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 print shop that takes its craft seriously, and you will see two things in constant tension: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals actually take pleasure in using, and the requirement to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That tension has actually formed how I pick inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom-made apparel tasks. Over the years, I've learned that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce gorgeous outcomes and real comfort, specifically for T t-shirt printing that needs to withstand daily wear.

If you run a brand, manage bulk t t-shirt orders, or simply want your tailored shirts to feel like a favorite from the first wash, it deserves comprehending how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The best option can make the distinction between a 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 characteristic discusses most of the benefits and trade-offs. Prints feel soft because you're touching the cotton, not a layer of cured PVC. Colors tend to look more matte and incorporated. On light garments, the hand is frequently equivalent from the t-shirt itself. For custom-made t t-shirts created for comfort, this is the path to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are two main families: basic water based and discharge. Basic water based ink works best on white or very light t-shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the ideal base, once you move into darker fabrics, you either need a heavier print or you switch to release. Discharge printing uses an activator that raises the dye from the material throughout curing, essentially bleaching the shirt's color in the printed areas, then changes it with your pigment. Completion result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, typically with impressive detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing slogan if you unload the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks normally include fewer unpredictable organic substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and avoid PVC altogether. Lots of are certified with rigorous requirements like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail screening routines that ban certain phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell custom-made apparel into business wellness programs, schools, or health-conscious brand names, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That stated, "eco friendly" is a system idea. Ink is one part. You likewise need to look at shop practices: filtration on your washout cubicle, reclaim chemistry, energy use on your clothes dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge needs an activator, normally based on zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable substances, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run store, exposure is controlled and waste is captured. If you're using print as needed with a partner, ask how they manage discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls called in. Genuine sustainability conceals in the details.

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

Most individuals do not purchase a graphic tee since they enjoy the ink. They purchase it due to the fact that the garment looks good, feels good, and keeps that character after duplicated washing. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, offer you that broken-in comfort from day one. On an one hundred 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 extend throughout the chest.

I keep a shelf of comparison shirts in the studio. One from a browse brand name, one from a brewery, both printed with discharge on midweight cotton. After 30 to 40 home washes, the prints softened a lot more, the colors mellowed a little, and the t-shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the very same art looks glossier and still pops more under harsh light, which some streetwear clients prefer, but the wearer feedback corresponds: water based seems like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations form results

Color accuracy with water based inks refers control, humidity, and the material's own dye. On white or heather light shirts, basic water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a clean mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Various color lots discharge in a different way, even within the same brand and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch may lift to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you include steers the final color, however you're still dealing with a background that is moving as the dye is removed.

That's not a flaw, it's part of the medium. Numerous designers embrace the a little classic character of on-demand apparel fulfillment discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep rather than neon. If your brand demands laser-precise color reproduction for business logo designs, either order test prints on the specific batch you prepare to use or consider a water based underbase or hybrid approach where required. For wholesale t shirts that will be distributed nationally, put swatch approvals into your procedure so there are no surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than most people think

A water based print is a collaboration between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink perfectly. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and drinks ink unevenly. Blends complicate things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can work with water based, but discharge just raises the cotton portion. That suggests your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon remain as-is, often yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks intentional if you design for it. If your objective is flat, vibrant color on a poly mix, conventional 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 presents seams, folds, and inconsistent pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on ended up garments, anticipate little spaces along joints, which some customers like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks behave in a different way on press. They dry quicker in the screen, which works on fabric however can lock a mesh if you stop briefly too long. Running a greater mesh for information, state 230 to 305, keeps the deposit thin and crisp. Establish with a misting bottle or a devoted screen rewetting solution at hand, and keep the print room humidity in a constant range, roughly 45 to 55 percent, to prevent premature drying. Manual press operators will notice how quickly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Car presses, with flood bars and consistent pace, decrease clogging.

Curing is where numerous newbies 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 sufficient airflow makes the distinction. You desire even heat across the belt and sufficient dwell to reach the maker's treatment temperature level throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface. T-shirts exiting the tunnel must be dry to the touch without any cool areas. For discharge, the chemical reaction takes place during this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Great ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends upon proper treatment and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can last longer than the shirt. I determine toughness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual assessment for fading and splitting. Water based prints reveal gradual softening and a mild fade in the very same method denim relaxes. Plastisol's failure mode is different, usually cracking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For tailored shirts that need to look proficient at a household reunion and still be in rotation next summertime, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to choose which method

Costs differ regionally, however the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is typically similar to plastisol at the gallon level, but you invest more in store environment and drying capability. On press, water based can be a little slower at setup because you pay closer attention to fit together, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, vehicles perform at comparable speeds. Where it actually pays off is in perceived value. A soft print on a mid-tier blank often feels premium without jumping to the highest-cost shirt. Brands can price accordingly.

For bulk t t-shirt orders above a few hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print as needed that needs overnight turn-around and art changes continuously, direct-to-garment or DTF may be much better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel trade-offs. When you handle wholesale t t-shirts with several colorways and must keep stock flexible, a flexible water based palette on light garments is efficient, because you avoid the weight and tightness that build up with multiple underbases in plastisol.

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

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

Type weight matters. Extremely thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can complete with discharge, specifically on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor unfavorable area, separate the art to print unfavorable shapes as positive 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 record fiber interaction and color lift.

When you must state no to discharge

There are times I advise versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are top of the list. The activator can trigger color migration, particularly with sublimated or cationic-dyed efficiency shirts, leading to ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, especially reactive black blends, withstand lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a client is delicate to small smell during treating, discharge days in the shop are noticeable. Well-managed air flow mitigates this, but it is 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, however the particles often sink, and the result is more satin than real metal. For high-opacity neons on dark shirts that need to 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 depend on a partner, established a workflow that eliminates guesswork. An easy method keeps surprises at bay and helps you struck due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric first, then ink: pick 100 percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, top quality cotton for basic water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered impact is desired.
  • Request test prints on the exact blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is usually adequate to lock approvals, specifically for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: provide Pantone targets for light garments and explain appropriate varieties for dark discharge prints, with images of previous work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: advise cold wash and low heat dry for clients, then validate your treatment times so clean sturdiness matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological standards: ask your printer about ink accreditations, ventilation, and waste capture, especially 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 changes, small batch sizes, and the need for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has ended up being the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you arrange brochure method. 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 very same day with water based prints that feel better than lots of DTG outputs. It works finest when you keep art to a couple of colors and select light garments.

If your POD design 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 convenience and breathability are the selling points. Customers who appreciate touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and interacting value

When customers ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a standard plastisol task, I describe what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail consumers relate with quality, improved breathability, and compliance for sensitive 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 somewhat more affordable blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts going into stores or e-commerce at exceptional rate points, the improvement in viewed value more than covers the change.

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

Care guidelines that consumers really follow

Care labels frequently read like legal disclaimers. Keep it basic and practical so the t-shirt survives real life. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, but they will sustain normal laundering if effectively treated. I suggest phrasing care ideas in human terms on product pages: wash cold with similar colors, tumble dry low, prevent material softeners if you desire colors to stay crisp. The last note matters due to the fact that some conditioners can deposit films on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

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

All over print ideas that do not combat the limitations

All over print captures attention, but printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Instead of combating seams, style for them. Usage 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. Brand names that sell restricted runs can justify cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design necessitates it. The ended up garments check out as customized from a distance, which is the goal.

A brief anecdote from a hectic season

One spring we ran a series for a regional music celebration. The customer desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it resided in the fabric. We sampled on three blacks from two mills. Batch custom women’s t shirts one lifted easily with discharge, batch 2 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 adjusted dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to complete the reaction. The result: consistent tees throughout 2,400 systems, 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, however so does tasting and adjusting.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Most issues I see trace back to procedure, not the ink household. Under-curing is the very first offender. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never hit the needed temp for the best period. Use a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to measure real ink movie temperature, not just dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a consistent rate on press, flood in between prints, and control store humidity.

A 3rd mistake is disregarding fabric irregularity. If you change blanks mid-run because a size is out of stock, you might see shifts in color. Build contingency into your acquiring. For brands planning ahead, choosing a standard blank and locking it with your supplier reduces surprises.

Final assistance for choosing your path

If your concern is soft, breathable customized apparel that consumers keep wearing, water based inks deserve the learning curve. Usage basic water based on light garments for tidy information and matte color. Transfer to discharge on 100 percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and prepare for small color difference with discharge, particularly throughout dye lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical sampling on the actual blanks you will use, then document your settings and hold back a reference shirt for quality control.

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

Custom t shirts are judged 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 are worthy of a location in any major shop or brand'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.