Jumbo Screen Printing with 1WorldPrint: Oversized Prints for T-Shirts and Hoodies

If your design is designed to cover the front or back of a garment rather than simply sit on the chest, a standard screen will not allow for it. Oversized screens will, and they keep everything that makes screen printing worth choosing: sharp edges, solid colour and a print that lasts.

In this guide

• When a Design Needs an Oversized Print
• What Is Jumbo Screen Printing?
• Jumbo Print Size vs Standard Print Size
• How a Jumbo Print Is Made
• The Best T-Shirts and Hoodies for Big Prints
• Combining Jumbo Prints With Other Techniques
• Designing Artwork for a Jumbo Print
• Jumbo Screen Printing vs DTG, DTF and All Over Printing
• Who Orders Big Statement Prints?
• How Much Does Jumbo Screen Printing Cost?
• Caring for Large Screen Prints
• Minimums, Turnaround and UK Delivery
• How to Order Jumbo Screen Printing
• Jumbo Screen Printing FAQs

When a Design Needs an Oversized Print

Standard screen printing is ideal for a chest logo or a regular back print, but the screen limits how big the design can print. A full front graphic, a back print that runs from the shoulders towards the hem, or lettering that spans the whole chest requires a larger screen.

That is when we switch to jumbo screens, which take a single design of up to 45cm by 55cm. It is the look behind most statement streetwear and tour merch you see, and every oversized order is produced in house by our own team, from burning the screens to the final quality check before dispatch.

What Is Jumbo Screen Printing?

Jumbo screen printing, often known as oversized screen printing or large format screen printing, is screen printing on a larger scale. The screens, the frames that hold them, the platens the garment sits on and the squeegees that pull the ink are all larger than standard, so one design is allowed to cover most of the front or back of a garment.

Because it is still screen printing, you get everything that makes screen printing great, and the first choice for quality: thick, opaque ink, crisp edges, solid areas of colour and a print that stands the test of time. The only difference is size. Where a standard print sits on the chest or between the shoulders, a jumbo print allows you to take over the garment.

Jumbo Print Size vs Standard Print Size

Most screen printing is limited by the size of the screen. Standard screens usually top out at around A3, which is roughly 30cm by 42cm. Our jumbo screens allow a print of up to 45cm by 55cm, which is twice the size of an A3 sheet.

The size that fits best depends on the garment you choose. A 45cm wide print fills the front of a large adult t-shirt, while on a smaller size we may bring the width in slightly so the design sits clear of the side seams. Your free visual proof shows the exact print size and position on your chosen garment before your order is booked into production.

How a Jumbo Print Is Made

An oversized print goes through the same careful steps as any of our screen printing. It is just produced on a larger scale:

1. Artwork and separation. Your design is separated into its individual colours, and every colour used is matched to a Pantone reference.
2. Film and screens. A full size film is made for each colour and used to burn out an oversized screen.
3. Printing. The garment is carefully placed onto a large platen, and each colour is then pulled through its own screen in turn, lined up exactly with the colours before it.
4. Curing and checking. The print is cured through the dryer until the ink is fully set, then every garment is checked, folded and packed by our quality control team.

Why screen print a big design rather than use a digital method?

• The price falls with quantity purchased. Screen setup is shared across the run, so the cost per garment drops as the order grows, which suits bulk orders.
• It is quicker on big orders. Once the screens are made, garments move through the press at a rapid pace, which helps with tight deadlines.
• Solid, even colour. Thick screen printing ink lays down solid colour across a large area, and on dark garments a white underbase keeps it bright.
• An exact brand colour. Screen printing is the only method that gives an exact Pantone match, which matters even more when the colour covers half the garment.

The Best T-Shirts and Hoodies for Big Prints

Almost any cotton or cotton rich garment allows for a large print, and even a small t-shirt can carry one, with the artwork scaled to sit clear of the seams on your proof. Some garments are suited better to an oversized design than others:

• Heavyweight and oversized t-shirts. A heavier fabric gives a flatter, smoother surface for a big print, and an oversized, boxy fit gives the design more room. Our guide to the best oversized t-shirts for screen printing covers the top blanks.
• Hoodies. The back of a hoodie is an ideal and popular area for a jumbo print, a large flat area with no pocket or drawcords in the way. See our pick of the top hoodies for printing.
• Sweatshirts and crew necks. A smooth, brushed front and back take an oversized print well, and suit heavier, retro style designs.
• Premium streetwear blanks. Ranges such as AS Colour and Independent Trading Co are built for fashion led prints and are popular for larger prints.

Colours print most accurately on white and light garments. On black and dark colours, we print a white base layer first so your colours stay bright, which adds a screen and some weight to a large design. Our guide to the best clothing brands to print explains more about choosing a blank.

Get a jumbo print quoteor call 0208 064 1315

Combining Jumbo Prints With Other Techniques

A big reverse print often looks best with something smaller and more subtle on the front. One of the most popular combinations is an embroidered logo on the chest with an oversized screen print on the reverse, and fashion brands are asking us for these dual process garments more and more every season.

If your front design is a full colour image, you could pair a direct to garment print on the front with the screen printed reverse. Every technique is priced separately, so it is worth asking your Account Manager to quote both versions.

Special effect inks can be part of a large design too. A raised puff print on a logo or a metallic ink highlight can add texture and shine to an oversized print, and a small print on the sleeve or back neck finishes the garment off very nicely.

Designing Artwork for a Jumbo Print

A jumbo print shows every detail of your artwork, good and bad, so it pays to get the artwork exactly right:

• Send vectored artwork whenever you can. An AI, EPS or PDF file with fonts outlined scales to any size without losing quality.
• Use full size, high resolution images. If your design is an illustration or photo, supply it at full print size and 300dpi. Small images look blurred when they are blown up to full size.
• Keep the colours bold. Each colour needs its own oversized screen, so stronger designs in a few spot colours give the most impact and keep the cost down.
• Think about the feel. A large block of solid ink feels heavier than a small logo. Halftones, distressed textures and open line work keep a big print soft and breathable.
• Mind the garment. Zips, seams, collars and pockets interrupt a print, so leave space around them and let us check the placement on your proof.

Clean line art and bold lettering, like the one colour design below, are ideal for a large print, because every line stays sharp at full size.

Our guide to colour in screen printing answers the other questions brands ask before ordering.

Jumbo Screen Printing vs DTG, DTF and All Over Printing

There is more than one way to put a big design on a garment. Here is how jumbo screen printing compares:

Method	Best for	Colour	Minimum order
Jumbo screen printing	Big, bold designs in spot colours on cotton garments	Exact Pantone match	20 units
Direct to garment	Full colour and photographic designs in smaller runs	Close, built from CMYK	8 units
Direct to film	Full colour designs on mixed fabrics	Close, built from CMYK	8 units
All over printing	Edge to edge designs on polyester	Full colour	On request

For a large design that needs to be vibrant, durable and exactly on brand, screen printing is by far the strongest choice, and the price per garment drops as the quantity ordered goes up. If your design is photographic or you only require a handful of garments, DTG or DTF may suit you better, and our guide to DTF vs DTG printing explains the difference.

Who Orders Big Statement Prints?

Jumbo prints are designed for anyone who is looking for their clothing to be noticed:

• Fashion and streetwear brands. Oversized front and back graphics are a signature of streetwear, and screen printing gives them a premium, retail quality finish.
• Bands and artists. A big back print is a merch stand favourite. Our guide to t-shirt printing for bands covers the rest of your merch.
• Events and festivals. A big reverse print turns an event t-shirt into something people keep wearing long after the day has passed, which is great for bulk event t-shirts.
• Businesses and brand launches. An oversized design gets your brand noticed at trade shows, launches and in marketing campaigns.

The Citizen of Heaven and Some Trust in Chariots designs on this page were printed for one of our regular clients, who was kind enough to leave us this review on Trustpilot:

★★★★★

“Excellent quality screen printing & Customer service was also great, excited to use them again!”

Seun, 5 star review on Trustpilot

How Much Does Jumbo Screen Printing Cost?

Oversized prints are priced in the same way as our standard screen printing. The things that affect the price are:

• The number of colours. Each colour needs its own screen and its own run on the press, and a white underbase on dark garments counts as one screen and one run on the press.
• The quantity ordered. Screen setup is shared across the whole order, so the price per garment falls as the quantity ordered rises.
• The garment. A premium heavyweight blank costs more than a basic t-shirt.
• Extra print positions. Each printed position adds to the end price.

Our guide to keeping t-shirt printing costs low explains how to get the most from every colour printed. Send us your design and a dedicated Account Manager will come back to you within 15 minutes with pricing and options.

Caring for Large Screen Prints

A large screen print is made to last, and a little care keeps it looking new:

• Wash the garment inside out, at a low temperature.
• Dry it naturally rather than tumble drying, as high heat can damage the print and the fabric.
• Iron inside out on a low setting, and never iron directly onto the print.

Our wash care guide has more advice on keeping printed clothing at its best. Always read the care instructions label on the garment.

Jumbo Screen Printing in the UK: Minimums, Turnaround and Delivery

We print oversized t-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts for brands, businesses, bands and events. Every order is printed in house and sent out on tracked delivery anywhere in the UK, with shipping into Europe and worldwide when you need it.

Oversized prints start at 20 units per design, the same as standard screen printing, with a standard turnaround of six to seven business days from artwork approval and express turnaround available when the date is tight. A dedicated Account Manager handles your order from start to finish, and 30/60 day credit terms are available for businesses.

How to Order Jumbo Screen Printing

Four steps from first enquiry to delivered order, with one point of contact the whole way through.

Jumbo Screen Printing FAQs

What is jumbo screen printing?

Jumbo screen printing is screen printing with oversized screens, platens, frames and squeegees, so a single design can cover far more of a garment than a standard print can. It is also known as oversized or large format screen printing. The process is exactly the same as standard screen printing, with the same sharp detail, solid colour and durability.

How big can a jumbo screen print be?

Our jumbo screens allow a print of up to 45cm by 55cm, twice the size of an A3 sheet, which is big enough to run from just below the collar to near the hem on most adult t-shirts. Smaller sizes can take one too, and we will check the placement on your free visual proof.

Can you do jumbo screen printing on hoodies?

Yes. The back of a hoodie is the most popular place for a large print, because it is a big, flat area with no seams, drawcords or pockets in the way. On the front, the pouch pocket limits how far down a print can go, so we will check the placement on your visual proof.

What is the minimum order for a jumbo print?

Oversized prints start at 20 units per design, the same as our standard screen printing. The standard turnaround is six to seven business days, with express turnaround available on request.

Will a large print feel heavy on the garment?

A large area of solid ink can feel heavier than a small logo. To keep a big print soft and breathable, we can build the design with halftones or a distressed texture, or use water based ink, which sinks into the fabric rather than sitting on top.

Is jumbo screen printing the same as all over printing?

No. Jumbo screen printing puts one large design of up to 45cm by 55cm on the front or back of a cotton garment. All over printing uses dye sublimation to print edge to edge across the whole garment, and it only works on polyester garments.

What artwork do you need for an oversized print?

Vectored artwork is ideal, as an AI, EPS or PDF file with outlined fonts. If your design is a raster image, send it at full print size and 300dpi, because low resolution images look blurred when they are scaled up.

How much does jumbo screen printing cost?

The price depends on the quantity, the number of colours printed and the garment you choose. The price per garment falls as the quantity rises, and a dedicated Account Manager will send you a quote within 15 minutes of your enquiry.

Please get in touch with one of our team if you have any questions or require any more information, and we will be happy to help. Email hello@1worldprint.co.uk or call us on 0208 064 1315.