Take a look at the 5 most popular types of t-shirt printing ink today

The elements to create a beautiful, quality t-shirt include the style, fabric, color, and print of the t-shirt. At uniform t-shirt factories, special attention is paid to the t-shirt printing step because this step determines the distinct beauty of the product. Therefore, garment manufacturing facilities are very interested in investing in modern machinery and equipment.
However, we will not be able to create beautiful prints on t-shirts without good t-shirt printing ink. In the framework of the article below, Printlonestart will list the 5 most popular types of t-shirt printing ink today.
Water-based ink

This type of printing ink is very popular in uniform sewing factories. Water-based ink is also known as water-based ink. This ink is instantly soluble in the bonus temperature. The ideal heat level for melting is from 50 to 60 degrees Celsius and it is very difficult to melt if the temperature is below 25 degrees Celsius. Compared to other inks, water-based inks do not need to undergo any heat or light treatment. which can dry naturally.

We can use water-based ink on many different fabrics such as elastic, silk, cotton… and some materials such as wood, rattan, bamboo, and sedge… When printing on fabric, water-based ink will be sold. according to its own color. As for printing on the above material, it will be pre-mixed in color.

T-shirts printed with water-based ink

Currently, there are two types of printing ink used to print fabrics: water-based and flexible. In particular, flexible gloss is the type of ink that creates a rough surface on the fabric. The water line is the ink that penetrates the fabric.
Oil-based printing ink
Oil-based ink has better adhesion than water-based ink, but it is toxic and not environmentally friendly because it is produced from petroleum. When used, you will see a heavy or light oil smell, depending on the manufacturer’s handling.

UV T-shirt printing ink

True to the name of the ink, UV ink is an oil-based ink and to make all the ink, it must be dried with UV light. Possessing outstanding advantages with high adhesion, this ink is used to print on many products. Not only that, UV ink has a novel transparency, much better than other inks, so it is often applied to gloss, and matte, creating roughness for the surface of the fabric to help the prints become more vivid.
Plastisol printing ink

Still an oil-based ink, but separated as a separate item, we need to pay special attention to avoid confusion. It will be difficult for you to distinguish Plastisol ink and oil-based ink by their smell, but only when wiping the plate or using the same solvent will the oil-based ink be revealed.
This ink creates a beautiful surface for clothing, holds colors much better than water-based inks, and easily fades according to the user’s intention. However, Plastisol ink needs to be heat treated when printing at a temperature of 160 degrees or higher for at least 10 seconds. Otherwise, the print will be removed immediately.

Sublimation ink

In thermal transfer printing technology, Sublimation ink is used the most. After printing ink on specialized heat transfer paper, the printer will use a heat press machine to press the printed image to another fabric surface. At this time, the ink will sublimate onto the surface of the fabric to be printed.

How to preserve t-shirt painting ink, and t-shirt printing ink from fading

After buying a T-shirt with a printed image, you should not wash it immediately because the ink on the shirt is not necessarily dry. The best way to preserve the print is that you should turn the shirt upside down, and use an iron to put it on the print for 3-5 minutes. This method will kill the ink and help the print to adhere firmly, not easily fading.
Do not soak, wash T-shirts in a strong detergent solution that will fade the color and directly affect the color of the print.
Do not wash printed shirts with white shirts, or light-colored shirts to avoid smearing ink on other clothes.
Dry clothes in a cool place, and avoid direct exposure to sunlight, which can easily reduce the durability of the print.
When drying, you should turn the left side of the shirt to avoid the 2 sides of the print next to each other, making the T-shirt ink stick when it dries.
When the shirt is wrinkled, you should iron it straight and while ironing, you also need to turn the shirt upside down.
After buying a printed shirt, you need to clean it immediately. Add about 1 tablespoon of table salt dissolved in water and lightly wash the shirt with soap to improve the color of the fabric.