Using Water-Based Ink for Your Custom Shirts: Pros and Cons

Water-Based Prints on a blue background

If youโ€™ve ever ordered custom t-shirts for your youth group or summer retreat, you may have heard the phrase โ€œwater-based inkโ€ or โ€œwater-based print.โ€ While the practice of using water-based inks has been rising in popularity, most customers arenโ€™t familiar with how it differs from traditional plastisol printing or what it is that makes water-based prints so special. 

What Is Water-Based Printing?

Simply put, water-based printing is the process of using ink based in water instead of plastisol (surprise, surprise). Unlike plastic-based inks, which are applied on top of the garment, water-based ink soaks into the fabric itself, dyeing it the desired color. The result is a print so soft that you can hardly feel its presence on the shirt.

Perks of Water-Based Printing

The incredibly soft feel of water-based printing isnโ€™t the only benefit of choosing this type of ink for your groupโ€™s custom shirts. Because the ink dyes the actual garment rather than sitting on top of it, the design will avoid the cracks and flakes that plague many plastisol-based prints once theyโ€™ve been worn and washed. 

Using water-based ink can even expand the horizons of whatโ€™s possible with your artwork. For example, because the ink dyes the fabric of the shirt, this method of printing lends well to vintage designs. Additionally, since many water-based jobs donโ€™t require an โ€œunder-baseโ€ layer of ink, this helps to retain fine details in your design.  

Another perk of water-based printing is that it is much more eco-friendly than the plastisol alternative. Water-based inks lack PVC resin and plastic inherent in traditional plastisol inks, making water-based inks the most environmentally-responsible materials for screen printing.

A water-based ink print on two different garments for comparison.
Some garments and colors tend to respond better to water-based inks while others prove to be less predictable.

Cons to Water-Based Printing: 

While water-based printing has many benefits, there are still valid reasons to use plastisol inks on your shirts. Plastisol tends to portray a design much more boldly and vibrantly than water-based ink can. Additionally, plastisol yields the intended print color with more accuracy on different garments. Because they interact with the color of the fabric itself, For this reason, itโ€™s important to consider the overall look and feel you hope to achieve with your t-shirt design. Donโ€™t worry, if this seems a little overwhelming, our experienced team will guide you through the entire process to ensure your group loves your shirts for years to come

Whether you think that itโ€™s time to give water-based printing a try or youโ€™d like to stick with good ole fashioned plastisol, weโ€™re excited to help you design custom shirts that are perfect for your groupโ€™s needs. To get started with a new project, feel give us a call at 1-800-242-9166 or click here to get a quote. We look forward to the privilege of serving you!