Think about your favorite t-shirt. Maybe it’s from your last Jonas Brothers concert (we see you all, no judgment!). Perhaps it’s from summer camp circa 2009 when you finally told that girl whose name you can’t remember that you actually liked her. A few things are in common with these shirts, though: they’re probably soft, the design is timeless, and you feel comfortable in them. They also likely have one more aspect in common, one that most people outside our industry would even know — water-based ink.
If you’re looking for wicked soft shirts that are made to last, water-based inks can be your best bet. Here are a few reasons why we encourage customers to consider water-based inks on their group shirt orders:
They’re greener shirts.
No, water-based ink doesn’t literally turn the shirt green. Water-based inks are often better for the environment than the alternative: plastisol. Plastisol is effectively a plastic derivative made by mixing PVC resin and plasticizer together. Yes, that’s a little bit of chemistry, but our point boils down to this: plastisol relies on plastic-based compounds. Water-based inks are PVC-free and have a solvent base made of water. While both shirts can be made with environmental responsibility in mind, water-based shirts can be on-average cleaner for the environment.
They feel softer to the touch.
Have you ever gotten a shirt and the print design feels a little stiff, even after you wash it? That’s not something that happens with water-based inks! Thanks to their water base, water-based inks are softer than other ink types. After the first wash, most customers tell us they can’t feel the print on the shirt anymore.
You get sharper details on your shirt designs.
Sometimes, no matter how epic your group’s shirt design is, it can suffer at the hands of sub-part materials. Water-based inks dye the fabric instead of what plastisol does, which is sit on top. This means that the design will hold over time; no more cracks or chips in the design after washes! Those clean edges and sharp colors will stay wash after wash if you opt for water-based inks.
It’s perfect for vintage styles.
Vintage never goes out of style! Water-based inks interact directly with the fabric color you pick, which means that the super-cool look of your favorite vintage shirt can be recreated into another style. And it means that the vintage style won’t chip or crack over time.
At Uth Stuph, we want each and every group to fall in love with their shirts. Whether that’s plastisol or water-based, our inks are made to give each group exactly what they’re looking for out of a custom shirt design. Give us a call at 800-242-9166, or fill out our super-simple form to grab a quote!