Your Cart is Empty
LOOKING FOR M&R PARTS...WE CAN HELP WITH THAT...HUNDREDS OF
PARTS IN STOCK AND READY TO SHIP TODAY!
LOOKING FOR M&R PARTS...WE CAN HELP WITH THAT...HUNDREDS OF
PARTS IN STOCK AND READY TO SHIP TODAY!
Seasonality is always a big focus within screen printing. Holidays or days of importance lead to unique custom designs that create memories we hold dear. Valentine’s day is no exception, as printers are looking to create vibrant, rich, and beautiful designs that celebrate the day of love. Finding the right ink to match the final product you want can get tricky. Different inks serve different purposes and sometimes the nuance can get lost in the crazy schedule of a screen printer’s day. There are a lot of options for what type of ink to choose, and they all have their own advantages. Let’s take a further look into getting you the best finish for your designs.
Revered for its durability and versatility, plastisol is certainly one of the most common types of ink used. Ideal for polyester, cotton, and cotton blends, plastisol inks bring vibrant color to any design. We can consider this the staple choice for most scenarios, as it fits the three main hallmarks of durability, versatility, and vibrancy. For bold, opaque designs this is the simplest ink to work with that yields high quality results.
The rise of water-based ink not only has to do with their ability to create a very soft, breathable finish, but also that they are very eco-friendly and promote the push for sustainability. What do we mean by soft finish? Think of pastel shades, or really delicate and subtle designs that aren’t so bold and in your face. An advantage to water-based inks is that they don’t create a heavy layer of ink on the print. The ink soaks into the fabric, keeping the garment very breathable and adding extra comfort.
Discharge ink removes the dye from the fabric and replaces it with the color from your design. It’ll result in another soft print, but with a washed-out appearance. The finished product has a very distressed or vintage look, perfect for a retro Valentine’s Day outfit. Similar to water-based inks, discharge ink is also eco-friendly. However, it is well known to avoid using this type of ink for children’s clothing. It contains chemicals, specifically formaldehyde, which can irritate skin that is more sensitive.
There are unique inks that can function as great complimentary pieces to your already sophisticated designs. They can give you that extra pop you’re looking for, while accentuating the finish of your original design. Some of them include:
- Metallic inks: Metallic inks are formulated with tiny metallic flakes which leaf together on the surface as ink dries. This leads to a shiny and reflective finish, creating a look of luxury or elegance.
- Glow-in-the-dark inks: This ink is really unique and adds playfulness to your design. These may have been popular when we were all younger, but they’re not as prevalent now so there is a lot more association with them being fun to include.
- Glitter inks: Valentine’s Day is certainly one of the few holidays where glitter inks really can accentuate your original design. For example, our Rutland FX Silver Glitter Ink (shown on your right) is a popular choice.
- Puff inks: Puff inks create a visibly raised design on garments, leading to unique 3D designs. They can work in tandem with traditional pantone colors, specialty inks or fading half colors. The one thing to consider when working with puff inks is that color consistency can become difficult. The ink has to be mixed with the puff additive, and when that expands/rises, colors tend to become lighter.
Now that we have the understanding on what the aforementioned ink types bring to the table, we can look further into the factors that go into picking out the right one.
Type of Fabric: The different types of inks work uniquely with different fabrics.
- Cotton: Certainly, the most flexible material, often paired with plastisol or water-based inks. Something to note: if using 100% cotton garment, water-based inks tend to be preferred for a softer finish.
- Polyester: Water-based and discharged inks specifically can have issues matching color and have difficulty working with synthetic fibers such as polyester. For this reason, plastisol is the common choice among polyester garments.
- Blends: Varying blends of cotton/poly still tend to favor plastisol for most prints, with some water-based inks being used to achieve softer finishes.
Design: The complexity of the design and the colors being used play a big role in which inks you should consider using for your prints.
- Simple designs: Plastisol being versatile and easy to work with bold finish makes it a prime candidate for solid prints or multi-color designs.
- Intricate designs: Water-based inks are the preference for printers looking to work with intricate designs and specifically discharge inks for a softer finish with a finer touch.
- Specific effects: If you are looking for 3D effects, gloss, shine, or anything unique, utilizing specialty inks in addition to your current inks will help you achieve the polished or unique finishyou are looking for.
Color of Fabric: Plastisol inks do very well when printing on light and dark fabrics. Keep in mind, when using dark fabrics, you might need to use a white under base to avoid blurry designs.
Desired Feel: Plastisol inks do have a heavier feel to them, so it is important to keep in mind what the intended feel of the garment is. For softer finishes, water-based inks and discharge inks can achieve that desired feel.
Curing Time: To avoid having the ink wash out on water-based inks, they need to be correctly cured. They need higher heat to properly set, and discharge inks require precise heat control to avoid under-curing. Plastisol does require heat to solidify, but the conditions of curing time and heat are more forgiving, making it easier to work with in a production setting.
Now that we’ve looked at the different types of inks, and the factors that are tied into the decision making associated with using them, we hope you have a better idea of what you want to achieve this year for Valentine’s Day. If not, it can be useful planning for your next upcoming season. Whatever your needs are for your current business, don’t hesitate to reach out to the experts at Screen Printer’s Resource. Our sales reps have seen it all and have been contributing to shops since the 1980s!
Contact us today to plan out the growth of your shop and get team members dedicated to your growth and your success.
888.435.2468 or www.spresource.com
