Kornit’s Digital Printing Glossary
Screen Printing Pallet
Screen Printing Pallet
What Is a Screen Printing Pallet?
A screen printing pallet (often called a platen in many printing contexts) is a flat surface attached to a screen printing press that holds a garment or textile in place during printing. The pallet keeps the fabric stable and properly positioned so ink can be applied accurately through the screen.
In garment decoration, pallets are mounted on a rotating carousel press. As the press rotates, each pallet moves the garment through the different printing stations. This allows multiple colors to be applied in sequence.
Most pallets are made from aluminum or coated metal to ensure durability and heat resistance.
Key Functions of a Screen Printing Pallet
The pallet assists in print accuracy and production efficiency. Its main functions include:
- Garment positioning: Holds the garment flat so prints appear in the correct location.
- Stability during printing: Prevents movement that could cause blurred edges or color misalignment.
- Support for multi-color printing: Keeps the garment registered across multiple stations in the press.
- Compatibility with adhesives: Pallets are often coated with pallet adhesive or spray tack to keep fabric from shifting.
Without a stable pallet surface, screen printers would struggle to maintain consistent print placement.
Types of Screen Printing Pallets
The common types of screen printing pallets are:
- Standard adult pallets: Used for most T-shirts and hoodies.
- Sleeve pallets: Narrow pallets designed for printing on sleeves or pant legs.
- Youth and infant pallets: Smaller pallets for children’s apparel.
- Specialty pallets: Designed for tote bags, pockets, or oversized prints.
Choosing the correct pallet helps maintain alignment and improves production speed.
Limitations in Traditional Screen Printing
While pallets are essential for analog printing workflows, they also highlight some of the operational limitations of traditional screen printing.
Each garment must be manually loaded onto a pallet, aligned, printed, and removed. For short runs, this setup process can slow production and increase labor requirements.
Direct to garment printing technologies address many of these challenges by reducing setup time and enabling on-demand printing. For example, among other benefits, Kornit Digital’s printers offer different types of automation options, including an automatic size shifter with Kornit Apollo and a Rapid Size Shifter with Atlas MATRIX and Atlas MAX PLUS.
Contact us today to learn more about how Kornit’s digital textile printing technology complements traditional screen printing workflows.