Replaces plugins and a RIP
Separation, halftones and films in one program. No Photoshop, no plugins at hundreds of dollars.
Colour separation and films
for screen printing
Colour separation up to 12 inks, halftones and films in minutes, not hours in Photoshop. No plugins, no install, right in the browser. You set every parameter, from LPI to underbase.
Free, no sign-up. No AI. Your files never leave your computer.
Original
To print
Try it yourself
Pick a mode on the rightPick a mode below
and compare with the original
- up to 12spot inks
- 1-bitfilms, no grey
- 6halftone modes
- PNG · SVG · ZIPexport formats
Spot · CMYK · Halftone · Dither · Engrave · Vintage · Underbase · Trapping · Pantone · SVG
Modes
One artwork,
ten ways to print it
These are not mock-ups. Every version below is computed right now in your browser by the same engine that runs the editor. Switch the example to compare.
Try it on your own artwork
No sign-up. Your file stays on your computer.
inks
in one print
Every ink gets its own film with its own screen angle, registration marks and label. Hover an ink to see its number.
Colour separation
Colour separation
you control
Set the number of inks and THREADLINK proposes a split by the colours in your image. From there it is your call: swap any ink, turn a layer off, match Pantone, tune the halftone and underbase.
- Up to 12 spot inks. You set the count; any ink can be replaced or turned off.
- One film per colour. Its own screen angle, registration marks and ink label.
- Dark garments. White underbase with choke, and trapping against gaps.
- CMYK for photos. Four process inks with adjustable black generation.
Halftone generator
Halftone dots
in any shape
Turn a photo into dots, like a newspaper or a screen printing film. Round, ellipse, square, diamond or line, with your own angle and size. Free PNG download up to 4000 px.
Try it:
Open the halftone generator
Dithering
Two colours,
every shade
Shades become a scatter of dots: the way photos are prepared for laser engraving, riso and retro graphics. Six algorithms from Atkinson to Bayer, your own pixel size and colours.
Try it:
Open the dither tool
Why THREADLINK
Fewer misprints on press,
fewer hours at the screen
Predictable results
Classic prepress algorithms: the same settings always give the same films.
Any garment, any mesh
Light and dark garments, white underbase, trapping, min and max dot for your mesh.
Quote right away
Screen count, ink coverage and a Pantone list before you print, so you can price the job on the spot.
Simple pricing
A flat subscription, no per-file fees. Cancel any time.
Runs on any computer
Just a browser: at the shop, at home or on a laptop at the client. Artwork never goes to someone else’s server.
Features
Everything between the photo
and the screen, in one window
Six halftone modes
Halftone with LPI, angle and dot shape, dithering, threshold, stipple, engraving and grain. Min and max dot, so fine detail holds on the mesh.
Vintage with one slider
Cracks, wear and ink bleed are knocked out of the ink itself, not laid over it as a grey texture.
See it on the garment
Shirt and ink colour, a 1:1 loupe and film view. What you see is what prints.
An ink list to order from
Nearest Pantone matches and the coverage of every ink. Copy the list and send it to your supplier.
Private, nothing to install
Everything runs in your browser: photos are never uploaded. Open the link on any computer in the shop and get to work.
Who it is for
For people who prepare
their own screens
Screen print shops
Prepare films for client orders without a dedicated separator, even in peak season.
Merch brands and designers
Turn your brand’s print into films and vectors and hand any shop files that are ready to go.
Artists and print studios
Halftones, dithering and vintage for limited runs, zines and posters.
How it works
Three steps to finished films
- 1
Upload an image
Drag a file in, paste from the clipboard or snap a sketch with your phone.
- 2
Set inks and halftone
Ink count, LPI, angle, dot shape and underbase to suit your mesh and garment.
- 3
Output the films
PNG for your film printer, SVG vectors for further work, or a ZIP with every layer and the ink list.
What separation costs
Less than one job
from a freelancer
See what preparing artwork costs you today and what you keep with THREADLINK.
Freelancer price per design
Saved per year$0compared with a freelancer
Market prices rounded from public pricing: freelance $5–45 per design, online services from $49 a month, plugins from $149 plus Photoshop at $23 a month (plugin spread over a year).
Pricing
Try it free.
Pay when it goes to work
Free
$0
Try every effect
- All modes and presets
- Separation up to 3 inks
- PNG export up to 1500 px
Pro
$12/ month
$8/ month, $96 a year
For print shops, merch brands and designers
- Separation up to 12 inks
- Underbase, trapping, CMYK
- Full-size export, SVG and ZIP
- Your own presets and an ink list to order from
Lifetime
$149once
For people who hate subscriptions
- Everything in Pro
- All future updates
- Early access to new modes
- Cancel any time
- Free version, no sign-up
- Files are never uploaded
FAQ
Questions
from printers
The short version of what people ask before their first run.
Easier to try it: open the editor01Why not just separate in Photoshop?
In Photoshop you build separations by hand: channels, colour selections, then halftones through a RIP or a plugin that costs hundreds of dollars. Here the same steps live in one window: set the ink count, halftone and underbase and see the result on the garment straight away. A simple design takes minutes, not an evening.
02Is this AI?
No. It runs on classic prepress algorithms: colour clustering, halftoning, error diffusion. That keeps results predictable: the same settings always give the same films, and every ink and every parameter can be adjusted by hand.
03Does it work for dark garments?
Yes. Turn on the white underbase: it prints first under every ink and is choked inward so white never peeks out at the edges. Trapping runs light inks under dark ones so misregistration does not leave gaps of bare fabric.
04Which LPI should I use for my mesh?
A common rule of thumb: mesh count about 4–5 times the LPI, so 45 lpi on 200–230 mesh. The editor shows how many pixels make up one halftone dot and warns you when the dot is too small. Min and max dot cut off halftone that would not hold on the mesh.
05What form do the films come in?
Black and white 1-bit films with no grey, already halftoned. You set the size in pixels and centimetres and the editor shows the resulting resolution. Download PNG on a transparent or white background, SVG, or a ZIP with every layer, registration marks and the ink list.
06Can I get vectors for my brand?
Yes. SVG export traces outlines for every film, ready to open in Illustrator or CorelDRAW. Vectors come out best from spot graphics and threshold; fine halftones make heavy files with thousands of outlines.
07Is my artwork uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything is computed in your browser on your computer and files are never sent to a server. Nothing to install: Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox on Windows or macOS will do.
08What can I do for free?
All halftone modes, presets, vintage and the garment preview, separation up to 3 inks and PNG export up to 1500 px. Pro unlocks up to 12 inks, underbase, trapping, CMYK and full-size export.