Discharge and Water Based Printing Services

Discharge and Water Based Printing Services

When it comes to print custom clothing, it’s always good to have options.  As you may already know, certain designs need the right mixture of services to be realized on a garment.  Most screen printing in America is done with plastisol inks because they are cost effective and easily reused without detriment to the pigment.  Generally, people don’t notice the feel of the print, also known as the ‘hand’, on their garments.  Some lightweight fabrics or garments with many colors printed on them tend to have a more obvious ‘hand’ which may be unpleasant to some.

Discharge and Water Based Printing Services

Discharge and water based printing services are alternative options to plastisol printing.  One of the benefits of using water based inks is the soft ‘hand’ it leaves on the fabric.  Water based inks are much thinner than plastisol inks and because of this, you can barely feel the print on the fabric.  So if you have picky customers at your custom garment store that complain about ‘weighty’ prints, water based printing will quiet them down.  Discharge printing is water based printing with a discharge agent added to the ink.  When the discharge ink is printed and then run through a dryer, the discharge agent removes the existing dye from the fabric.  If you tint the discharge ink you can simultaneously remove the old color and apply a new color in its place!

Discharge and water based printing services generally cost a little more because water based ink has a short shelf life; once you mix a batch, you must use it before it expires.  However, sometimes your designs call for specialty services so it’s important to find a printing company who can help you out.  At AMBRO Manufacturing we can hook you up with our discharge and water based printing services!  You can contact us for any questions or concerns, or to find out more about or company, by email or by calling us at (908) 806-8337.

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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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