-area flat solid-color decoration and block pattern printing for building block toys and flat toy parts;
2. Regular graphic printing and color block decoration on doll clothing and flat accessory surfaces;
3. Standard pattern, logo and text printing for toy packaging and outer box accessories;
4. Mass standardized batch production of low-to-mid end customized toys with simple graphic requirements;
5. Surface base color covering and flaw modification for flat toy blanks.
Compatible Materials
Fully compatible substrates: ABS, PVC, vinyl, resin, solid wood.
Unrecommended material: Plush toy fabric. The fluff surface cannot form flat printing support, resulting in fuzzy patterns, weak ink adhesion and easy peeling, so it is not applicable for formal production.
FAQ
The 10 most commonly used fabrics for making plush toys: Cotton, Polyester, Wool, Short pile fabric, Long pile fabric, Felt, Velvet & Velour, and Faux fur.
There are three best types of fillings for plush toys: cotton filling, odorless memory foam filling, and natural cotton filling.
Custom plush toys vary in price depending on the amount of embroidery, different fabric colors, weighted beans, clothing accessories, and whether they need to create the design from scratch, etc. For example, customizing 300 plush toys typically costs around $10-20 each for an 8-inch tall plush animal toy.
From a material perspective, "plush toys" generally refer to toys covered with plush fabric. Plush is long, soft, and delicate, making it very comfortable to touch. For example, many common teddy bear plush toys fall into the category of "plush toys." The scope of "stuffed toys" is broader. Any toy filled with stuffing in fabric, leather, or other materials can be referred to as a "stuffed toy." The fabric does not necessarily have to be plush. Some small items with a coarse cotton fabric shell and filled with cotton can also be called stuffed toys. From an appearance standpoint, "plush toys" appear fluffier and more luxurious due to their fur. The appearance of "stuffed toys" is more diverse, with some possibly having a primitive and simple shape.
Creating a high-quality plush toy involves many complex processes. Starting with the design, professional designers need to create patterns based on market demand and current trends, a process that requires significant creativity and manpower. Cutting the fabric must be precise to ensure that each part is the correct size and to avoid material waste. The sewing process requires meticulous stitching to prevent unraveling and ensure clean seams, which demands skilled workers and considerable time and effort. Some high-end plush toys also utilize special techniques such as embroidery and printing to further enhance the toy's sophistication and aesthetic value, which undoubtedly increases production costs.
In fact, there is no specific fabric that can be called the most ideal material for plush toys. When choosing the right fabric, it is necessary to consider several factors. The selection of appropriate fabric is influenced by various factors, including many application requirements, aesthetic preferences, safety issues, and material characteristics. If the plush toy needs to be used frequently, it may require durable fabric to prevent tearing and wear. On the other hand, plush toys designed for comfortable sleep may need softer and hypoallergenic materials.
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Custom Toy Factory, Art Toy Manufacturer
ADDRESS
Dongjia International 1315, No.19 Longgang Road, Longgang District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.