Digital printing and screen printing are different print mediums altogether. From ink chemistry and sustainability to process and machinery, the two printing mediums can easily be distinguished from one another as analog and digital methods respectively. Here at Western Sensibility, we think of screen printing (analog) at old school printing and digital printing as new wave printing.

DIFFERENCE OF CREATIVE POTENTIAL

Screen printing starts with the screen engraving process ($300-$1000+ per screen) that imposes design limitations from the beginning. Each screen is for one singular color and the design is locked in at the engraved scale. Multi-color and multi-scale prints become difficult and expensive to produce and the most complex rotary screen machines typically have a limit of 18 colors. (Note: There are very few 18 color rotary screen printing machines still operating in the USA.)

With our digital printing process — because it’s digital not analog — we have a virtually unlimited color gamut. Our unlimited color gamut empowers us to print photographs and photographic elements, which screen printing fundamentally cannot achieve. In addition to a bountiful color gamut, we can change scale and colorways at the touch of a button making customization more accessible than ever.

What does this ultimately mean? We no longer need to design with the creative restraints that analog printing demands. The handcuffs are off — let’s break the rules together!

DIFFERENCE OF HAND-FEEL

Our digital process gives our textiles superior hand-feel in comparison to screen printing. While screen printing ink sits on the surface of the textile (it can often feel rigid, thick, or gummy), our digital process allows the dyes to permeate and embed in the fiber. Through this process, the dye becomes part of the textile and allows us to achieve exceptional results on textiles with a higher pile such as our customer favorite Velvet performance textile.

DIFFERENCES IN SUSTAINABILITY

Globally over 90% of printed textiles are printed in an analog process (ex. rotary screen & flatbed screen printing), that use exorbitant quantities of water and electricity in their process. Additionally, most analog textile printing production happens off-shore due to the lack of production screen printing infrastructure left in the USA.

We’re proud to print our textiles in Montana using the most sustainable methods and ink chemistries on the market. We use aqueous non-toxic disperse dyes and far less electricity than analog methods.

Yes! We are proud to print for some of the most beloved designers and textile and wallcovering brands in the interior design industry.

Our minimum is 1-yard! We’re forever dedicated to making digital print technology accessible and low minimums allow us to further democratize this medium.

Nope!

Nope!

Our lead time is 3-4 weeks depending on the project.

Yes! We can typically accommodate short production timelines depending on our current production load. We assess expedited requests on an individual basis and a rush fee will be incurred.

To put it simply, we’ve got high standards! We’re dedicated to providing our customers with the highest quality digital textile printing and we can achieve incredible results when printing luxury polyesters for upholstery, drapery, and more.

We know many of our customers are interested in natural fibers but the current technologies and “solutions” do not meet our standards and testing requirements. Current technologies on the market fall significantly short when it comes to crocking (ink rubbing off) and color-to-washfastness (ink washing off).

As ink chemistries evolve, so will we but for now we’re only offering bulletproof solutions we can proudly stand behind.

Woven Wallcoverings are neither wallpaper or vinyl but rather a true textile-constructed substrate woven at mills specifically for walls. We believe that textured substrates add depth and dimension to the artwork and overall project so we created our own. We’ve worked closely with our mill and installers across the country to engineer substrates that look, feel, and function beautifully.

Our performance textiles (aka Life-Friendly textiles) feature a special stain and soil release finish applied at mill stage — not a post-printing application. This specially engineered finish keeps dirt and liquid from penetrating the fiber, increasing its lifespan and making it easy to clean. Our performance textiles stand up to the demands of modern life — kids, pets, and your favorite glass of wine included. Plus, you can do without the harsh cleaning chemicals — simply spray some water, dab it up, and you’re good to go.

Due to the special life-friendly stain and soil release finish on these textiles, we suggest only washing when absolutely necessary. In most cases, you’ll only need soap and water to dab up stains. When it does come time for a more thorough washing, pillow cases can be machine washed cold and machine dried low without fabric softeners. Our collection of textiles fall under code W for water-based cleaning only.

Yes! Through our Innovation Lab we conduct R&D and testing on a wide array of materials for our clients.

Yes, we do custom print apparel textiles for our customers. We specialize in athleisure, activewear, and contemporary apparel printing.

If you’re interested in apparel printing, please reach out to our team at concierge@westernsensibility.com

For textiles, we accept .jpg and .tiff files. We recommend .tiff files for photography.

For wallcoverings and architectural substrates, we accept. pdf files. (Yeah, we know that’s kind of weird.)

Yes! We’d love to host you at our studio and lab in Missoula, Montana. Studio visits are by appointment only and can be made by contacting our team at concierge@westernsensibility.com.

Yes! We love bringing people into our printing process and sharing our knowledge.

If you’re interested in learning more about workshops and educational opportunities, please reach out to our team at concierge@westernsensibility.com