From 12 Screens to 3: How Moss Green Simplified Production with the ROQ Hybrid
Customer Spotlight | Moss Green / Your Design Here (YDH) | Colville, Washington
For more than three decades, Russ has been in the screen printing business. He's worked with multiple press manufacturers, tackled demanding production jobs ,and experienced
firsthand what happens when complex artwork meets traditional screen printing.
At Moss Green / Your Design Here (YDH) in Colville, Washington, that experience has helped shape a smarter approach to production—one that combines the strengths of traditional screen printing with the flexibility and detail of digital printing.
The game changer? The ROQ Hybrid.
Today, Russ and his team are producing detailed, multicolor designs with fewer screens, faster setups, and a streamlined workflow that keeps their inventory stocked and their operation moving
The Challenge: Complex Artwork, Too Many Screens, and Long Setups
Before adding the ROQ Hybrid, Russ faced a familiar challenge for decorators producing high-color artwork: complicated setups that consumed valuable production time.
Their production includes a collection of approximately 50 designs, each requiring consistent reproduction and regular replenishment. Traditional screen printing made that difficult.
"Oh, boy. Setups were forever," Russ recalls. "These are all 10 to 12 colors with multiple flashes, and setup time was long and painful with lots of misprints."
For YDH, this wasn't an occasional specialty job.
With 10 to 12 screens on a job, every setup demanded precision, experienced operators, and careful attention throughout the run.
Even after everything was registered, maintaining consistency wasn't always easy. "There's so much that can go wrong, and you just need to have a lot of experience to do it," Russ explains.
Environmental changes added another layer of complexity. A design printed in one season didn't always look identical when reproduced weeks later under different shop conditions.
YDH needed a way to maintain the quality of its artwork while making shorter, repeatable production runs more practical.
A Seven-Year Plan Comes Together
Russ didn't discover ROQ Hybrid technology overnight. In fact, when YDH purchased its ROQ ECO automatic screen printing press approximately seven years ago, the team already had hybrid printing in mind.
"We got it with getting the Hybrid in mind," Russ says. "We wanted to get a Hybrid, but timing never worked out. But now it was perfect."
The decision wasn't without hesitation. "Cost, number one," Russ says of his initial concerns. "And then keeping it busy. Want to be able to use it all the time."
Those concerns are understandable. Investing in hybrid technology means thinking beyond the initial purchase.
Shops need the right applications, production volume, and operating routines to get the most from the equipment.
For YDH, a collection of 50 detailed designs requiring frequent replenishment created a compelling fit.
Today, Russ says the ROQ Hybrid runs every day, for at least half the workday.
"We use it every day. At least half a day every day. So, it's running good."
How YDH Uses the ROQ Hybrid
The production process at YDH brings together screen-printed underbases and binders with the detailed color capabilities of digital printing. During the interview, Russ walks through a hoodie job using three screens in combination with the ROQ Hybrid— a significant reduction from the 10 to 12 screens previously required for similar multicolor artwork.
His process includes a white-and-clear base, a white layer, and a clear binder, with controlled flashing and the ROQ Hybrid handling the detailed digital image.
The result is a workflow that preserves the character of the original artwork without requiring a separate screen for every color.
That matters to the artists YDH works with. Russ describes one artist who initially wanted the work to remain entirely screen printed to preserve its artistic feel.
"He wanted it to, you know, keep the artsy feel to his artwork. So he wanted it all screen printed, but then once he saw the detail and the resolution of everything, he just loved it."
For shops producing complex illustrations, detailed graphics, and artwork with numerous colors, this combination opens up new production possibilities.
Fewer Screens. Faster Setups.
One of the clearest improvements has been setup time. With traditional multicolor screen printing, Russ estimates a typical job could take around 40 minutes to get fully dialed in.
With the ROQ Hybrid, he describes a much simpler process: print a reference image, align the screens to the hybrid print, and get ready to produce.
"Fifteen minutes is kind of our norm," Russ says. That's a reduction from approximately 40 minutes to 15 minutes—about 63% less setup time based on his estimates.
And because the process requires fewer screens, there are fewer opportunities for registration issues and adjustments during production.
One Operator. Complex Prints.
Another advantage is the ability to run demanding jobs with a single operator.
Russ reports production speeds of approximately 230 pieces per hour on certain jobs, while the hoodie application shown in the interview
runs closer to 160 pieces per hour because of the unidirectional printing approach.
He acknowledges that hybrid production isn't always about achieving the highest possible hourly press speed.
It's about simplifying the entire production process.
"One operator on a job like this is just—that's just amazing," Russ says.
For YDH, reducing setup complexity and operator requirements helps make these detailed designs practical to produce on a regular basis.
The Bigger Win: Keeping 50 Designs in Stock
Perhaps the most important impact of the ROQ Hybrid isn't happening at the press. It's happening in inventory management and order fulfillment.
YDH produces a line featuring approximately 50 different designs. Instead of scheduling lengthy traditional screen printing setups and committing to larger production batches, the shop can now produce smaller runs more frequently.
"We've got 50 designs of this line. So, we can do small runs. So, we can keep all those stocked," Russ explains.
He says the team can replenish approximately three to five designs in a day. That flexibility means YDH can respond to inventory needs without turning every restock into a major production event.
"Our stock stays up. We don't run out. So, when we need to fulfill, the shirts are there to fulfill."
For decorators supporting retail collections, artist merchandise, and product lines with many SKUs, that kind of production flexibility can be just as valuable as print speed.
The ROQ Hybrid helps YDH produce what it needs, when it needs it.
Russ's Top 3 Tips for ROQ Hybrid Success
After working through the learning curve and establishing a daily production routine, Russ has practical advice for other shops considering hybrid printing.
1. Choose the Right Work for Hybrid Production
Hybrid printing is especially valuable when a shop regularly produces detailed, multicolor artwork across multiple designs. Russ points to YDH's 50-design collection as an ideal application.
"This is ideal for it when you're doing repetition, doing the same kind of thing all the time."
The takeaway: Look beyond individual print jobs. Consider how hybrid technology could improve an entire product line, simplify repeat orders, or make smaller replenishment runs more economical.
2. Get Your Ink System and Workflow Dialed In
Russ is open about the learning curve. YDH initially worked with a water-based process, which presented challenges because the shop had limited experience with water-based printing. Switching to a hybrid-compatible plastisol process made a substantial difference for their operation.
"Now with the hybrid plastisol ink, it just made everything so much easier."
Russ says. He describes the rest of the system as largely plug-and-play once the ink-related challenges were resolved.
The takeaway: Understand the ink system, substrates, and production workflow before expecting maximum efficiency. A process that fits your shop's experience and operating conditions can make hybrid printing much easier to manage.
3. Run It Regularly and Stay on Top of Maintenance
One of Russ's initial concerns was keeping the Hybrid busy enough to maintain reliable operation. His solution has been consistent daily use paired with regular cleaning and maintenance. "When you use it, it runs better," Russ explains.
YDH checks and cleans the system at the beginning and end of the day, and Russ emphasizes the value of having responsive technical support. He also appreciates the maintenance reminders built into the ROQ ECO, which help the team keep up with routine service even during busy production periods.
The takeaway: Build hybrid operation into your daily production schedule. Establish consistent startup, shutdown, and cleaning procedures, and use available technical support to keep the system performing reliably.
Built for the Way YDH Prints Today
After 32 years in business, Russ has seen screen printing technology evolve through multiple generations of equipment. His experience with ROQ has been positive, from the reliability of the ROQ ECO to the availability of technical support for the Hybrid.
"We have had almost zero trouble with anything, and things that do go wrong are just easy to fix."
Russ says of the ECO. For Hybrid support, he highlights the ability to connect with ROQ technicians in the United States and Portugal. But the biggest change is what happens on the production floor. Instead of managing 10 to 12 screens, long setups, and demanding multicolor registration, YDH now has a repeatable hybrid workflow that supports detailed artwork, smaller runs, and consistent inventory replenishment.
And Russ has a simple way of describing the experience:
"No, it's stress-free. I mean, we just line it up."
For Moss Green / Your Design Here, that's what successful hybrid printing looks like: less complexity, more flexibility, and a production process built around the work the shop needs to deliver.
Ready to explore what the ROQ Hybrid could do for your shop?
Discover how combining screen printing with digital technology can help simplify complex artwork, reduce setup demands, and create new opportunities for short-run and repeat production.
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