There are two types of inks used in the screen printing of t-shirts: water-based and plastisol ink. They have very different, distinct characteristics in the way they end up on a custom shirt. Water-based ink is absorbed into the fabric of the garment, where plastisol lies “on top” of the apparel. Which do you think is the most popular ink used by printers in the t shirt business today?
- Water-Based
- Plastisol
The answer is B. The most popular ink used in the garment printing industry is plastisol ink. Screen printing plastisol ink is easy to print with. Reasons for this include the fact that it won’t dry in the screen, it’s opaque on darker t-shirts, and it features solid adhesion to tees.
Plastisol Ink and the Process:
Plastisol ink was a game-changer when it came around in the 1970s. Pre-plastisol, t-shirt images were somewhat dull. Plastisol ink provided printers with bright, vibrant colors which produced images on shirts that really popped.
Plastisol ink is made up of two primary elements. The first is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin and a plasticizer, which is a clear, but thick liquid. It goes into the screen for printing, along with the image to be printed. Once the ink has been pushed through the screen, it is pressed against a t-shirt that rests on what’s known as a plate (basically a flat surface where the image can be pressed down onto most effectively). Then, plastisol ink requires curing, aka drying, at pretty intense temperatures. The inks need to be exposed at a temperature between 300° – 330° for about one minute to complete the curing process, with the ideal temperature of 320° for optimum curing.
Bold & Bright Results:
When the job is completed, you can clearly see these inks are thicker and more prominent than water-based inks. You can actually feel the presence of plastisol ink on top of your shirt. It doesn’t dye within the threads of a fabric like traditional water-based ink will do.
Plastisol screen printing ink wraps around the fibers, composing a mechanical bond with the fabric. The by-product is an ability to recreate an exact design and color of the graphics onto a shirt.
In conclusion, if design, popping color, and accuracy of print is your main focus, we, at Good Guys Signs, suggest going with plastisol ink. Plastisol inks are brighter, bolder, and easier to work with, and the look of the print is fantastic.