Water Based Screen Printing

Water Based Screen Printing

What works for some people, may not work for other; that is just a reality of the world we live in.  Because of this, we are in world filled with options.  People are always trying to come up with new ways to ‘skin a cat’ so that it works best for them.  In the custom garment printing world, this type of innovation has given us water based screen printing.  Water based screen printing is an alternative way of screen printing your custom garments that comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Water Based Screen Printing

Originally screen printing was done using plastisol inks, which are petroleum based.  Plastisol is great for keeping costs down because they are reusable as long as you properly maintain them.  They won’t dry up in the screens because there is virtually no solvent in them.  The problem with plastisol is that for some customers, the feel of the ink on the garment known as the ‘hand’, is too firm.  For designs that are all over coverage or that have multiple colors, plastisol ink can feel quite heavy and stiff.  Water based screen printing is perfect for those who are looking for a soft, ‘barely there’ feeling print.

Water based inks are susceptible to drying out and as such, are mixed for the amount needed for the job.  Since the inks aren’t reusable, water based screen printing is generally more expensive than printing with plastisol.  At AMBRO Manufacturing, you can have the best of both worlds as we offer screen printing with both plastisol and water based inks.  We also are capable of water based discharge printing too, so don’t forget to ask us about that!  If you are interested in placing an order, or if you would like to find out more about water based printing, you can contact us by email or by calling us at (908) 806-8337.

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Discharge Screen Printing

Discharge Screen Printing

So let’s talk screen printing.  Firstly, what is it?  Screen printing, at a glance, is applying ink to the surface of a garment through silk screens.  The screens have designs etched out in an emulsion that covers the holes in the mesh.  Once all the layers of the design have been applied, the garment can be dried and it is ready to hit the market.  If you’ve been researching around, you might have heard about discharge screen printing.  You may be wondering what that might be and how it is different than other screen printing.

Discharge Screen Printing

Originally, practically all screen printing was done with plastisol inks.  Plastisol inks are made from PVC and contain virtually no solvent, which means that they won’t dry up when left exposed to the air.  They are user-friendly inks that can be re-used over and over again with no degradation in quality.  For some, however, the ‘hand’ that plastisol inks leave behind is unappealing.  Also prints printed with plastisol inks cannot be ironed as it will re-melt the ink.  Luckily, screen printing with plastisol inks isn’t the only option around anymore.  With discharge screen printing, you can get a whole new look for you custom goods.

Discharge screen printing is a method of printing that uses water-based inks to create the image.  The ink is specially formulated to remove the existing color in the garment, the ‘discharge’ step, and then apply a new color in its place.  This method leaves behind a very soft ‘hand’ which many people like for their prints.  If you are interested in having your own custom discharge screen printing projects done, I urge you to come visit us at AMBRO Manufacturing.  You can contact us to place an order, or to find out more about our company and services, by email or by calling us at (908) 806-8337.

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