The History of Printing

Printing runs through almost every part of British life — not always where you'd expect it. These guides trace where different threads of that story come from, and where they connect to what we actually print today.

Printing Technology & Methods

Printing & Institutions

Printing & People

Printing & Business

A short British timeline to read alongside the guides

The guides above cover separate threads. This timeline pins a few well-documented dates to one line so you can see how they sit together.

• 1476: William Caxton set up England's first printing press in the Almonry at Westminster. He had earlier printed the first book in English, the Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye, at Bruges in 1473.
• 1710: The Statute of Anne, the first copyright statute, came into force and placed rights with authors for fixed terms.
• 1886: Ottmar Mergenthaler's Linotype machine was first used commercially at the New York Tribune in July. It cast a whole line of type at once from a keyboard, which was several times faster than setting letters by hand.
• 1904: Ira Rubel developed an offset press for paper in the United States. Ink moved from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the paper, which gave clean results on many surfaces. Robert Barclay of England had already patented an offset press in 1875 for printing on tin.
• 1985: The LaserWriter and PageMaker arrived, and the working method of designing on a computer and sending a file to a printer took hold.

The same pattern repeats: a new way to make copies becomes cheaper and quicker, and ordinary people begin asking for things only large organisations could once afford. Printing a single hoodie with one name on it is the present chapter of that story.

How to use these guides

You do not need to read in order. The pages are grouped by subject so you can follow whatever interests you.

• Looking for background on a product? Start with the group you are buying for. A page on football shirts, charity runs or hen weekends explains where the tradition came from, and often suggests what to plan.
• Preparing a design? Try the software and AI pages. They explain what a print-ready file is and what an automated image tool can and cannot do.
• Planning something for a business? The business, retail and property pages show how everyday printed items developed.
• Thinking about an organisation's printing? The institutional pages describe how bodies such as hospitals, museums and schools have relied on signs, forms and booklets.

Reading history critically

A few cautions help when reading any history of printing, here or elsewhere.

• "First" is a risky word. Many inventions have several claimants, and dates depend on which definition you use. Where we say a thing was first, we name a specific record.
• Dates can be approximate. Early printing in particular is often described with "around" or "about", and honest sources say so.
• Stories get embroidered. A tidy anecdote may have been repeated for decades without a primary source behind it. If something sounds too neat, look for the original record.
• Technology rarely replaces the older method entirely. Letterpress, lithography, screen printing and digital methods all coexist, because each suits different jobs.

What history means when you order today

Understanding the past does not make a printed order better by itself, but a few lessons carry over.

1. Methods suit particular jobs. Offset suits large runs of paper, while digital printing suits small and varied jobs. FabricForge prints garments using DTF only, so we say plainly when another method would be a better fit for something you have in mind.

2. The file is the starting point. From PostScript to PDF, the story of printing is the story of getting an exact description of a page from one person to another. A good file saves problems later.

3. Printed things carry identity. Teams, families, crews and organisations have always used marks and colours. A clear, consistent design does most of the work.

4. Planning matters. Printing has always involved preparation. When you message us, give your deadline and order early so there is time for a proof.

Where to begin if you are choosing something to print

If you want to read about a subject and then act on it, a sensible route is to read the relevant history page, then look at the practical guide for the product. The DTF printing explained page describes the method we use, and how to order custom printed clothing sets out the practical steps from first message to proof.

Frequently asked questions

Who printed the first book in English?

William Caxton printed the Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye at Bruges in 1473. He did not start printing in England until 1476, in Westminster.

What was the Linotype?

A hot-metal typesetting machine invented by Ottmar Mergenthaler. An operator typed on a keyboard and the machine assembled letter moulds, then cast a complete line of type as a single piece of metal. It was first used for a daily newspaper in 1886.

Is offset printing the same as digital printing?

No. Offset transfers ink from a metal plate to a rubber blanket and then to the surface, so plates must be made first. Digital methods, such as DTF, print directly from a file, which suits one-off and varied jobs.

Which guide should I read first?

Start with the page closest to what you want to print. If you are still choosing a product, the garment guides will help more than the background history.