Gowanus Print Lab

Had a great intro to silkscreen class with Todd. He's an amazing instructor. Very patient and generous with his tips and tricks. It was a 4 week class, one session a week, from t-shirts and totes to paper prints, and I had a blast! Would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to try the medium

We approached Gowanus Print Lab about a small batch of t-shirts we needed for a local business event. Ana and Robin were helpful and professional. The quality of our shirts turned out great!

I love Gowanus Print Lab! I have worked with them a few times now and they have always been super friendly, the work looks great, and is done quickly, even on fast timelines.

I just love their new space at Industry City. Gowanus Lab offers the same screen print services as before, plus classes, pop up events, and very personal service for any orders. I really love this print studio, and I’m super happy with every job they do for me.

Great experience with Ana Macha!! They went above and beyond when it came to meeting my tight deadlines....and my picky standards. Would recommend to anyone in NYC!

Very enjoyable class with a knowegleble instructor. Definitely recommend it

Great quality screen printed tees, super easy and nice to work with!

I took a private screenprinting class with Todd and had a great experience. Would recommend to anyone who wants to get a solid foundation on how to make your own art and posters with silk screens. I had fun and learned something!

Went there in person to see if they could do what I wanted done. They showed me how they print and were eager to get my business. I thought I'd found a real quality professional screen printing business. Unfortunately they turned out to be anything but. I was charged $5491 for print services in March. They set the timeline of 7-10 business days and could not deliver within their set timeline as the proofing process they state they complete prior to charging had not been completed. They blamed me, the customer for delays. After we were charged and had not approved all proofs I asked why I was charged without receiving proofs as they stated i would review and approve all proofs prior to being charged. My manager/graphic designer called to ask what we could do to on our end to help move this job forward. Sarah, the employee who spoke with my manager began to cry and go through all her problems but would not answer the question. Except to say that they don't really don't do graphic design at all ( she ironically had been introduced to me as the graphic designer) my manager then asked her if she was the in house graphic designer, she replied "no." That was very strange..... The owner Brian called us back and told us to "be nice to his girls" after he accused me of lying and stating that everything was filled out on this quote form that he personally created and that is how he KNOWS I'm lying. After he calmed down I informed him that I never received this "quote form" he said " you never filled out a quote form?" I replied "no" and promptly said "I'll call you back." He called back and i was expecting him to apologize for his accusations. Nope, Brian just continued with no apology for his completely untrue accusation and was very rude blaming my manager for upsetting his staff. I had been present on the call my manager placed and knew that she was in no way rude to anyone at that establishment, in fact she's one of the kindest most pleasant humans I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I'm sure you are wondering why I didn't go pick up my blanks and tell old Brian to kick rocks but I really needed the screen printing completed and it had already been paid for. They finally completed the proofing process but again missed their deadline of 7-10 business days. I was able to get 1/2 my order by the time they told me everything would be completed. I'm sure that was my fault too according to Brian, whom I've never met. The second 1/2 of my order was beyond messed up and incorrect. In fact they printed a completely different design on my blanks. I've attached a photo the black shirt has a design that was never approved, seen or sized appropriately. The grey sweatshirt has the correct design (it's fairly obvious). I called and spoke to Stephanie the sales manager and pointed out this error she saw what I was talking about and told me to email over photos and number of farmers that were incorrect. I did just that and received no reply from her. I emailed the following week and received a response from good old owner Brian who blames me, the customer again and told me there would be no refund and that was is final answer. Brian seems to be of the mindset that you can blame and bully people after taking their money and anything his business does incorrectly is the customers fault not his. Other reviews indicate this experience is not an isolated event. So if you are looking for a messed up inconsistent printing, full of excuses, insults and finger pointing then this is your place. If you want a professional screen printing business that stands behind their work with integrity and common sense business ethics I would suggest looking elsewhere.

I signed up and completed the Screen Printing 101 course, which is a fully immersive class into the world of screen printing. This class is valued at $425, their most expensive course, and every dollar was worth it! While I learned a ton and found the course to really set a strong foundation for me, I ended the course wanting more, and wanting to take on projects myself, using the print lab. The problem I have with this place is that open studio hours are purely designed for full-time printers and those who have keys to a studio. The labs hours are m-f open til 5PM. Saturday open til 7. Sunday closed year-round. And during the summer, closed on Saturday. So for a good chunk of the year, the lab is only open for open studio hours m-f til 5pm. meh. The course took place in the evening after 7PM. Since I work m-f 9-5, the class worked out great for my schedule, but what's available for me at other times? For those who are looking to pursue a hobby outside of their daily lives, Gowanus Print lab, does not offer such opportunity. They offer 2-day passes (must be used in 2 consecutive days), week passes (same rules apply) and month passes (same rules). They do not offer day passes! Again, designed for full time printers. It's a rip off for those who can only go in for Saturdays. I asked why they don't offer single day passes, and they responded saying it's too hard to keep track of people in the studio. Ok, its 2017, there's an app for that. I inquired why they close on Saturdays during the summer, they said it's too hot for people to work. Are they telling me Saturdays are hotter than other days during the Summer? Honestly, the rules feel outdated, with no interest from staff to cater to ALL people interested in printing. I really loved the course and learned so much. I am dying to stay on top of the printing because it's fresh in my mind and I want to make sure I don't lose what I learned, but Gowanus Print Lab makes it really difficult to do so. I'm sure i'm not the only one with this concern. Advice for the lab: Please offer single day passes- No one understands your policy. If you were in my position, you might understand. Stay open on Saturdays! 'nuff said. And, if it's possible a couple nights a week, to stay open late, that would be dope! If none if this is possible, then please be more explicit with your scheduling and rules, especially to those who pay hundreds of dollars for a single course. And lastly, tell the woman who works the desk on Saturdays to be a bit nicer. Lotta shade coming from her. That is all.

i just wrapped up the screen printing 101 and used the studio to make band merch outside of class. everyone there is really nice and helpful but also hang back and let you do your thing. i met the owner Brian and he was super nice. The studio is his pet project and it's great that he has it because it gives small printers all the equipment that you can't fit or afford to keep in your apartment. The studio literally has everything you might need. My instructor India was amazing and really patient. i did bring my own screens and learned a ton just thru trial and error on my own and the space is cool because it gives you room to experiment. i definitely wouldn't say i can go print any and everything now but i have enough knowledge behind me to definitely crank out some cool merch or some of my own designs and have fun with it.

I wish I would have read the reviews here before trusting them with our print job. After charging near $500 for 4 prints the quality of what came back looked as if it had been put through a decade of extreme wear & tear. After confronting them on how terrible the finished product was they said they thought it looked great & refused to work with me to resolve the issues. Honestly a huge waste of money & time. I'm so disappointed as I make it a point to try and support small local businesses in hopes of getting better results in return. This was truly the worst print job & customer service I've seen in many years of experience.

Terrible unkempt facilities paired with the worst customer service ever=one super bummed customer with money burned and a day wasted. All I had to do was shoot 10 over sized screens (I even coated these screens with MY OWN emulsion due to clumps in the emulsion they provide) and print two curtains. This would take me 8hrs max. But I couldn't even shot my screens because the light table is impossible to clean due to deep scratches in the glass, p-l-u-s, the vacuum seal doesn't work very well... I asked for an extra day to be able to print since my day was wasted having to go to a nearby facilities with a light table that I know WORKS (there, my screens were all burned to perfection[it really makes a world of difference when the vacuum seals proper and the glass is able to be cleaned]). Sadly my request for an extra day was denied and I was told I would hear from the manager. Still haven't heard from 'Brian'. So I left to start and finish my project at a much better facilities nearby. Also. I teach screen-printing classes. And would consistently recommend GPL because I was once a year member, 2 years ago. Loved it then, but not today. GPL has gone to the dumps and I will never recommend it again. 000

This is a waste of time if you're looking to produce anything other than a 2 color t-shirt. The six week "intro" class is an absolute waste of money ($425). You will not learn color separation in a 3 hour Illustrator class. With the skills they DON'T give you, you should only take the single "I'm making a t-shirt" class. It's a ploy to make money, nothing more. If you already have color separation and screen printing experience, you may have more realistic expectations. Clearly, mine were not on par with what they said they offered, and I have some experience myself. This is a poorly run company. By class 4, over half dropped out. Both the teacher and the receptionist confided in an unrealistic curriculum, one that wasn't being met for poor communication with student, untidy work conditions and the steep learning curve expected by employees and students alike. I have asked for additional studio time and/or the instruction outlined in the class guide but in no uncertain terms was told "NO" by the owner. In fact, he's asked that I not call them. Avoid Gowanus Print Lab. I am sorry to have to leave this review, but have only left this option.

My girlfriend took me too a class for my birthday and we both had so much fun and learned way more than we expected. Our teach Dennis was super knowledgable and patiently answered all our questions. He clearly walked us through each step of the process and even stayed late to ensure we got all our prints done. Can't wait to go back. Thanks guys!

I took the intro to screen printing class last night with Dennis Tan as the instructor, and the class was great. Dennis was very clear in his instructions and encouraging to those students who were really looking to make a business out of the skills we learned in class. He also went above and beyond with giving us tips and information about how to silk screen at home and suggestions for supplies. Plus, the class was fun. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in screen printing. I'd also recommend calling to make sure Dennis will be your instructor.

Pretty disappointed. I've heard this place isn't the best but I was challenged to get a large project done quickly and they were the only place able to do so, so I though ok it might not be that bad. I stressed the rush and even visited the studio a few times during the project, where I overheard many conversations about necklaces and cute boys but none about work or projects they should be doing. (Side note - it's extremely messy in there and I was very nervous that my projects would come back with all sorts of different ink smudges on them) They did not start until 4 days after I dropped off my goods. (Side note they DO NOT iron your fabric before printing so you must go do it yourself!) I paid an extra 300$ for rush fee which they promised would be done on that Friday, but then told me it wouldn't be finished until Saturday. I made a Stink about that and they complied to Friday. Friday rolls around and I get an email 2 hours before they close that the project was finished. I didn't see it until an hour later when I then told them I was on my way. Get to GPL at 5pm on the dot and it's CLOSED. They DO NOT CARE if you're on your way and paid them a ton of money, they will NOT go above and beyond for customer service at all. Asked them to talk about getting the rush fee waived and got a straight up NO because they felt they did their best. The printing quality was good but would have been even better if they printed on the correct side of the fabric which I had made very clear. Will 100% be going elsewhere with my business.

I am a regular for taking classes here and have mostly positive things to say. 1.The people there have always been knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. They know their stuff. 2. My preliminary emails have always been answered. 3. The value in materials they provide for the class(positive prints, ink, screens, emulsion, squeegees, etc.) is outstanding. 4. The environment is encouraging. In fairness, there is a lot of info to cover in a short amount of time, but they can be a little disorganized. I get the sense there are a lot of different people in and out who freelance as instructors. 1. There is sometimes a need to troubleshoot an image before the class and they don't do that. 2. Printing requires testing an image on scrap paper and there was always a shortage of this in the three classes I have taken. 3. For one class, a significant amount of time was taken up by one student who didn't send his images in beforehand. This is a tough one that I wouldn't know how to handle. My advice is for your first time out keep your images simple and graphically strong. Photos and multi-toned images require some nuance that you may not be able to achieve in the first class. I intend on going back. I love these guys.

The Prices For bring your Own t-shirts are Much cheaper than the norm. Screen printing win.

This place is a racket. I am an experienced screen printer, and have been looking around several places in NYC to work independently and this place ranks among the worst. Firstly, they are not open on Sundays, and only offer either a 2-day pass or a weeklong pass. The days must be consecutive. Most normal working people do not have an entire week or two days off in a row, and if they do have two days off, it's a weekend; however, Gowanus Print Lab is closed on Sundays, making it impossible. This seems like a quite intentional scheme to make money, as logically people would use a 2-day pass on the weekend. It's a mess: They use oil-based ink, which is uncommon for most printshops nowadays. The ink is greasy and it's everywhere -- you practically need a poncho to avoid getting it somewhere on your clothes, and it's difficult to remove. I went in one day to retrieve a screen - no printing at all - and I walked out streaked with greasy white ink. The staff is unhelpful. When I asked for assistance while printing, and the print manager would respond in a flat, uninterested tone and generally look like she was being inconvenienced by my questions. The equipment isn't good. The source for the light table is separate from the table itself, and the vacuum isn't sealed well. Most of my very precise inkjet films - which by the way they don't print there, you have to get them elsewhere - ended up with fuzzy edges despite the high mesh count of my screen. It's a waste of time, and money. Unless they change their incredibly inflexible policies and get some better equipment, it's not worth going. The problem is they are one of the few, if not the only, screen printing co-ops in New York and so they have a monopoly and they know it.

Know before your go: bring your own T-shirt. All they have is L and XL heavy, white short and long sleeved T-shirts so our creations are unwearable. Regardless, it was a fun thing to do and the gallery space is great.

I took an Intro screen printing class at GPL and had a great time. The instructor, Craig, was very nice and knowledgeable, and the shop was well-equipped. Craig answered all of my questions, and I printed my design on T-shirts, a tote bag, and paper. I enjoyed my first experience with printing and would highly recommend GPL and Craig!

Only printed here once so far, but I plan to do more. Was my first time printing in several years (since art school). Staff was helpful in terms of advising me which screens to use etc. I was taking longer than I planned to print, but the person closing waited a few extra minutes for me to finish my last for prints and wash the ink of my screens. Also, a year before I took one of their intro classes to learn how to make my own separations. Was super helpful in getting me started. Before that I was making them much in a much slower way. Will def come back. Got a couple sticker projects in minds and this is way faster and cheaper than ordering them online.

Great Intro to Screenprinting class this week. Thank you Dennis for an extremely informative and hands on experience! So excited about my 4 tote bags and 3 t-shirts that I printed myself!

I print at home, so these guys have been a great resource for me. Burning screens at home can be hit or miss, so when I have prints with small detail or multiple colors I bring my screens here to be exposed. Service has always been fast and friendly and the staff is always happy to answer my questions. One more thing.. I think it's pretty sweet that I can go buy inks and screens up to 10:00 at night and on the weekends since I work during the day and I'm usually burning the midnight oil on my projects.

I took a class recently with Dennis Tan. He was so informative it was crazy. He explained everything in such amazing detail and made the process so much fun. I feel fully capable to work the lab with WAY more knowledge than I could have had NOT working with him. He is currently helping me buy and decide on membership at Gowanus. I COMPLETELY recommend taking a class with him. He's awesome!!!!

I have serious doubts about the people that rated this place with more than one star. I bought a groupon for the tshirt printing class and the instructor was Dennis tan. He really doesn't seem to have a program or clear path to follow it just seems as if he's winging it and asking you a bunch of questions. But my real issue is when he told us about his own silk screen business, I asked him if he could burn a screen for me with the negative I received from the class. I gave him the negative and never heard from him again. I called and complained and spoke with a useless receptionist. Nothing still has been done to to make me whole again. I beg prospective customers do not spend your money with this business you'll have more fun throwing it out the window.

Warning: Before entering the premises of the Gowanus Print lab you must Acquire an approved certificate, with physical tests and a hand written letter at Xavier's School for the Gifted in Westchester, New York. When you have passed the tests you may enter the area of Gowanus Print Lab. You will be approached by their employes, do not be scared!..... or show confusion by how they appear, they,.... Hipster, sub human's, communicate often with telepathy. In order for you to use their print lab, You will also have to be on their good side, so when asking more than "three Questions" at the time, NO MORE, No Less, You will have to reward them for their effort like soy milk, or coupons for Yarn so they can do string theory, or a flyer for the newest flea market to open in their area. Because heaven forbid that after numerous times of using their ancient equipment you have to ask another question after the three,................ they will not talk,.................... they will not hear you,......... they will stare, ............at you, .......and they will run off to their domain of other coworkers and prepare............ for talking the most shit about you as if you said to them " I love laughing, farting and throwing bunnies at hungry Pit Bulls at children Zoo's , hahahahaHA! Be Warned BE WARNED!!!!

What a great time! Mark taught the Intro to Screen Printing class and I learned so much. I walked out with 8 finished pieces, plus my artwork on acetate. Only 8 you say? Yes, because I only brought 8 samples! I was limited only by my own supplies. It's an amazing deal - single class for only $100 - and you bring home your artwork on acetate - ready to go for DIY if you want. Mark was very generous with his time even after the class finish time. Ton's of information and encouragement.

I did a one-to-one screen printing class with Dennis Tan - highly recommend him. Thorough, professional, enthusiastic - he even went over the allocated class time to ensure he'd explained everything properly. Try and get this guy if you can.

Helped me print all my screens and offered used ones. Great communication and attention to detail.

I've taken 2 classes here - Intro to Screenprinting and Specialty Inks. For both courses I felt like even though instructors knew what they were doing as far as printing, neither was equipped with teaching skills. Both times it felt like they just showed up and winged it. They could really benefit from drafting an outline so that there is a clear flow from step 1 to 2 etc. Both classes started about 45 minutes late. Both times they were not prepared with what they needed to do demos. Part of that was because they didn't plan ahead (see note about not having any structure or outline) and part of that is because the lab itself seems to be neglected. Which brings me to my next major issue with the space. The equipment is in poor shape. I wouldn't be surprised if it was just retired leftovers from their factory. Supplies that should be stocked on regular basis were out. When I took the specialty inks class the heat press wasn't working. Now it's gone. When I tried to purchase paper they said they had in stock the only one they actually had was the most expensive. People that worked there, while all were very friendly, didn't really seem to know what was included or what prices were. The area to wash out the screens doesn't drain well so you get splashed with nasty dirty water. There's one dinky little box fan to dry how many ever screens. The exposure unit is scratched, cracked and dirty and the light comes from the side instead of under the table. If there was more than one person using the lab it would be a lot of wasted time. I was hoping to rent time in the lab and work on some projects but considering all of the above I wont waste my money there.

Maybe the best instructional class I've ever taken. I took the Photoshop Crash Course here, and have never left a course feeling more resourced. The instruction was at once fast-paced, thorough, and full of information, yet we all still got personal attention. It never felt brusque or dismissive, which often happens in these classes. The instructor was able to adapt commands for students who work from PCs or older versions of Photoshop without skipping a beat, and simply worked it into his instruction. His enthusiasm and knowledge was evident, yet he never seemed put-out by basic questions (which sometimes happens to me at the Mac Genius Bar, for example...) I can't imagine getting better training on this topic elsewhere. They totally know what they're doing. Thanks!

WTF. This is a review for the Photoshop Crash Course. I purchased this class with a coupon. I feel really fortunate I didnt pay the full 200$ for this class, or I would have been PISSSED. It was one of those situations where someone is doing something so poorly that you actually feel embarrassed and awkward being in the room. Sitting through those 3 hours were so painful that many times I wanted to flee but didnt cause didnt want to hurt the feelings of this poor, lost, nice but incompetent young instructor. She so obviously didnt know how to teach the class because she rushed through everything, didnt know how to give direction and never once did she check in to see if people were following along. At one point I looked at all the other computers to see if the other students were getting it, only to see that all of their screens were blank because they couldnt keep up with the instructor who had went 5 steps ahead, just listening to herself talk. It was literally PAINFUL to watch her lack of control of the classroom as everyone obviously sat in their chairs confused and frustrated. Her understanding of Photoshop was probably more than proficient, but she didnt know a thing about teaching a class. Im really disappointment I didnt get to learn anything new. I was really hoping this could be a good starting point to gain some new skills. Instead, I just wasted 3 hours of my life that I will never get back. So... sad. =(

Came here last night with bf to an Intro to Screenprinting class and had a fantastic time. I am sure having the right instructor is key and we had Dennis who was awesome! I really don't know any other instructors but would try to get him if you can. It was a 3 hour class but it flew by and I actually learned a lot. I feel that I learn so little at my age...but I digress. There were about 7 people taking the class and everyone was really cool and interesting. Got to take home my T-shirt that I made so feeling pretty pleased with myself. Thumbs Up.

Took a t-shirt screen printing class one evening. great class. Leslie was a perfect teacher, knew the answer to every question, and made us be print ready in less then 3 hours. Don't forget to submit a great t-shirt design before, and a few extra t-shirts in colors you like because you will be getting so exited that you want to print more. And having a professional facility is great since the process creates some mess.

This was a very short class, 3 hours, but Dennis the instructor did a great job. He kept things simple, was willing to answer all questions, and made sure everyone kept up. We all came out with a silkscreened item. I was very pleased and will certainly go back there. Thanks to Dennis and Janet. Michele

Gowanus Print Lab is a great resource for printers - from novice to pros who want the convenience of a full studio space without investing in their own machinery; GPL is huge and fully stocked with a great staff. They offer workshops, demos and events to expand your printing skills be it paper or textile.

I rarely write reviews, so this must mean they suck big time! Ordered some printed hoodies and specified that I didn't want the GIldan brand--guess what they came back as? Gildan. And prior to receiving my order, communication was a mess and I was misquoted as well. Missed the delivery time for Christmas too. Offered "credit" for the next order. Yeah okay, I'll order from them again. Oh and if there's a misprint on your collateral, they mention that there's an industry standard of error of 10%--thanks for telling me that after the fact.

It is definitely the best print lab I have worked in thus far. Great equipment, ample space, and an extremely helpful staff. Looking forward to returning the next time I have a need to screen print.

Took intro to screen printing with Dennis last week and I had a great experience! Dennis is knowledgeable, approachable and very patient. Granted, it was a small class but Dennis made sure to listen so that we all got what we wanted out of the class. I would definitely recommend him to anyone interested in dipping their toes into screen printing.

I have been doing my artwork in Gowanus Print lab for almost a year now and I love this place. I took my first class and became passionate about screen printing, the staff and the owners are great, very helpful . They are always giving you tips , recommending mesh or specific things about the process. I have learn and grew as an artist so much in this place. I am now renting a private studio in the lab...GPL Rocks!

I took the group screen printing class a few weeks ago and was impressed by the knowledge and care of the entire staff. I look forward to coming back!

I took the stationary printing class and was very disappointed. They asked for our designs ahead of time, so our screens were ready when we got there. I thought this would allow us with ample time to print. I was wrong. The instructor gave me two squeegees that did not work and messed up my registration tab placement. This cut down my printing time even more. And since they did not let us keep our screens, I will not be able to print more at home. I will not take another class here, and I do not recommend it. It is not worth the money at all. I have taken classes at Brooklyn Artists Gym, and I highly recommend their classes. You get to keep your screens, and the instruction is much better.

I recently took a class with Dennis Tan and it was absolutely amazing! I've taken some screen printing classes before but never had an experience like this. Dennis is a wonderful and patient teacher, I can't say enough good things about him. He explains everything in great detail and has an unparalleled enthusiasm for screen printing. If you want to REALLY learn about screen printing, this is the guy you want to teach you. He keeps the class interactive and fun, I can't wait to go back! He also gives out his e-mail at the end of class and goes above and beyond what is asked of him. Thanks for everything!

This place has gotten worse every time I've been there. I've used it several times over the last 2 years and I think every piece of equipment they have has decayed. Today I went by to do some quick prints as Xmas presents and they were out of white and yellow ink. Forget having specialty inks like they claim, they can't even keep basic ones in stock. It's in horrible shape and if more than 3 people are there, the space is cramped. It's awful now.

All I did was call and ask whether this Saturday's screen printing class was still open. The woman on the phone was so. damn. rude. I am so broke I'm glad I didn't waste $225 and five hours of my life on these people.

I just took the T-shirt printing class on Saturday with Steve and it was so great! I would definitely recommend it for anyone that has a design and wants to spend a couple of hours printing it in a professional studio. The only thing I would say is, if you are looking to learn more about how to make screens and reuse them (the full process of it) I would choose the intro to screen printing class first. But since I already took a class like this, I liked how it wasn't repetitive, and I was able to have a design, get the screen right in the beginning of class, and really focus on printing for the rest of class. Steve was super helpful and knowledgeable and really available for any questions we had. I am definitely going back with another design soon.

Wedding invitations are so expensive. Everywhere we've called for quotes, once we drop the word "wedding" it's like the prices skyrocket through the roof. So, we decided to take matters into our own hands and rent some time at the Print Lab. It was great! All we had to bring was our paper, they had everything else... We hit a little rough patch since we haven't printed since college, but the staff was super helpful. One of the guys that works there (I think his name is Steve) showed us a couple tips on how to get a better print and it was (mostly) smooth sailing from there. Def check it out!!