History

This fantastic duck business is a creative partnership between screen printer Joshua Roberton and graphic designer Rebecca Cleal.

After a few years of creative unrest Josh left school and went to work for a screen printer. He served several years of hard learning and printing and produced a string of award winning print.  In 2002 Josh took time out of the UK to travel and work abroad.

Rebecca grew up in West Wales in the heart of a creative family of painters, sculptors, and craftsmen and women.  In 1998 she started a degree course in Graphic Design at Bath Spa University.  Bex graduated in 2002 and shortly after joined Josh in the snow of South Island, New Zealand.

Although Josh had left his previous job vowing “I will never print another t-shirt” he found himself, among other things, printing in NZ.  Bex started designing and before long they had, for the first time, put their creative talents together.  They created a mini-brand of t-shirts aimed at snow boarders.  This is the point when they realised their combined skills were a good foundation for a creative screen print business.

Soon after this they starting hearing the pitter-patter of little webbed feet, and so White Duck Screen Print emerged out of the white stuff.  Once back in the UK it was a constantly evolving, and all consuming, idea which finally became a reality.

In September 2005 a nesting location was secured in Bath, some fairly rudimentary equipment was installed, and the first commercial job came in.

The company has moved forward since these early days and now consists of a team who work with dedication, determination and passion to an eclectic array of loud music and off beat humour.  A place where hats and strange haircuts help the creative process move at a pace.  Rudimentary equipment has now made way for slightly shinier replacements and there is greater efficiency and capacity.

These days White Duck has a reputation for delivering some of the best commercial hand screen print in the UK.  They work with some of the worlds leading talent in illustration and design, bringing their work to life in print.  Through a huge enthusiasm for print they constantly document their work and share all they can about the process.  They have grand plans for this in the future and hope to make an indelible mark on the UK screen print scene. 

They often work collaboratively on projects and get involved in exhibitions and events which have an element of print.  It is commonplace for the folk at White Duck to initiate some pretty fine ideas too.

White Duck mostly prints on garments and paper for; clothing brands, festivals, bands, illustrators, magazines, designers and artists.  They rise to the challenge of more unusual print projects too. 

This is just a handful of some of the great people they have had the pleasure of working with to date; Studio 8 Design, Computer Arts Projects Magazine, 30 Seconds to Mars, Trekstock, Stop The Traffik, Oasis, Larmer Tree Festival, McFaul Studio, Arcade Fire, Any Forty, Led Zeppelin, Clash Music, Hunting Lodge, The Beach Boys, The Adventurists, Bike Radar, MBUK, Brew Dog and Puma.

In this day of electronic media it gives them great satisfaction to be part of a process that brings two worlds together - technology and handcraft.  Screen print is often over looked, but by those in the know it is the weapon of choice to evoke a great feeling of tangible satisfaction.  Just the smell and the feel of it is enough to create love.

To this end White Duck Screen Print is dedicated to spreading its inky wings and flying onwards and up.  Nowadays Josh and Bex divide their time between the Duck, their two small boys and a collection of interesting bikes and cameras.

Vive le canard!