Screen Printing Forum

Use a Build Up Pad made from hard rubber.

When printing on shirts with zippers or buttons just use a rubber pad like this to lift the printed area above them. Use web spray tack to hold in place. This is for printing a left crest on a golf shirt, but would also work for above the pocket prints. Remeber to change your off contact. If you have a zipper and need to do both sides, just use another pad like shown on the other side and make the gap just big enough to place the zipper in the gap. Works great for shorts as well, like those cheerleader shorts.

Very thoughtful post..... took me 3 years to figure that out

I am trying to work this out at the moment. I am wanting to print over the zipper on a zip hoodie. I read the post above, but the images are broken and I am unable to view what this hard rubber Build Up Pad looks like. Anyone else have any shots or know any other methods to achieve this. Thanks a ton in advance.

You can you mouse pad material. I usually trim out the area that needs to recessed (buttons, pockets,etc..) and print. Good advice on previous post to adjust off contact. For the zippered hoodies, just make 2 strips of mouse pad material larger (longer and wider) than the print along both sides of the zipper. Test fit a few hoodies to make sure that the zipper falls into your "channel of mouse pad material". The mouse pad is the perfect thickness. I have had good success printing directly over the seam without separating the artwork. Get an old or extra hoodie and experiment a little first.

Thanks for the insight. I will give that a try. I appreciate it.