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Wearing a custom-designed T-shirt is the perfect way to display your team spirit, support for a cause, or participation in a family event. With this in mind, screen printing services encourage customers to learn about the various T-shirt ink options they can choose from. These products differ from each other by the way they’re worked with and the fabrics they’re ideal for. 

3 T-Shirt Ink Options

Plastisol

Ideal for bright- and dark-colored materials, plastisol inks need to be baked at a certain temperature to allow the dye to set in. Since they are slow to dry during the screen printing process, they are generally considered more flexible and easier to work with. Once settled, the colors are known to last for many wears and wash cycles.

Water-Based

T-Shirt InkAs their name suggests, precise quantities of this ink type have to be added to water to form a screen printing dye. This is a non-oxidizing solvent-based ink, which means it sets once the water dries up and doesn’t utilize chemical processing. Unlike dense plastisol, water-based colors have a thinner consistency and require a full-fledged air drying unit for proper setting. These inks offer less coverage than plastisol, which is why they’re ideal for white or pastel fabrics.  

Oxidizing Solvent-Based Inks

Oxidizing inks rely on solvents that react with atmospheric oxygen to ensure proper drying. The oxidation process works in the same way as rusting does, except in this case, it helps to set the color and lend it durability. Since they can be more challenging to work with than their water- or petroleum-based counterparts, their use is typically limited to bulk industrial printing.

 

Gain further insight on T-shirt ink and design options by entrusting your garment screen printing services to the team at Honolulu Shirt Shop. Their experts have served the island of Oahu and the surrounding areas for nearly 35 years. For more information about their T-shirt designs and print options, call (808) 847-0831 or visit their website.

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