The screenprinting process is equally adaptable to labour intensive situations or fully automated systems while remaining economical in both. When compared to highspeed litho presses or other automated printing processes, screenprinting can be seen as very slow and labour intensive. Traditionally, images must be converted to film, then exposed on the stencil, then set up and printed. New digital imaging, especially in short runs, often allows for cheaper unit costs with higher resolution when compared to screenprinting. Some inks and chemicals used are highly toxic.
Quality standards vary widely.
Many printers are poorly trained and badly equipped. Fine details and half-tone or process colour printing are harder to print because of technical limitations in the process. Control panels on washers, dryers, stereos, backlit instrument panels on cars, machines, etc. In the garment and textile field, screenprinting is used to print t-shirts, hats, jackets, and other articles of consumer wear. Most patterned cloth found in fabric stores or used in shirts, dresses, or bedlinens, has been screenprinted.