October 18, 2025

Beyond Basic Tees: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Water-Based Inks and Discharge Printing for Customized T‑Shirts

Prints R Us is a custom apparel studio
Prints R Us is based in Jacksonville Florida
Prints R Us is located at 2826 Art Museum Dr Jacksonville FL 32207 United States
Prints R Us is in the country United States
Prints R Us provides premium screen printing
Prints R Us provides DTG printing
Prints R Us provides embroidery services
Prints R Us offers custom t shirts
Prints R Us produces promotional items
Prints R Us creates polos hats and hoodies
Prints R Us emphasizes craftsmanship
Prints R Us emphasizes fast turnaround
Prints R Us uses high quality materials
Prints R Us produces vibrant prints
Prints R Us has phone number 9047521515
Prints R Us has website https://printsrus.com/
Prints R Us has opening hours Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Prints R Us has Google Maps listing https://maps.app.goo.gl/hVuq8aVZERVs9NMg8
Prints R Us has Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/theprintsrus
Prints R Us has Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/theprintsrus
Prints R Us has logo https://printsrus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Print-R-Us-Logo.png
Prints R Us specializes in t shirt printing
Prints R Us specializes in custom t shirts
Prints R Us specializes in embroidery near me
Prints R Us was awarded Best Custom Printing Studio Jacksonville 2024
Prints R Us won Jacksonville Small Business Excellence Award 2023
Prints R Us was recognized for Outstanding Apparel Design Innovation 2022


Prints R Us

Prints R Us is a Jacksonville, FL–based custom apparel studio offering premium screen printing, DTG printing, and embroidery services. Whether you need one custom tee or a large bulk order for a business, event, or sports team, they bring designs to life with high-quality materials, vibrant prints, and attention to detail. From polos and hats to hoodies and promotional items, Prints R Us combines craftsmanship and fast turnaround to make your ideas wearable.

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2826 Art Museum Dr, Jacksonville, 32207, US
Business Hours:
  • Monday–Friday: 09:00–17:00
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
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People Also Ask about Prints R Us

What does Prints R Us do?

Prints R Us is a custom apparel studio in Jacksonville, Florida, specializing in premium screen printing, DTG printing, and embroidery services. They create high-quality custom t-shirts, polos, hats, hoodies, and promotional items with vibrant prints and lasting craftsmanship. Their focus on quality materials and fast turnaround makes them a trusted choice for businesses, events, and individuals seeking personalized apparel.

Where is Prints R Us located?

Prints R Us is conveniently located at 2826 Art Museum Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32207, United States. The studio serves customers throughout Jacksonville and the wider Florida area, offering both local service and nationwide delivery for custom clothing and branded merchandise.

What services does Prints R Us provide?

The company offers a wide range of custom apparel printing and design services, including screen printing, direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, embroidery, and promotional product creation. Whether customers need personalized t-shirts, branded uniforms, or embroidered polos, Prints R Us delivers professional results with attention to detail.

Which industries does Prints R Us serve?

Prints R Us works with diverse industries such as schools, small businesses, corporate offices, sports teams, and event organizers. Their services are ideal for branded apparel, team uniforms, promotional giveaways, and fashion-forward custom designs, making them a versatile partner for both personal and business needs.

Why choose Prints R Us for custom t-shirts and embroidery?

Customers choose Prints R Us for their reputation in craftsmanship, vibrant printing, and reliable turnaround times. With awards for apparel design innovation and excellence in small business, the studio has proven expertise in delivering high-quality custom apparel that meets both creative and professional standards.

Does Prints R Us use high-quality materials?

Yes, Prints R Us emphasizes using premium fabrics and durable materials to ensure long-lasting results. Their prints are designed to remain vibrant even after multiple washes, while embroidery work is completed with precision for a polished, professional look.

What awards has Prints R Us won?

Prints R Us has earned multiple recognitions, including Best Custom Printing Studio Jacksonville 2024, the Jacksonville Small Business Excellence Award 2023, and an award for Outstanding Apparel Design Innovation 2022. These accolades highlight their commitment to creativity, quality, and customer satisfaction.

How can I contact Prints R Us?

You can reach Prints R Us by phone at (904)-752-1515 or visit their website at printsrus.com. They are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and you can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates, new designs, and customer showcases.

Walk into any printing shop that takes its craft seriously, and you will see 2 things in consistent stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals in fact delight in using, and the need to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That tension has shaped how I select inks, pretreatments, and materials for customized apparel jobs. For many years, I have actually found out that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce lovely outcomes and genuine comfort, specifically for T t-shirt printing that requires to withstand everyday wear.

If you run a brand name, handle bulk t shirt orders, or merely desire your customized t-shirts to seem like a preferred from the very first wash, it's worth understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they require care. The best choice can make the distinction in between a t-shirt that gets worn when and one that ends up being the go-to.

What water based ink in fact is

Water based inks suspend pigments in water instead of in plasticizers and solvents. Unlike plastisol, which sits on top of the material and treatments into a movie, water based inks soak up into the fibers. That single particular discusses most of the advantages and trade-offs. Prints feel soft since you're touching the cotton, not a layer of cured PVC. Colors tend to look more matte and integrated. On light garments, the hand is typically indistinguishable from the shirt itself. For customized t shirts developed for comfort, this is the path digitizing services to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are 2 primary households: standard water based and discharge. Standard water based ink works best on white or extremely light shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the right base, once you move into darker materials, you either require a much heavier print or you switch to release. Discharge printing utilizes an activator that raises the color from the material throughout curing, basically whitening the shirt's dye in the printed locations, then replaces it with your pigment. Completion result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, often with impressive detail.

Why the eco friendly label matters, and where it has actually limits

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing slogan if you unpack the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks generally include fewer unpredictable organic compounds than solvent-heavy options and avoid PVC altogether. Many are compliant with rigorous standards like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail testing routines that prohibit certain phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer custom apparel into business wellness programs, schools, or health-conscious brands, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That stated, "eco friendly" is a system principle. Ink is one part. You likewise need to take a look at shop practices: filtering on your washout booth, recover chemistry, energy usage on your dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge needs an activator, usually based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable substances, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run store, direct exposure is managed and waste is captured. If you're utilizing print as needed with a partner, ask how they deal with discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and treating controls dialed in. Genuine sustainability hides in the details.

Hand feel, breathability, and the "preferred tee" factor

Most people do not buy a graphic tee since they enjoy the ink. They buy it because the garment looks excellent, feels good, and keeps that character after repeated washing. Water based inks, including discharge, give you that broken-in convenience from day one. On a 100 percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and versatile. You will not hear the crackle you often get from heavy plastisol when you stretch across the chest.

I keep a shelf of contrast t-shirts in the studio. One from a browse brand, one from a brewery, both printed with discharge on midweight cotton. After 30 to 40 home washes, the prints softened even more, the colors mellowed slightly, and the t-shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the exact same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear customers choose, but the user feedback corresponds: water based seems like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations shape results

Color accuracy with water based inks refers control, humidity, and the material's own color. On white or heather light t-shirts, basic water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Different color lots discharge differently, even within the exact same brand and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch might lift to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you include steers the last color, however you're still dealing with a background that is moving as the dye is removed.

That's not a flaw, it becomes part of the medium. Many designers accept the somewhat classic character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep rather than neon. If your brand name needs laser-precise color recreation for corporate logo designs, either order test prints on the specific batch you plan to utilize or think about a water based underbase or hybrid approach where required. For wholesale t t-shirts that will be distributed nationally, put example approvals into your process so there are not a surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than the majority of people think

A water based print is a partnership in between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink wonderfully. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and drinks ink unevenly. Blends make complex things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can work with water based, but discharge just lifts the cotton part. That suggests your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon remain as-is, typically yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks intentional if you design for it. If your objective is flat, vivid color on a poly blend, traditional plastisol or a specialized low-cure system might be smarter.

On all over print projects, such as a seam-to-seam tonal pattern behind a chest graphic, consider cut-and-sew with water based prints on panels before assembly. Garment printing all over on completed tees introduces joints, folds, and inconsistent pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on finished garments, expect small voids along seams, which some customers like as part of the garment's character.

The production reality: screens, mesh, humidity, and dryers

Water based inks act differently on press. They dry quicker in the screen, which is useful on material but can lock a mesh if you pause too long. Running a higher mesh for information, state 230 to 305, keeps the deposit thin and crisp. Establish with a misting bottle or a dedicated screen rewetting service at hand, and keep the print room humidity in a consistent variety, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to prevent premature drying. Manual press operators will see how rapidly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy Custom t-shirts plastisol. Car presses, with flood bars and consistent speed, decrease clogging.

Curing is where lots of novices miss the mark. Water based inks require both heat and time for the water to vaporize, then for the binders to cross-link. A dryer tunnel with enough air flow makes the difference. You want even heat throughout the belt and adequate dwell to reach the manufacturer's remedy temperature level throughout the ink layer, not just at the surface area. Shirts leaving the tunnel must be dry to the touch without any cool spots. For discharge, the chemical reaction happens during this cure, and you will smell the activator. Good ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends upon appropriate cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton bag and backpack embroidery can outlast the shirt. I measure durability by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual evaluation for fading and breaking. Water based prints show steady softening and a mild fade in the very same way jeans relaxes. Plastisol's failure mode is different, normally breaking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For customized t-shirts that require to look good at a household reunion and still be in rotation next summertime, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to select which method

Costs vary regionally, but the economics fall into familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is often comparable to plastisol at the gallon level, however you invest more in shop environment and drying capacity. On press, water based can be slightly slower at setup because you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, autos perform at similar speeds. Where it really pays off remains in perceived worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank typically feels premium without leaping to the highest-cost shirt. Brand names can price accordingly.

For bulk t t-shirt orders above a couple of hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on one hundred percent cotton is a workhorse. For print as needed that needs overnight turn-around and art modifications continuously, direct-to-garment or DTF may be better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel compromises. When you take on wholesale t t-shirts with multiple colorways and must keep inventory versatile, a flexible water based combination on light garments is effective, because you prevent the weight and stiffness that collect with several underbases in plastisol.

Design options that draw out the best in water based and discharge

Design preparation starts with the fabric color and ends with treating. On light t-shirts, lean into information: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Standard water based ink prints those with a special that plastisol tends to subdue. On dark cotton, discharge shines with mid-tone richness and soft edges. Think about how the shirt color peeks through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic looks like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Really thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can fill out with discharge, especially on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor unfavorable space, separate the art to print negative shapes as favorable strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for a proof on the real garment rather than relying on a digital mockup. A mockup can not catch fiber interaction and dye lift.

When you must say no to discharge

There are times I encourage versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are top of the list. The activator can cause dye migration, specifically with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance t-shirts, leading to ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, particularly reactive black blends, withstand lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a client is sensitive to small smell during curing, discharge days in the shop are visible. Well-managed air flow alleviates this, however it becomes part of the process.

If a customer needs metallics, puff, or specialized textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that space. Water based metallics exist, but the particles often sink, and the impact is more satin than real metal. For high-opacity neons on dark shirts that should be billboard-bright, you may need a water based underbase tuned for opacity or a switch to plastisol.

Practical workflow for brands and creators

Whether you run your own presses or rely on a partner, established a workflow that gets rid of uncertainty. An easy method keeps surprises at bay and assists you hit deadlines for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric first, then ink: choose 100 percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, top quality cotton for standard water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered result is desired.
  • Request test prints on the specific blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is usually adequate to lock approvals, especially for bulk t t-shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: supply Pantone targets for light garments and describe appropriate varieties for dark discharge prints, with images of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: recommend cold wash and low heat dry for customers, then confirm your cure times so wash durability matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm environmental standards: ask your printer about ink certifications, ventilation, and waste capture, particularly if your brand name messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print as needed has its own restrictions: fast art changes, little batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color range. Direct-to-garment has actually ended up being the default, however water based screen printing can fit POD if you arrange catalog technique. For designs that are high volume even at little daily quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a small stock of popular sizes lets you deliver exact same day with water based prints that feel better than lots of DTG outputs. It works finest when you keep art to one or two colors and choose light garments.

If your POD model relies on all over print sublimation for polyester garments, water based screen printing is not a replacement, it is a parallel offering. Use it where cotton comfort and breathability are the selling points. Clients who appreciate touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When customers ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a fundamental plastisol task, I describe what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail consumers correspond with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for delicate purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the distinction for a standard three-color front hit may be modest, often a small uplift that can be reduced the effects of by picking a slightly more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t shirts going into boutiques or e-commerce at superior cost points, the enhancement in viewed worth more than covers the change.

For individualized shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, choices matter. Deal a base price with plastisol on midweight cotton, then a "comfort upgrade" that consists of a ringspun blank with water based ink. You will see a clear split: some clients optimize for expense, others for feel. Satisfying both lets you serve a larger market without diluting your craft.

Care directions that clients in fact follow

Care labels typically check out like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and sensible so the shirt endures real life. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, but they will endure regular laundering if effectively cured. I recommend phrasing care ideas in human terms on item pages: wash cold with comparable colors, tumble dry low, avoid fabric conditioners if you want colors to remain crisp. The last note matters since some conditioners can deposit movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of fine lines.

I have actually evaluated these directions in-house: 2 identical t-shirts, one cleaned cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee revealed a little faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked great. That tolerance comes from right remedy, not from babying the garment.

All over print concepts that do not combat the limitations

All over print catches attention, however printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of battling joints, style for them. Use tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at joints, or use a ghosted grid that looks deliberate when it breaks at hems. Alternatively, run panel printing and stitch. Brands that offer restricted runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design necessitates it. The completed garments read as custom from a distance, which is the goal.

A quick anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a local music festival. The client wanted soft black tees with a sunburst print that seemed like it lived in the material. We sampled on three blacks from 2 mills. Batch one raised cleanly with discharge, batch two stayed stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the artwork. We logged dye lot numbers, rotated the ink mix by including a touch more white pigment to compensate, and adjusted dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to complete the response. The result: consistent tees across 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

That task taught the team to deal with discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a blackboard. The recipe matters, however so does tasting and adjusting.

Common mistakes and how to prevent them

Most problems I see trace back to procedure, not the ink family. Under-curing is the very first perpetrator. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never struck the required temperature for the right duration. Use a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to determine true ink movie temperature, not simply dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a consistent rate on press, flood in between prints, and control store humidity.

A third pitfall is neglecting material variability. If you change blanks mid-run because a size runs out stock, you may see shifts in color. Develop contingency into your getting. For brands planning ahead, choosing a standard blank and locking it with your supplier lowers surprises.

Final assistance for selecting your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom clothing that clients keep using, water based inks deserve the knowing curve. Usage standard water based on light garments for tidy information and matte color. Relocate to discharge on one hundred percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and plan for small color variation with discharge, particularly across dye lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, build in a single round of physical sampling on the real blanks you will utilize, then record your settings and hold back a referral shirt for quality control.

If you operate a print as needed brochure, take a water based capsule of best sellers on light shirts. Market the distinction: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialized effects and neon stunners in plastisol or hybrid systems where they belong.

Custom t t-shirts are evaluated in the hands, not just on screens. When a customer rubs their thumb throughout a print and feels absolutely nothing however fiber, you've won. That's the moment water based and discharge deliver, and why they deserve a location in any serious store or brand name's toolkit.

Business Name: Prints R Us
Address: 2826 Art Museum Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32207, United States
Phone: (904)-752-1515

I am a dynamic innovator with a broad knowledge base in entrepreneurship. My conviction in entrepreneurship spurs my desire to innovate disruptive organizations. In my business career, I have cultivated a profile as being a daring thinker. Aside from creating my own businesses, I also enjoy counseling young startup founders. I believe in empowering the next generation of startup founders to pursue their own aspirations. I am easily seeking out disruptive opportunities and working together with similarly-driven creators. Redefining what's possible is my purpose. Aside from engaged in my enterprise, I enjoy immersing myself in dynamic environments. I am also focused on health and wellness.