Getting to know Chris Benson owner of Cherry Studios.
Welcome to the December 2025 edition of Behind the Mesh, where we shine a light on the people shaping Australia’s screen-printing scene. This month we sit down with Chris Benson, owner of Cherry Studios, a shop known for its hustle, clean work, and ability to turn chaos into consistency.
Chris’ journey is anything but traditional — from launching his first clothing brand at 14 to auctioneering real estate before finding his stride in the print world, he’s proof that the industry rewards the ones who back themselves. With a growing client list, a beloved Border Collie, and a TAS auto that changed everything, Chris brings a refreshingly honest take on what it takes to build a print shop from the ground up.
Let’s dive in.
Keep up with Chris and Cherry Studios on:
Instagram: @cherrystudios.au
Website: www.cherrystudios.com.au
About Chris
List 3 things about yourself – fun facts, hobbies, pets or interests
- I started my first clothing brand when I was 14 and have been making clothes ever since then.
- Before I started Cherry I worked as a real estate agent for 4 years and even became an auctioneer. That was a pretty cool jobs but I’d till pick selling T-shirts over houses any day.
- I have a Border Collie named Jax who comes to work with me everyday and almost everywhere else I go in my life. He’s won employee of the month consecutively for the last 12 months, despite constantly sleeping on the job.
Describe your screen printing journey. How and when did you get started and what has been your biggest learning experience?
To say I threw myself into the deep end is probably an understatement, the second time I’d ever printed was for a paying customer and pretty much everything I’ve tried and learned since then has been much of the same.
Funny enough, I actually had an old press years before starting Cherry that I sold because I didn’t think I’d ever use it, how wrong I was!.
Every week is a learning experience genuinely, there’s no one that tops them all.
Tell us about your proudest screen printing project. What made it special and what did you learn from it?
There’s been quite a few but one that still stands out to me was one of the first big jobs we ran after getting our TAS 8 head. Prior to getting the TAS the largest job I’d printed was about 200 units, so really nothing. Within a couple months of getting the auto we got a job for a 3500 tees which was an absolute dream come true. Not only did it confirm my hopes of getting larger jobs once we had the setup for it, but it was a massive learning experience and taught me so so much about printing & production in a very short space of time.
I think the job took 3 or 4 times longer than I’d originally planned and there was an all-nighter or two in there as well. All things considered, it was a sick experience and definitely a milestone moment for myself & Cherry.
Industry
What are your thoughts on the current trends in screen printing? Do you see any emerging styles or techniques that excite you?
I know we’re probably at the end of it, but puff printing is something that I’ve always despised because it was so overdone by massive retailers. It’s a little tedious to print & I’ve never actually seen a puff print that holds up really well overtime. We get asked by startup brands all the time to print puff & honestly, I try steer people away from it.
I’d really like to learn and dial in sim process, & also water-based printing. It would be cool to see water based make a bit of a comeback & I think it will.
What role does the online community play in your screen printing practice? How do you connect with other printers and share knowledge?
There isn’t really any institutions in Australia that you can go to so online resources are literally all there is to learn from. There are a few Facebook pages both in Aus & Internationally that are good for questions & answers. Anything you’re struggling with you can almost guarantee someone else has dealt with. I’m also lucky to be close enough with a few other shop owners around Australia that are happy to give advice from time to time too which I’m incredibly grateful for.
Shop Floor
What is your most treasured product or piece of equipment on the floor that has made your life easier as a printer? Why?
Our auto was an absolute game changer for the business and well worth the investment. We bought it pretty prematurely without having the work yet to justify it on paper, but I was confident the work would follow suit and it did. Hat’s off to anyone slogging it out on a manual press but I lack the patience for it and we wouldn’t be able to get anywhere near what we put out done without the auto.
What is on your wish list for your shop floor this year?
My first priority for 2026 would be a newer Vastex oven to speed up production and get more accurate curing temps. A backlit washout booth would help in the screen room and a single head embroidery machine would be ace to smash out embroidery samples and keep our 12 head free for production.
Advice
What advice would you give to aspiring screen printers? What are the essential skills and qualities for success in this field?
1. Say yes as often as possible and test your own capabilities constantly, If you’re not uncomfortable you’re not growing.
2. Hard work beats skill most of the time.
3. Focusing on your customer & your relationship with them, that alone will take you a lot further than you think.
Bonus
Share a funny or unexpected mishap you’ve encountered while screen printing.
There’s been a few that I’d rather forget. Leaving the oven on over the weekend is up there, I could have literally burned down the entire shop.
Early on there were a few occurrences of forgetting to order stock or coat screens and only realizing as I’m setting up to print. That sucked!
What’s your go-to playlist for a productive printing session?
All my staff are in their early 20’s so this place pretty much sounds like a rave most days. There’s a few boiler room sets that do the rounds & really anything else that you’d imagine blaring out of a club at 2am.
What is the weirdest/funniest artwork you’ve had to print?
Nothing too crazy has seen the press to date sadly, there’s been a few sets of boobies make an appearance but I wouldn’t count them as weird or funny. We’re dropping a shop tee every month for 2026 & there will definitely be some pretty out there prints so stay tuned for that!
Conclusion
Chris Benson’s story is the blueprint for modern Australian screen printers: self-taught, community-supported, driven by grit, and fuelled by an obsession with making better work every week. From milestone print runs to industry frustrations (RIP puff), from equipment dreams to real advice for beginners, his perspective captures exactly why this industry attracts creators who refuse to sit still.
Cherry Studios is only getting started — and with 2026 shaping up to be a year of growth, upgrades, and even a monthly shop tee drop, we can’t wait to see what Chris and his team bring to the press next.
Stay tuned for next month’s edition of Behind the Mesh, where we spotlight another printer pushing the industry forward.
