Recently, screen printers from across the Northwest and beyond (looking at you @teejthesqueeg) gathered at the shop known as Don’t Lose Hope for a full day of print demos, production insights, and collaborative learning. The event brought together shop owners, team leads, and creatives to walk through real workflows, explore tools and setups, and connect over shared challenges and wins in the screen printing world.
If you couldn’t make it, or want to revisit the highlights, here’s a recap of what made the day worth talking about, along with two clips packed with practical knowledge and insight.
A Working Print Shop, Open for Learning
The Don’t Lose Hope team opened their doors to show exactly how they run things day to day. From reclaim to quality control, nothing was off limits. Attendees got a full walk-through of the space and processes, including how they manage screen flow, ink mixing, customer presentation, and press setups.
It wasn’t about perfection, it was about honesty. This is a high-output shop that runs lean and smart, constantly improving and learning as they go.
The Showroom and the Sales Process
One of the most surprising takeaways from the day was how much of the sales process can be simplified through physical space. Even a single rack of garments in a small room or garage can help a customer understand the quality and process behind their order.
The current showroom is functional, not flashy. It includes:
- Examples of print styles: CMYK, puff, foil, discharge, metallic, sublimation
- Garment racks sorted by use case and tier
- Display samples like hats, patchwork, and tech accessories
- Touch-and-feel opportunities to compare basic and premium blanks
Every element is there to help clients make confident, informed choices about what they’re ordering.
Inside the Darkroom
One of the biggest upgrades to the Don’t Lose Hope workflow has been the shift to a CTS (Computer-to-Screen) system. During the workshop, attendees got a firsthand look at the Spyder CTS in action—wax-based, bi-directional, and humidity-resistant. Unlike film-based processes or inkjet-style CTS units, this one prints directly onto the screen with wax and allows for last-minute corrections by simply wiping off mistakes before exposure.
The exposure step itself was handled by the Baselayr VT2536, a compact vertical LED unit that eliminates the need for a vacuum frame. With tight screen contact and fast exposure times—sometimes as quick as 22 seconds—it’s a serious time-saver. The shop keeps the glass intact for flexibility, still burning smaller manual screens and providing burn services for others who don’t have a darkroom setup of their own.
From emulsion coat to development, the entire darkroom setup is built around speed, accuracy, and practical flexibility—perfect for a small team running high volumes without cutting corners.
RELATED: HOW THE SPYDER II IS TRANSFORMING SCREEN PRINTING BUSINESSES
Takeaways from the Floor
Here are just a few additional topics & tips that stood out from the day:
- Screen retention strategy: Used screens are held for two weeks in case of reorder or error.
- No vacuum, no problem: The wax CTS setup saves 5 minutes per screen just by eliminating vacuum exposure time.
- Drying cabinet wins: Emulsion-coated screens are dry and ready in under 15 minutes.
- Sample shelving matters: Showcasing puff vs. foil vs. metallic prints sparks upsell conversations naturally.
- Cleaning is culture: Everyone does 10 minutes of daily zone cleanup, keeping the shop efficient without hiring for janitorial work.
- Patch storage system: Clients can order small runs of hats over time using pre-made patches stored onsite.
- Ink tracking: A custom ink runtime counter helps reduce waste and monitor consistency on repeat jobs.
- Collaborative catching: Folding and catching responsibilities rotate based on print type and schedule load.
- Glass stays on the exposure unit: Because the shop still burns for clients who don’t have their own darkroom setup.
- Printavo plus Power Scheduler: Combines scheduling, order tracking, and real-time production view across the shop.
Looking Ahead
The workshop wasn’t about flashy new tech or hard selling. It was about building better habits, asking good questions, and seeing how another shop solves the same problems you face. The Don’t Lose Hope team made it clear: quality and consistency are about systems, not shortcuts.
Screen printing is still very much alive, and shops like this one are proof that when you share openly and build community, everyone levels up.
More clips, tips, and walkthroughs will be rolling out soon. Stay tuned for the next drop.
Big thanks to Avient and John Magee @traveling_screenprinter, the entire Don’t Lose Hope crew, and all the printers who came out to learn, connect, and push the craft forward together.