Quick. If you came upon a machine, a table, or a chair that had a Post-It note on it that said, “Wet Paint,” written by hand, would you be inclined to believe it and avoid touching the surface? Maybe? Maybe not? Now, instead of a handwritten Post-It Note, you found yourself looking at a professionally printed sign that said, “Wet Paint.” Would you pay more attention to what it said and maybe even be more attentive to what it meant? If you are like most people, you would. And there’s a reason for that too. People are more inclined to heed the warning of a professionally made sign.

Now imagine what would have happened if Thomas J. Watson, the founder of IBM, had created his famous sign “THINK” in hand-writing on a Post-It Note instead of the ubiquitous printed cards that can be found practically everywhere and, as a result, have become a modern business phenomenon. Would it have become the business staple that it has? Probably not.

All of this is a roundabout way of saying that when you want people to sit up and take notice of a sign, having that sign be professionally printed and in a manner that will make it easier to see and read will work wonders when you want your public to notice.

Improving Your Business’ Safety with Custom Labels

Regardless of the environment, your business is in, there are probably situations where you would rather your employees or even the public exercised a little extra caution. It might be a particular machine that is best kept away from certain types of clothing or hairstyles. It might be a room or a particular area where it is best to pay extra caution because of a steep grade or other condition. Or it might even be an area where a person or animal is known to cause problems. Regardless of the risk, you want people to know that there is a health or life-threatening situation to be avoided. How should you let them know?

It’s often not practical to post a guard or some other person at a location to warn of danger, but a custom label might be just the thing to avoid potential problems.

Custom labels have the advantage of being able to be created in a practically infinite number of ways to get and keep attention. For example, if you have a dangerous situation in a particular room of your office, you could create a custom label to warn others of the hazard they should be aware of. But what would happen if the same room had a tendency to be less than well lit? With a custom label, you could not only make it brighter colors, but you could also make it larger in order to make it stand out better to be seen.

There is probably no one who would deny that everyone deserves to be safe in your office or other areas of your business. This applies to everyone whether they are inside of your organization or a member of the public that does business with you. Everyone deserves to be safe, and a few other methods have proven to make people aware of a hazardous situation better than a custom printed sign or label.

It doesn’t matter what your situation is. Whether you have a business where machinery is operated or even if there are issues with furniture in a hazardous place. Everyone has the right to be safe, and with a custom printed label, you can warn everyone, regardless of the situation, of the hazard to be avoided. Perhaps best of all, you can use custom labels and signs to protect others at a very reasonable fee, often even without set up charges that often make these jobs cost-prohibitive. Your safety and that of your workers and your customers depend on the forethought you give to their safety. Best of all, you can have these customized signs fit your business perfectly with your logos, style, and practically every other consideration. All it takes is a phone call to (business name) to get started. What could be more important than your safety?

Printing technology has been refined and improved nearly as long as it has existed. From the most primitive block printing to today’s multi-color techniques, printing has risen to meet the ever-changing needs of a demanding world. Whatever the needs of society, printing has created newer and better methods, and continues to do so. Two of these methods include screen printing as opposed to digital printing. Screen printing has been available for many years, but digital printing is a rather recent innovation made possible by the development of computer technology. This is not to say that screen printing is outdated or superseded by digital techniques. Quite the contrary. Both methods have practical uses as well as advantages and disadvantages. As a result, it is up to the astute printer and his clients to make sure that the appropriate method is used to its greatest advantage in specific circumstances.

Screen Printing

Screen printing employs the use of a screen (thus the name) upon which a stencil is applied, then using that screen to deliver ink to the surface that is to be printed upon. In the case of images that have multiple colors, different screens are used for each color that is applied, one at a time, to result in the finished image.

If you need screen printing services, learn more about the advantages Hallmark Nameplate can offer you.

Digital Printing

Digital printing, by contrast, is a much newer technique that calls for the printer to process the image to be printed by a computer, then printed directly onto the surface that receives the image. Digital printing is not the same thing as a heat transfer or an applique, which many people confuse. Digital printing allows an image to be applied directly to a surface that it is printed on.

It is important to remember that not only are screen and digital printing techniques very different, but they also have their own advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered when they are used. Both techniques have their own strengths and weaknesses that must be considered before you decide which is best for your project.

Which is Best?

Screen printing is best in instances where there is a need for high vibrancy in an image. For example, in cases where you want to print on dark-colored shirts or specialty products, The fact that screen printing allows the printer to apply inks in thicker layers than with digital printing can result in brighter, more vibrant colors than with digital printing techniques, even on the darkest surfaces.

Screen printing is also a good choice for those cases where the shape or size of an object is unusual. Since screen printing is done manually, unique products such as water bottles, mugs, and koozies can be printed, despite the fact that objects might be curved or uneven. One disadvantage of screen printing is expensive since there is a much higher level of manual operation involved in the process.

A job that requires a much higher level of detail in the work is best done with digital printing since it does not require a screen but instead uses a photograph. Digital printing is also good for use when a smaller number of final products is required. Digital printing also permits the use of less ink, allowing greater detail. Perhaps best of all, digital printing does not require the time or expense of materials, so it is economically possible to print only one item if that is needed.

Pro Tip: Regardless of the type of printing you’re doing, it’s important to know the basics of printing barcodes

Additionally, most printers give the same level of attention to detail to both processes, which gives clients the latitude to allow printers to determine the best method for the completion of their jobs and attain the best final result. There are many products that have proven their ability to be best printed using one method over another, but there are a few that remain open to experimentation. the best way to determine what is best for your particular job is to work closely with your printer to rely on his or her experience, but in the final analysis, you must use your own best judgment. In short, it is best to trust yourself and your own opinions.

If you require the printing of materials for use in any industrial application, our experts at Hallmark Nameplate can assist you.