| The t-shirt printing process uses two major types of | | | | hand,” it means the ink is thoroughly absorbed |
| inks: water-based and plastisol. Many people have | | | | into the fabric that you will not feel the surface |
| begun using water-based inks more often now | | | | when you pass your hand over the t-shirt’s |
| compared to plastisol. Knowing the reasons why | | | | design. Because plastisol inks have a “heavy |
| water-based inks are better than plastisol will help | | | | hand,” people think the t-shirt’s design was |
| t-shirt printing enthusiasts understand which ink is | | | | made of rubber. |
| better suited to the design they are going to print. | | | | Actually, plastisol ink is made of PVC liquefied into a |
| Plastisol used to be the ink preferred for use in | | | | paste without any water-based solvent. Unlike |
| screen printing t-shirts. Plastisol inks are believed to | | | | water-based inks, plastisol inks are more solid than |
| be more durable and long lasting than other types of | | | | liquid. They also have a thicker consistency because |
| inks. Fabrics also absorb more of plastisol inks, making | | | | they look and feel like paste. This paste-like texture |
| them less likely to peel off after repeated washings. | | | | lends that rubbery feel after the design has |
| Water-Based Inks Are Environmentally Friendly | | | | undergone the curing process where it is exposed to |
| However, these attractive qualities of plastisol inks | | | | intense heat. |
| are now also found in new types of water-based | | | | Water-Based Inks Also Have Opaque And Vibrant |
| inks. Comparing the two major types of textile inks, | | | | Colors |
| water-based inks are a much better option than | | | | Traditional t-shirt printing used to prefer plastisol inks |
| plastisol because they are more environment-friendly. | | | | because of the quality of color they produce. The |
| Artists and t-shirt printing companies that have | | | | colors used to remain as vibrant as they were newly |
| adopted green practices will surely choose | | | | screen-printed, even after many washing and ironing. |
| water-based inks over plastisol inks. | | | | However, because of advancements in chemical |
| Water-based inks are easy to use and simply needs | | | | science, water-based inks can now match plastisol |
| water to clean off the t-shirt printing equipment. | | | | inks in terms of vibrancy and opacity of colors. |
| Plastisol inks, on the other hand, need possibly | | | | Lighter colors can now be printed on dark thick |
| harmful solvents to clean them off screens aside | | | | fabrics using water-based inks without resorting to |
| from containing PVC and phthalates that are | | | | bleaching or discharging the fabric first. |
| non-biodegradable. Water-based inks do not contain | | | | In general, water-based inks are very much as good |
| ozone-depleting chemicals such as CFC's and HCFC's, | | | | and reliable as plastisol inks. They are less harmful to |
| aromatic hydrocarbons or any volatile solvents, and | | | | our environment and do not have that rubbery feel |
| lead or any other heavy metal. | | | | that plastisol printing or thermal transfer printing |
| Water-Based Inks Produce A Softer Hand | | | | produces. More importantly in t-shirt printing, |
| Aside from being environmentally friendly, | | | | water-based inks produce vibrant designs as well as |
| water-based inks also produce a softer hand than | | | | plastisol inks. |
| plastisol inks. When t-shirt printers say “soft | | | | |