Little Black Egg
Screen Printing in San Francisco

What We Do

• Phthalate-free Plastisol Screen Printing
  This is our specialty, is the classic modern way to go, and is probably what most of us picture when we think of a printed t-shirt. We are known for our 'soft hand', as they say in our industry. Phthalate-free ink is required by law in California for infants, but we find it best for humans of all ages (and the environment). Plastisol printing can be done on most garments, with any color ink, and we can print up to six colors per design. This kind of printing gives you the most control over color options.


• Discharge Printing
  This uses a chemical process to remove color from a garment. It is popular because it has a soft feel after washing -- the image feels like the rest of the shirt. Discharge can only be done on certain garments, usually darker colors. There are a lot of factors that go into Discharge, and we know them all.
  
  
• Heat Press
  We offer heat press service to decorate hats. There is no limit to the number of colors.

Get A Quote

You can email us for a quote.
What to include in your email:
Name
Email
Phone Number (optional)
Kind(s) of garments (tee, tank, hoodie, pants, hats, etc.)
Color of garments
Number of garments
Number of placements to be printed and where
Number of colors in your design(s)
Date you need them by

Please include as much information as you can, and if you are not sure yet about something that is fine, too. We can figure it out together.

How It Works

• Screens and Films
  You'll need one screen per ink color. Regular sized screens are $50, oversized screens are $60 (that includes outputting the films). We retain all screens, and will keep them on file for one year from your last order. This is a one-time set-up fee you won't see again on reorders


• Taxes
  We are an above board operation, and charge sales tax (currently 8.5% in San Francisco). If you have a current CA resale number, or if we ship your order out of state, there is no sales tax added


• Garments
  Shirt costs vary widely. In general mens cut/unisex shirts are less than womens cuts, and anything requiring more labor to make (a v-neck, for example) is always a little more. We work with every major brand, as well as a few you may not yet know. We can source almost anything, so don't hesitate to let us know what you want. We also work with several made in the US brands, union shops, and companies that use US grown cotton and organic cotton
  
  Please check out these catalogs to help you choose shirt brands and styles:
  
  Bayside (US and union made garments and cotton)
  
  Bella, Canvas, Next Level, Alternative Apparel, Hanes, Fruit of The Loom, Gildan, Anvil, and more
  
  Port Authority, District, Jerzees, Russell, Red Kap, Sport Tek, and more
  
  Again, we can source almost any garment you might want. let us know if you don't see what you want, or need some guidance or narrowing down of choices.



• Printing
  The cost of printing depends on the number of placements you have, the number of colors in your design, and whether it is dark ink on a light shirt or light ink on a dark shirt (the latter sometimes means an extra pull of the squeegee, an underbase, or a flash cure). We can print up to 6 colors on our press. Once you tell us about your design we will give you an exact price



• Turnaround, deposits, shipping, & artwork
  We have a 36 shirt minimum for all orders, and no maximum
  
  We have a two week turnaround time once the order is in (meaning we have your artwork, shirt order, and a non-refundable 50% deposit). A note for folks on a deadline, this does not include shipping time. If you need something faster, let us know, and applicable rush fees will be added.
  
  We work with a simple contract, and require a non-refundable 50% deposit to start the job, with the balance due at shipping, delivery or pick-up (the latter can be arranged if you are in or near the San Francisco Bay Area). We accept all major credit cards, paypal, checks (with an extra 7-day waiting period), and cash (in-person payments for cash only, please).
  
  We ship using UPS ground (or very occasionally USPS), and shipping charges are exact, based on the weight and packaging of your items.
  
  Artwork must be at 300dpi or in a vector file. Preferred formats are .ai or pdf. Our email can handle a lot, but sometimes very large files may need to be sent via hightail, dropbox, or google drive (we can arrange for that over email)
  
  If you don't have artwork and need our graphic design services, or if your artwork is not up to standard, we can help. We charge $100 per hour, with quarter hour increments. Often tweaks can be done in less than half an hour, and we will work with you for bigger jobs to make a fair, affordable, cost-effective arrangement.
  
  We recognize that screen printing can feel a little confusing at first, so please be assured that no question or clarification is too small. We have worked with many 'first timers' (as well as experienced folks) and are happy to guide you through the process.
  
  
  
  

  We Be Social

  We're on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter, oh my.