Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The global screen printing market was valued at approximately $7.8 billion in 2021
The global printed textile market, which includes screen printing, is projected to reach $266.38 billion by 2025
North America accounted for over 20% of the global screen printing market share in 2020
The screen printing segment holds 57% of the global textile printing market share
Nearly 60% of all custom t-shirts in the U.S. are created using screen printing
The average price of a screen-printed custom t-shirt in the U.S. is $15-$25 depending on quantity and number of colors
Water-based inks are now chosen in over 35% of screen printing applications worldwide
Asia-Pacific led the market with over 40% revenue in the global screen printing industry in 2022
The average lifespan of plastisol ink prints in garments is 50 to 100 washes
Over 90% of screen printing shops in the U.S. are small businesses with under 20 employees
Screen printing accounts for 20–25% of revenue in the U.S. promotional products industry
61% of screen printers offer promotional items beyond just apparel, such as signs and posters
The demand for eco-friendly inks in screen printing increased by 12% year-over-year from 2021 to 2022
Consumer Trends and Demand
- Water-based inks are now chosen in over 35% of screen printing applications worldwide
- 61% of screen printers offer promotional items beyond just apparel, such as signs and posters
- The demand for eco-friendly inks in screen printing increased by 12% year-over-year from 2021 to 2022
- Polyester is the most widely used fabric for screen printing, accounting for 50% of printed textiles
- Screen printing on glass increased in demand by 11% from 2021 to 2022 due to packaging applications
- 83% of screen printers cite turnaround time as their top competitive differentiator
- Simulated process color printing accounts for 35% of high-end t-shirt orders
- Multi-color prints make up 46% of all apparel screen printing jobs
- 70% of screen-printed promotional goods are made for corporate branding campaigns
- 1-color prints make up 54% of all small-run screen printing orders
- Average order size in contract screen printing is 144 pieces
- 60% of print shops now offer eco-conscious branding as a sales proposition
- 10% of screen printing businesses are involved in live on-site or event printing
- 40% of print shops now include social media marketing in their top-3 revenue drivers
Interpretation
As screen printing pivots toward eco-conscious inks, corporate branding, and diverse mediums from polyester to glass, the industry’s colorful evolution proves that speed, sustainability, and savvy marketing are now as crucial as the print itself.
Geographic Distribution
- North America accounted for over 20% of the global screen printing market share in 2020
- Asia-Pacific led the market with over 40% revenue in the global screen printing industry in 2022
- The top three states for screen printing businesses in the U.S. are California, Texas, and Florida
Interpretation
While North America holds a proud squeegee with 20% of the global screen printing market, it's Asia-Pacific that's truly pressing ahead with over 40% revenue, leaving even powerhouse states like California, Texas, and Florida racing to keep their prints in the game.
Industry Challenges and Costs
- The average price of a screen-printed custom t-shirt in the U.S. is $15-$25 depending on quantity and number of colors
- Inks make up 10–15% of the overall operating costs in a screen printing business
- Reclaiming and remeshing screens typically comprise 20–30% of labor costs in screen printing shops
- The average ROI for automated screen printing presses is 18–24 months
- Average reject rate for screen printing jobs is 2–5%
- Automated reclaim systems reduce labor costs by 35% in screen printing shops
- Screen printing ink waste accounts for up to 15% of total shop waste
- The cost to burn a new screen frame averages $6–$12 per screen
- Oversize screen prints represent only 5% of all screen-printing jobs due to equipment constraints
- 80% of the screen printing industry’s carbon footprint is from energy-intensive drying processes
- Reuse of emulsion-coated screens reduces costs by 15–20% in high-volume shops
- Dark shirts require up to 30% more ink volume than light shirts
- More than 70% of screen printers indicated “short-staffing” as a post-COVID challenge
- 58% of screen printers rank color matching as the most difficult production challenge
- Print shops that offer rush services charge on average 20-30% premiums
- 38% of screen printers said labor cost is their top expense after raw materials
- 48% of new screen printers buy used equipment to reduce startup costs
Interpretation
In an industry where ink is a small cost but human error and drying machines burn both time and carbon, screen printers must juggle color matching, labor shortages, and expensive rush jobs—all while praying their $6 screen doesn't turn into a $15 reject.
Market Size and Growth
- The global screen printing market was valued at approximately $7.8 billion in 2021
- The global printed textile market, which includes screen printing, is projected to reach $266.38 billion by 2025
- Over 90% of screen printing shops in the U.S. are small businesses with under 20 employees
- Screen printing accounts for 20–25% of revenue in the U.S. promotional products industry
- The use of discharge inks has increased by 8% annually since 2019
- The global UV screen printing ink market was valued at $460 million in 2022
- Over 3.5 billion garments are screen printed worldwide every year
- U.S. screen printing industry revenue is estimated at $2 billion annually
- Screen printing on industrial electronics and circuit boards accounts for 18% of non-apparel screen printing
- More than 60,000 screen printing operations exist globally
- Global demand for screen printing in advertising segments increased by 7.2% in 2022
- Over 55% of U.S. screen printing businesses report increased sales from 2020 to 2022
- Over 10,000 screen printers globally are members of industry trade organizations
- Over 1,200 educational institutions worldwide offer courses or certifications in screen printing
- Screen printing on ceramic tiles has grown at a compound rate of 4.5% since 2018
- Simulated water-based inks have seen a 20% increase in adoption in the last 3 years
- On-demand screen printing has increased 15% YoY driven by e-commerce
- Larger shops (50+ employees) represent only 8% of the U.S. screen printing industry
- The global market for screen printed electronics was valued at $2.8 billion in 2022
- Global demand for printed circuit board screen printing is forecast to grow at 6.1% CAGR through 2027
Interpretation
Once a humble craft of tees and totes, screen printing has quietly inked its way into a $7.8 billion global force—powering everything from promotional swag to circuit boards—driven by small shops, digital demand, and a colorful mix of tradition, innovation, and more discharge ink than ever before.
Technology and Equipment
- The screen printing segment holds 57% of the global textile printing market share
- Nearly 60% of all custom t-shirts in the U.S. are created using screen printing
- The average lifespan of plastisol ink prints in garments is 50 to 100 washes
- Approximately 80% of screen printers in Europe are using automated presses
- Average setup time for a traditional screen print job is 30 to 60 minutes
- 75% of t-shirt printing companies in the U.S. use both digital and screen printing methods
- 40% of all wedding merchandise (shirts, tote bags, etc.) is produced via screen printing
- Direct-to-garment printing has grown faster, but screen printing still dominates jobs over 50 units
- Screen mesh with 110–160 thread per inch is used in over 70% of garment printing applications
- Over 30% of screen printers report using online design and ordering platforms
- Standard screen exposure time ranges from 2 to 5 minutes using LED light sources
- Eco-solvent screens are used in less than 10% of commercial printing operations
- Squeegee durometer 70 is the most commonly used in textile printing, representing 40% of usage
- CMYK process screen printing is used in 22% of color photo reproductions
- Manual screen printing presses are still used by 35% of shops for short runs
- Pantone Matching System (PMS) guides are used by 95% of professional screen printers
- Multi-station screen printing presses boost productivity by 50–60%
- Flash curing units are found in over 90% of automated screen presses
- Four-color process screen printing is used in half of all poster/flat stock applications
- 75% of high-volume printers are now using CTS (computer-to-screen) exposure systems
- Dual-cure emulsions are used in 60% of textile screen applications for durability
- 95% of screen printing businesses operate their own prepress departments
- High-density printing effects are used in 12% of fashion-related screen print campaigns
- Up to 80% of screen printing presses in Latin America are manual-operated
Interpretation
Despite the digital age's rapid sprint, screen printing holds a firm grip on fabric and function alike—powering everything from wedding swag to fashion flair—thanks to its unmatched durability, global dominance, and a squeegee’s stroke of precision that still makes it the go-to for serious stitching statements.
