I had some tradmarked work done on some T shirts, Will the screen printing company give me the screens?

Question

I had a local Screen Printing company Make me 4 different shirt designs, after they print them can I take the sceens with me. I had the designs trademarked and wanted to have a different company do the next batch for me, I paid for the design and set up of each screen so It seem like I should be able to take them?

Answer 1

No. Not usually. No. You own the rights to the image on the screens, but they own the screens themselves. They own the actual materials, plus the labor required to produce them.

Answer 2

Probably depends on the company's policy. They may give them to you or sell them to you at a small price, or they may tell you to take a hike. When you pay for the design and setup of each screen, you actually pay for the labor involved in making the screen, which can be fairly labor intensive, especially if you have a multiple-color image, since you need a separate screen for each color.

If they know that the image is trademarked and that you will not be using them again for that image, they really have no use for the screen. I would not tell them that you are going to be using another company (although they may figure that out on their own once they know you want the screens), because if they think that you're liable to come back in the future for another project, they may be more willing to work with you.

Answer 3

No. You don't own the equipment. The set up cost for which you paid was for them to produce the stencils on the screens for their printing process.

You do own the designs, so you can ask that the printer wipe out the stencils on the screens. Since you don't intend to use that company to produce more shirts, they should be glad to do that since it allows them to use the screens for other customer's designs. Other wise, you can offer to pay for the screens, themselves. And, you will not be asked to pay for used screens. The cost will be that of replacing the screens you will be taking with new screens.

If you want someone else to print the shirts, you will have to pay them for the initial set ups.

I took the time to learn how to do color separations, full bleeds, choking and other set up operations myself, so that I didn't have to have the printers charge me for those operations. I own the files, so, in changing service providers, I minimized my out of pocket expenses.

Answer 4

The screens are used over and over again for different jobs. Our company will give you back your film/artwork that you produced or paid us to design. The screens charges you paid are for the chemical preparation and cleaning of the screens. Most companies prefer to burn their own screens with your artwork. We use better quality screens then most companies, they hold up better and produce a better quality product, so we will not use the customers screens. They must be kept in good shape to make good prints.
Chet

Answer 5

Hi we can sell you the screens after production is done
We sell and restreaching screens also
We don't have a minimum for screen printing
Besa screen printing
1352 vineland ave baldwin park ca
1626-863-9749

We also do shipping

Answer 6

that is something you should discuss during the initial set-up of the project. Chances are you cannot take them with you. It's like asking a photographer to give you their negatives. Without much more additional costs... probably won't happen. You will have to have the new company set-up the artwork again.

Answer 7

when they charge u the count the basic cost for every thing they use to produce ur art work so, cds, films, screens, plates, even die cuts or blocks u pay for each in the basic cost not in the their profit .. its ur right to take it back .. this is the normal in printing line