What Is Printing? Types of Printing Used in Nepal Explained
Quick answer: Printing is reproducing text, images or colour on a surface such as paper, card, plastic, metal or fabric, using ink or toner. Six methods cover almost every job in Nepal: offset for large runs of brochures, books and cartons, digital for short runs and variable data, flexo for packaging and labels, screen for T-shirts and bold single colours, DTF for full-colour apparel transfers and sublimation for mugs and polyester. The right method depends on quantity, material, colour and budget.
"What is printing?" is one of the most searched printing questions in Nepal: in the Google Trends data for Nepal (November 2021 to November 2026) it sits among the top related searches and is rising. Most readers want a plain answer before they ask a printer for a price. This guide gives the definition, then each method in turn, then a way to choose.
What printing means
Printing transfers ink or toner from a source (a plate, a screen, a film, a digital file) onto a surface called the substrate. A printed product can be flat (a flyer, a poster, a sticker) or shaped (a carton, a bag, a mug). Two things decide the result: the print method and the finishing (cutting, folding, laminating, binding, die-cutting).
The six printing methods used in Nepal
| Method | How it works in one line | Best for | Weak at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offset | Ink moves from a metal plate to a rubber blanket to paper | Brochures, books, catalogues, cartons in volume | Very short runs (plate setup cost) |
| Digital | A file prints directly with toner or inkjet, no plate | Short runs, quick jobs, names and numbers that change | Large runs can cost more per piece |
| Flexo | A flexible raised plate prints through an anilox roller | Packaging, labels, paper bags, corrugated | Fine photo detail on some stocks |
| Screen | Ink is pushed through a mesh stencil | T-shirts, bold logos, signs, bottles | Many colours or photo images |
| DTF | A design prints on film, is powdered, then heat-pressed onto fabric | Full-colour apparel in small runs | Not for paper jobs |
| Sublimation | Dye turns to gas and bonds with polyester or coated items | Mugs, polyester jerseys, mouse pads | Dark or non-polyester fabrics |
Letterpress and gravure also exist. Letterpress prints from raised metal or polymer and is now mostly used for craft work such as wedding cards. Gravure uses engraved cylinders and suits very long runs such as magazines and some packaging. Most local businesses meet the six methods above.
Offset printing
Offset printing is plate-based. A plate carries the image, ink transfers from the plate to a rubber blanket, and the blanket prints on the paper. Colour jobs normally use four inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). Because plates cost time to make, offset gets cheaper per copy as the quantity grows. Read digital vs offset printing in Nepal and how offset printing works.
Video: How Offset Printing Works, by Express Cards (third-party demonstration)
Digital printing
Digital printing sends the file straight to a press. There are no plates, so a single copy costs the same to set up as a hundred, and every copy can carry a different name, number or barcode. That is why digital suits short runs, urgent jobs and personalised items. See the digital printing guide.
Flexographic printing
Flexo prints with flexible plates and fast-drying inks. It is the workhorse of packaging: paper bags, corrugated boxes, labels and films. See flexographic printing in Nepal.
Video: Flexographic Printing Process, by Premiaflex Plastics Ltd. (third-party demonstration)
Screen printing
Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh with a stencil. It lays down thick, bright ink, which is why it is used on T-shirts, signs and promotional goods. Each colour needs its own screen. See screen printing in Nepal.
DTF and sublimation
DTF (direct to film) and sublimation are transfer methods used mainly for apparel and gifts. DTF searches in Nepal rose by about 1,800% in the Google Trends data. See DTF printing explained and T-shirt printing methods.
Which method for which job
| Job | Usual method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 500 business cards | Digital or offset | See business card printing |
| 5,000 brochures | Offset | Plate cost spreads over many copies |
| Product cartons | Offset or flexo, then die-cut | Needs print plus cutting and folding |
| Paper bags | Flexo | Fast, durable ink on paper |
| Labels and stickers | Flexo or digital | Roll or sheet, short or long run |
| Shop banners | Wide-format inkjet | See flex banner sizes and materials |
| Staff T-shirts | Screen, DTF or sublimation | Depends on colours and fabric |
| Books | Digital for short runs, offset for long | See book printing |
Printing and packaging are connected
A box is printed first and then cut, creased and glued. That is why a packaging quote lists the print method, the board and the die-cut separately. See custom packaging boxes in Nepal.
How to choose in four questions
- How many? Under a few hundred, start with digital. In the thousands, ask for an offset quote.
- What material? Paper and card suit offset or digital. Fabric needs screen, DTF or sublimation. Plastic and film suit flexo or screen.
- How many colours, and photos? Photos and gradients suit CMYK (offset, digital). Flat logo colours suit screen or Pantone spot inks. See CMYK vs Pantone.
- When is it needed? Digital is faster to start. Plates and screens take time to prepare.
Then write a brief. How to request a printing quotation gives a copy-ready version.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between printing and photocopying?
Photocopying duplicates an existing page on an office machine. Printing is a production process with chosen paper, colour control, finishing and quantity. Most commercial print starts from a digital file.
Which printing method is the cheapest?
There is no single cheapest method. Digital is usually cheapest for a few copies and offset for many. Ask for the same specification quoted both ways.
What does substrate mean?
The substrate is the material being printed on: paper, board, corrugated, plastic film, fabric, glass or metal.
Do I need to know the method before I contact a printer?
No. Give the product, size, quantity, material and deadline, and ask the printer to recommend the method.
Get a printing method recommended
Share your job through Thankyooou's contact page, or browse offset printing services and the product catalogue.
Related guides
Sources
- Google Trends, Nepal, "printing", 5 years, exported 11 November 2026 — relative interest in "what is printing" and DTF.
- Offset printing — Britannica — plate, blanket and paper transfer.
- Flexography — Britannica — flexible plate printing for packaging.
- Screen printing — Britannica — stencil and mesh process.