Why Using Water-Based Inks in T-Shirt Printing

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The t-shirt printing process uses two major types of inks: water-based and plastisol. Many people have begun using water-based inks more often now compared to plastisol. Knowing the reasons why water-based inks are better than plastisol will help t-shirt printing enthusiasts understand which ink is better suited to the design they are going to print.
Plastisol used to be the ink preferred for use in screen printing t-shirts. Plastisol inks are believed to be more durable and long lasting than other types of inks. Fabrics also absorb more of plastisol inks, making them less likely to peel off after repeated washings.
Water-Based Inks Are Environmentally Friendly
However, these attractive qualities of plastisol inks are now also found in new types of water-based inks. Comparing the two major types of textile inks, water-based inks are a much better option than plastisol because they are more environment-friendly. Artists and t-shirt printing companies that have adopted green practices will surely choose water-based inks over plastisol inks.
Water-based inks are easy to use and simply needs water to clean off the t-shirt printing equipment. Plastisol inks, on the other hand, need possibly harmful solvents to clean them off screens aside from containing PVC and phthalates that are non-biodegradable. Water-based inks do not contain ozone-depleting chemicals such as CFC’s and HCFC’s, aromatic hydrocarbons or any volatile solvents, and lead or any other heavy metal.
Water-Based Inks Produce a Softer Hand
Aside from being environmentally friendly, water-based inks also produce a softer hand than plastisol inks. When t-shirt printers say "soft hand," it means the ink is thoroughly absorbed into the fabric that you will not feel the surface when you pass your hand over the t-shirt’s design. Because plastisol inks have a "heavy hand," people think the t-shirt’s design was made of rubber.
Actually, plastisol ink is made of PVC liquefied into a paste without any water-based solvent. Unlike water-based inks, plastisol inks are more solid than liquid. They also have a thicker consistency because they look and feel like paste. This paste-like texture lends that rubbery feel after the design has undergone the curing process where it is exposed to intense heat.
Water-Based Inks Also Have Opaque and Vibrant Colors
Traditional t-shirt printing used to prefer plastisol inks because of the quality of color they produce. The colors used to remain as vibrant as they were newly screen-printed, even after many washing and ironing.
However, because of advancements in chemical science, water-based inks can now match plastisol inks in terms of vibrancy and opacity of colors. Lighter colors can now be printed on dark thick fabrics using water-based inks without resorting to bleaching or discharging the fabric first.
In general, water-based inks are very much as good and reliable as plastisol inks. They are less harmful to our environment and do not have that rubbery feel that plastisol printing or thermal transfer printing produces. More importantly in t-shirt printing, water-based inks produce vibrant designs as well as plastisol inks.
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Why Do $500 T-Shirts Priced so High?

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Q. Browsing through a Hong Kong department store the other day, I came across an Alexander McQueen T-shirt that was selling for more than US$250. It’s not the only example of the humble tee priced so high, nor is it the most expensive. But it got me wondering: Why do designer-brand T-shirts cost so much?
A. The price of cotton has risen sharply over the past year, hitting a record US$2.13 a pound last week. But even at that price the amount of cotton in a T-shirt would account for only small change. And in terms of function, there’s little difference between a designer-label T-shirt costing several hundred dollars and a $20 version from the Gap; it won’t wick your sweat away any better or keep you any drier. (For that there are more-technical shirts, designed for the likes of marathon runners.)
That leaves three factors to explain the price of high-end T-shirts, according to David Fung, the lead menswear buyer at Hong Kong-based I.T Apparels Ltd., which distributes several fashion brands in Hong Kong and mainland China, including Givenchy, A.P.C. and Comme des Gar?ons. While we’re not advocating spending a small fortune on a simple T-shirt, here’s what you might consider if you choose to head down that route.
1. Material: Almost all T-shirts are made primarily of cotton, sometimes blended with polyester. More-expensive brands often use a fancier cotton blend — some incorporate silk, for example — for a more luxurious feel. Or they might stretch and wash the shirt several times to achieve a softer, lived-in texture right off the rack.
2. Print: Currently, one of the priciest T-shirts in I.T.’s inventory is a baggy Givenchy number. It’s made of a leopard-print fabric, has a graphic of an evil-looking clown on the chest and retails for almost US$800. Mr. Fung says the material itself is “nothing special”; what attracts the high price is the leopard print.
“Last June [at the runway shows for spring/summer 2011 in Paris], we saw lots of brands with a leopard element. It’s very strong on the runway, so we knew we needed to have it,” he explains. Givenchy’s spring/summer collection had leopard prints on everything from shirts to shoes.
3. Exclusivity: How many shirts does Mr. Fung sell at this price point? Not many. In some cases, I.T’s stock of a specific designer T-shirt, across all of its stores, is in the single digits. If you’re spending hundreds of dollars on a shirt, the last thing you want to see is some other guy wearing it too. “At Uniqlo, they’ll make 10,000 of one shirt,”
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When t-shirt trend return…

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Spring usually heralds the return of the t-shirt and this year is no exception. There is a great assortment of brightly colored, fresh, clean, new t-shirts in the shops right now. This is a good thing for moms, because most moms will tell you that the t-shirt is a staple of their wardrobe and with good reason! They are washable, comfortable, versatile, cheap and easy. I am all for a great T-shirt collection if it’s done right. But I see a lot of boo boos out there too! For a modest budget, you can actually add a lot to your wardrobe with T-shirts, just following a few simple rules. Take these rules, be creative and have fun!
1. Buy new T-shirts each year. I know it feels good to pull an old favorite over your head, the cotton slides over your skin like silk, its stretched in all of the right places, and the list goes on. Whatever your reasons for hanging on to that 5 year old (or older!) T-shirt, they do not outweigh the fact that its likely pilling, warped, yellowing in the armpits, or even stained elsewhere with baby slop. Trust me, you can go out and get a better one for very little money, and it’s worth it. New t-shirts are great too.
2. Look for detail. The key to pulling off a great t-shirt look is detail, detail, detail! V-neck, scoop-neck, boat-neck (big this spring!), cap sleeve, blouse sleeve, bracelet length (not for petites), below the hip, Empire waist detailing, ruffles, rouching, pattern list is endless. All of these little details make a Tee look more grown up. Also, for those of us with a mommy tummy, an Empire waist, clever pattern, and longer length camouflage that little bulge with ease. Sometimes, however, the wrong kind of detailing can make you look like a teenager, or worse, highlight the areas you want to disguise.
3. Make sure it fits. A too-tight tee only works on the super-fit. If you have washboard abs you should show them off! However, a tee that is tight all-over can look a bit juvenile. To grow up the look a bit, try a tee that is a little baggy in one area, like a bloused sleeve. Also, your husbands and man-friends should wear their own T-shirts! The neck is too high, the cut is too boxy to lie nicely over hips and they do not show off a waist.
4. Accessorize! Just because you are wearing a simple t-shirt does not mean you cannot add a scarf, earrings, bracelet or broach. Any of these easy add-ons really complete an outfit. Do not be surprised if you try out this tip and get a heap of compliments, even though you are only wearing a t-shirt!
5. Try out seasonal trends. Do not be afraid to be trendy with t-shirts. They are inexpensive and a small commitment because they do not require any tailoring (although tailoring a t-shirt is an easy thing to try out yourself at home). So this spring, have fun with your t-shirts! Try out a nautical stripe, boat-neck or a large bow-accent on the collar. You will be on trend, on budget and still be wearing your favorite wardrobe staple the t-shirt.
Check out these ideas for spring, with these four t-shirts you can get at least 20 different outfits for day, weekend and evening just by switching up jeans, skirts and pants. Mix and match accessories too! Belt it, tuck it into a high-waisted skirt, clip a bow on the neck, throw on some chunky bangles (totally kid-friendly jewelry), wear a vest over it, pull on a boyfriend blazer – the list is endless. Have fun ladies!
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