October 18, 2025

Beyond Fundamental Tees: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Water-Based Inks and Discharge Printing for Custom 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 two 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 compromising the environment or the bottom line. That tension has formed how I pick inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom-made apparel projects. Throughout the years, I've found out that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce stunning results and genuine comfort, particularly for T shirt printing that requires to withstand everyday wear.

If you run a brand name, manage bulk t shirt orders, or merely desire your tailored t-shirts to seem like a preferred from the very first wash, it's worth comprehending how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The ideal option can make the distinction in between a shirt that gets worn once and one that ends up being the go-to.

What water based ink actually is

Water based inks suspend pigments in water rather than in plasticizers and solvents. Unlike plastisol, which sits on top of the material and cures into a movie, water based inks absorb into the fibers. That single particular explains most of the benefits and trade-offs. Prints feel soft since you're touching the cotton, not a layer of treated PVC. Colors tend to look more matte and incorporated. On light garments, the hand is often equivalent from the t-shirt itself. For custom-made t shirts developed for comfort, this is the course to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are 2 main families: basic water based and discharge. Basic water based ink works best on white or extremely light t-shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the ideal base, once you move into darker materials, you either need a heavier print or you change to discharge. Discharge printing uses an activator that raises the color from the fabric throughout curing, basically bleaching the t-shirt's color in the printed locations, then replaces it with your pigment. The end result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, often with outstanding detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing slogan if you unpack the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks usually consist of less unstable organic compounds than solvent-heavy options and prevent PVC entirely. Many are compliant with stringent requirements like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail screening regimes that ban particular phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer custom-made clothing into corporate wellness programs, schools, or health-conscious brands, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That said, "eco friendly" is a system idea. Ink is one part. You also require to look at store practices: purification on your washout booth, recover chemistry, energy use on your dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, typically based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or similar substances, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run store, direct exposure is controlled and waste is caught. If you're using print on demand with a partner, ask how they deal with discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls dialed in. Real sustainability conceals in the details.

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

Most individuals do not purchase a graphic tee since they love the ink. They purchase it because the garment looks excellent, feels excellent, and keeps that character after repeated washing. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, give you that broken-in convenience from day one. On an one hundred percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and flexible. You will not hear the crackle you in some cases receive from heavy plastisol when you extend across the chest.

I keep a shelf of contrast shirts in the studio. One from a browse brand name, one from a brewery, both printed with discharge on midweight cotton. After rush t shirt printing 30 to 40 home washes, the prints softened a lot more, the colors mellowed slightly, and the shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the exact same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear clients prefer, however the user feedback is consistent: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, coverage, and how expectations shape results

Color accuracy with water based inks is a matter of control, humidity, and the fabric's own dye. On white or heather light shirts, basic water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Various dye lots discharge in a different way, even within the very same brand name and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch might raise to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you add guides the final color, but you're still dealing with a background that is shifting as the dye is removed.

That's not a defect, it's part of the medium. Many designers welcome the somewhat classic character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand name needs laser-precise screen printing color recreation for business logo designs, either order test prints on the specific batch you plan to utilize or think about a water based underbase or hybrid technique where needed. For wholesale t shirts that will be distributed nationally, put example approvals into your procedure so there are no surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than many people think

A water based print is a collaboration in between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink wonderfully. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and beverages ink unevenly. Blends make complex things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can work with water based, however discharge just raises the cotton portion. That implies your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon remain as-is, often yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks deliberate if you design for it. If your objective is flat, brilliant color on a poly blend, traditional plastisol or a specialized low-cure system may be smarter.

On all over print jobs, such as a seam-to-seam tonal pattern behind a chest graphic, think about cut-and-sew with water based prints on panels before assembly. Garment printing all over on ended up tees presents seams, folds, and irregular pressure that appear as blank micro-gaps. If you must print on completed garments, anticipate small spaces along seams, which some clients like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks behave in a different way on press. They dry faster in the screen, which is useful on material but can lock a mesh if you pause too long. Running a higher mesh for information, say 230 to 305, keeps the deposit thin and crisp. Set up with a misting bottle or a devoted screen rewetting solution at hand, and keep the print space humidity in a stable range, roughly 45 to 55 percent, to prevent early drying. Manual press operators will observe how rapidly a standard water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Car presses, with flood bars and consistent speed, decrease clogging.

Curing is where numerous beginners miss the mark. Water based inks need both heat and time for the water to evaporate, then for the binders to cross-link. A clothes dryer tunnel with adequate airflow makes the difference. You want even heat across the belt and adequate dwell to reach the producer's remedy temperature throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface area. T-shirts exiting the tunnel ought to be dry to the touch without any cool spots. For discharge, the chain reaction takes place throughout this treatment, and you will smell the activator. Great ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on proper remedy and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlast the t-shirt. I measure toughness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual examination for fading and cracking. Water based prints reveal steady softening and a mild fade in the same method denim unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is various, typically cracking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For personalized t-shirts that require to look good at a household reunion and still remain in rotation next summertime, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to select which method

Costs differ regionally, however the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is often equivalent to plastisol at the gallon level, however you invest more in shop environment and drying Print shop near me capability. On press, water based can be slightly slower at setup due to the fact that you pay closer attention to fit together, embroidery turnaround time squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, vehicles run at comparable speeds. Where it actually pays off remains in perceived worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank typically feels premium without leaping to the highest-cost shirt. Brands can price accordingly.

For bulk t t-shirt orders above a couple of hundred pieces where the art matches the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that requires over night turn-around and art modifications constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF may be better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel compromises. When you take on wholesale t shirts with several colorways and must keep stock versatile, a versatile water based combination on light garments is effective, considering that you avoid the weight and stiffness that build up with multiple underbases in plastisol.

Design options that highlight the very best in water based and discharge

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

Type weight matters. Very thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can complete with discharge, especially on high-absorbency cotton. If you need razor unfavorable area, different the art minimum order quantity to print unfavorable shapes as favorable strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for a proof on the real garment instead of relying on a digital mockup. A mockup can not record fiber interplay and dye lift.

When you should state no to discharge

There are times I encourage versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can cause dye migration, specifically with sublimated or cationic-dyed efficiency shirts, resulting in ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, specifically reactive black blends, withstand lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a customer is sensitive to minor smell throughout curing, discharge days in the store are noticeable. Well-managed airflow mitigates this, but it is part of the process.

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

Practical workflow for brand names and creators

Whether you run your own presses or count on a partner, established a workflow that gets rid of guesswork. A basic technique keeps surprises at bay and helps 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 basic water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered result is desired.
  • Request test prints on the exact blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is generally adequate to lock approvals, particularly for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: provide Pantone targets for light garments and describe appropriate ranges for dark discharge prints, with photos of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: advise cold wash and low heat dry for customers, then validate your remedy times so clean resilience matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological requirements: ask your printer about ink certifications, ventilation, and waste capture, particularly if your brand messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print on demand has its own restraints: fast art modifications, little batch sizes, and the need for a broad color range. Direct-to-garment has ended up being the default, however water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize brochure technique. For styles that are high volume even at small everyday quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a small stock of popular sizes lets you ship same day with water based prints that feel much better than lots of DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to a couple of colors and choose light garments.

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

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When clients ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a basic plastisol task, I discuss what they are purchasing. They get the soft hand that retail customers correspond with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for delicate buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the distinction for a basic three-color front hit might be modest, typically a little uplift that can be neutralized by choosing a somewhat more cost-effective blank. If the program is for wholesale t shirts entering into stores or e-commerce at premium cost points, the enhancement in perceived value more than covers the change.

For individualized t-shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, alternatives matter. Offer a base cost with plastisol on midweight cotton, then a "convenience upgrade" that includes a ringspun blank with water based ink. You will see a clear split: some clients enhance for expense, others for feel. Meeting both lets you serve a larger market without diluting your craft.

Care instructions that consumers really follow

Care labels often check out like legal disclaimers. Keep it basic and realistic so the t-shirt makes it through real life. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, however they will endure typical laundering if correctly treated. I recommend phrasing care ideas in human terms on product pages: wash cold with comparable colors, topple dry low, avoid material softeners if you desire colors to remain crisp. The last note matters since some softeners can deposit films on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I've checked these directions in-house: 2 similar t-shirts, one washed cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee showed a little quicker fading of mid-tones, yet still looked excellent. That tolerance comes from correct treatment, not from babying the garment.

All over print ideas that do not combat the limitations

All over print captures attention, however printing flood coats on put together garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Instead of combating seams, style for them. Use tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at seams, or apply a ghosted grid that looks intentional when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and stitch. Brands that offer limited runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design requires it. The completed garments check out as customized from a distance, which is the goal.

A quick anecdote from a hectic season

One spring we ran a series for a local music festival. The client desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it resided in the fabric. We sampled on three blacks from 2 mills. Batch one lifted cleanly with discharge, batch two stayed stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the art work. We logged dye lot numbers, pivoted the ink mix by including a touch more white pigment to compensate, and changed dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to complete the reaction. The outcome: consistent tees across 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that offered out by day two.

That task taught the team to deal with discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a chalkboard. The recipe matters, but 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 first perpetrator. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never hit the required temperature for the best duration. Use a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to determine true ink film temperature, not just dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a consistent pace on press, flood between prints, and control shop humidity.

A third risk is overlooking fabric variability. If you switch blanks mid-run since a size is out of stock, you might see shifts in color. Construct contingency into your getting. For brands planning ahead, picking a standard blank and locking it with your supplier lowers surprises.

Final assistance for selecting your path

If your concern is soft, breathable custom-made apparel that consumers keep wearing, water based inks are worth the learning curve. Usage standard water based on light garments for tidy detail and matte color. Transfer to release on one hundred percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark shirts. Accept and plan for small color variance with discharge, particularly across color lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical sampling on the real blanks you will utilize, then document your settings and hold back a referral shirt for quality control.

If you run a print as needed catalog, carve out a water based pill of best sellers on light t-shirts. Market the difference: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialty results and neon stunners in plastisol or hybrid systems where they belong.

Custom t shirts are evaluated in the hands, not just on screens. When a consumer rubs their thumb across a print and feels absolutely nothing but fiber, you have actually won. That's the minute water based and discharge provide, and why they are worthy of a place in any major shop 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.