At this year’s Impressions Expo in Long Beach, MADE Lab partnered with ROQ to bring a duo of cosmic prints to life for the Print Masters Throwdown—one on a tee, one on a hoodie, and both engineered for maximum visual depth using just a few well-played screens and smart press setups.
The Tee: Space Meets Precision on Bella+Canvas 4810GD
Printed on the Bella+Canvas 4810GD in Washed Black, the t-shirt design went beyond simple black-and-white. This was a 4-screen print that pushed boundaries:
- Underbase White (230 mesh, reduced white, pre-stamped)
- Highlight Underbase (305 mesh, cotton white, no additives)
- Pantone 376c Green (ROQ Green) (305 mesh)
- Highlight White (305 mesh, cotton white)
All screens were ripped at 65 LPI, giving the halftones a smooth, detailed finish.
What makes this print stand out is the subtle engineering behind the whites. The second “highlight underbase” strategically builds depth by using double hits in key areas while letting others breathe with just a single base. Layering the final highlight white on top gives the print a brilliant pop—making the whole thing look like it’s got more colors than it really does. It’s a masterclass in screen economy and tonal range.
The Hoodie: A Lunar Surface in Ink on Lane Seven LS14001
Printed on the Lane Seven LS14001 in Black, the hoodie was designed to match the tee but stand on its own. Again, we leaned into the space theme, but this time with a touch more subtlety. The setup:
- Pre-Stamp
- Underbase White (230 mesh, reduced white, post-stamped)
- Highlight Underbase (cotton white, no additives)
- Pantone 376c Green (198 mesh)
- Black (305 mesh, reduced black)
- Highlight White (305 mesh)
This one’s a sleeper hit. At first glance, it’s clean and minimal. But once you get a closer look, the moon surface texture—rendered in tonal whites and ROQ green—starts to reveal itself. It’s subtle, deliberate, and beautifully executed.
Ink & Process
Both garments used Rutland M3 plastisols, and the setups were dialed in to maximize impact:
Tee Print Order:
- 230 mesh base – reduced white
- Stampinator – 5 sec
- Highlight underbase – cotton white / 305 mesh
- Flash
- Pantone 376c – 305 mesh
- Flash
- Final white – 305 mesh
Hoodie Print Order:
- Pre-stamp – Stampinator – 5 sec
- 230 mesh base – reduced white
- Stampinator – 5 sec
- Highlight underbase – cotton white
- Flash
- Pantone 376c – 198 mesh
- Flash
- Black – 305 mesh
- Final white – 305 mesh
Both designs were intentionally built around multi-white layering—an approach that gives a ton of depth while keeping screen count low. It’s all about tonal manipulation and smart layering.
MADE Lab’s Approach
We created this set to showcase how far you can push a limited screen palette using thoughtful separation and smart print engineering. From the mesh choices to the ink finishes, every step was intentional—because at MADE, we’re not just printing; we’re solving problems and telling stories through fabric.
