Blog

There are two main competitors when it comes to plates for pad printing: laser etched and photopolymer. When comparing the two, laser plate making saves valuable time, typically 30 minutes. It is a more straight forward process leaving less room for human error. However, in the long run photopolymer plates will save you money as

One of the most important components of a pad printing machine for apparel is the pad printing plate or cliché. The pad printing plate is etched with the desired tag logo and set on the pad printing machine for printing. If the plate-making method is chosen incorrectly, it can lead to smudging and misprints. For

Inkcups takes pride in offering the best technical support in the industry. If you own a pad printing machine, whether you use it for printing on promotional products or garment tag printing, proper loading of the plates and cups into the machine is key to getting a great print. The 5 Step Process for Proper

Update: Technology has come a long way since 2010 when this blog post was written, in 2022 laser plate makers have taken over the plate etching scene. Visit our Laser Plate Maker page for the most current offerings available to etch plates. At Inkcups, we have customers that make their own photopolymer plates for apparel tag