From Mesh to Mountain: The Screenprinting Process

People often ask what “screenprinted by hand” really means.
Here’s how it works in our studio at 1800 meters.

Step 1 — The design

It starts with an idea. We take the artwork — whether a simple line or a bold mascot — and prepare it in black on a transparent film.

Step 2 — Coating the screen

A fine mesh is stretched across a wooden frame. We coat it with a light-sensitive emulsion, smooth and even. Once coated, the screen dries in the dark until it’s ready.

Step 3 — Burning the image

The film with the design goes on the screen. We expose it to bright light. The light hardens the emulsion everywhere except where the design blocks it.

Step 4 — Washing out

The screen is rinsed with water. The soft emulsion washes away, leaving the design as an open area of mesh where the ink will pass through.

Step 5 — Setting the press

The screen is locked into place on the press. We tape off edges, line up the fabric, and check alignment carefully. Once we start printing, there’s no undo.

Step 6 — Mixing colors

Every ink is mixed by hand. Monty Green, Ray Yellow, Deep Altitude. We adjust until the shade feels right.

Step 7 — Printing

Ink is placed at the top of the screen. With a squeegee, we pull it down across the mesh. The ink passes through the open areas onto the fabric. Pressure and angle matter — too light and the print won’t hold, too heavy and it bleeds.

Step 8 — Drying and curing

The fresh print needs heat to cure. This bonds the ink to the cotton so it lasts through years of wear and washing.

Step 9 — Cleaning the screen

When the run is done, the screen is cleaned. Sometimes the design is kept for later, sometimes it’s reclaimed so the mesh can be used again.

That’s the process, step by step.
It’s slower than digital printing. More work. More care.
But that’s why we do it. Because it makes every piece feel intentional.