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 continuous tension: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals in fact delight in using, and the requirement to produce at scale without compromising the environment or the bottom line. That tension has actually formed how I choose inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom garments jobs. Throughout the years, I've learned that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce gorgeous results and genuine convenience, specifically for T shirt printing that needs to stand up to everyday wear.

If you run a brand name, manage bulk t t-shirt orders, or simply desire your tailored t-shirts to feel like a preferred from the first wash, it deserves understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The right option can make the difference in between a t-shirt that gets used as soon as and one that ends up being the go-to.

What water based ink really 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 film, water based inks soak up into the fibers. That single particular discusses most of the benefits 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 frequently equivalent from the shirt itself. For custom-made t shirts developed for convenience, this is the course to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are two primary families: basic water based and discharge. Standard water based ink works best on white or very light shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the best base, but once you move into darker fabrics, you either require a heavier print or you change to discharge. Release printing utilizes an activator that lifts the color from the material throughout curing, essentially bleaching the shirt's color in the printed locations, then replaces it with your pigment. Completion outcome is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently with exceptional 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 typically contain fewer unpredictable organic substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and prevent PVC entirely. Lots of are certified with strict requirements like Oeko-Tex or satisfy retail testing routines that prohibit particular phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer customized garments 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 concept. Ink is one part. You also need to take a look at shop practices: filtration on your washout booth, reclaim chemistry, energy usage on your clothes dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge needs an activator, generally based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or similar compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run shop, direct exposure is controlled and waste is recorded. 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 called in. Real sustainability conceals in the details.

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

Most people do not purchase a graphic tee because they like the ink. They buy it since the garment looks good, feels great, and keeps that character after repeated washing. Water based inks, including discharge, offer you that broken-in comfort from the first day. On an one hundred percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and flexible. You will not hear the crackle you sometimes get from heavy plastisol when you extend across the chest.

I keep a shelf of comparison shirts in the studio. One from a surf brand name, 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 somewhat, and the t-shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the same art looks glossier and still pops more under extreme light, which some streetwear clients prefer, but the wearer feedback is consistent: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations shape results

Color precision with water based inks is a matter of control, humidity, and the material's own color. On white or heather light shirts, basic water based ink can strike 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 add steers the final color, however you're still dealing with a background that is shifting as the dye is removed.

That's not a defect, it belongs to the medium. Many designers accept the somewhat vintage character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep rather than neon. If your brand name needs laser-precise color recreation for business logos, either order test prints on the precise batch you plan to use or consider a water based underbase or hybrid approach where required. For wholesale t t-shirts that will be dispersed nationally, put swatch approvals into your process so there are not a surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than most people think

A water based print is a partnership between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink wonderfully. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and beverages ink unevenly. Blends complicate things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can work with water based, however discharge only lifts the cotton part. That implies your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon stay as-is, frequently 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, 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, think about cut-and-sew with water based prints on panels before assembly. Garment printing all over on finished tees presents seams, folds, and inconsistent pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you must print on completed garments, expect small spaces along seams, which some customers like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks behave differently on press. They dry much faster in the screen, which is useful on material but can lock a mesh if you pause too long. Running a higher mesh for detail, say 230 to 305, keeps the deposit thin and crisp. Establish with a misting bottle or a dedicated screen rewetting solution at hand, and keep the print space humidity in a steady range, approximately 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. Auto presses, with flood bars and constant speed, lower clogging.

Curing is where numerous newbies fizzle. Water based inks require both heat and time for the water to vaporize, then for the binders to cross-link. A dryer tunnel with adequate air flow makes the distinction. You want even heat throughout the belt and adequate dwell to reach the manufacturer's treatment temperature level throughout the ink layer, not just at the surface. T-shirts leaving the tunnel should be dry to the touch without any cool spots. For discharge, the chemical reaction takes place during this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Good ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on correct cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlive the shirt. I determine toughness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, topple dry Exposure unit medium, then visual assessment for fading and breaking. Water based prints show gradual softening and a gentle fade in the exact same method denim unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is different, generally cracking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For tailored t-shirts that need to look good at a family reunion and still be in rotation next summer, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to choose which method

Costs vary regionally, but the economics fall into familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is typically 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 fit together, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. When tuned, vehicles run at comparable speeds. Where it actually pays off is in viewed worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank frequently feels premium without jumping to the highest-cost t-shirt. Brands can price accordingly.

For bulk t shirt orders above a few hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that requires over night turn-around and art changes constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF may be much better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel compromises. When you handle wholesale t shirts with numerous colorways and must keep inventory versatile, a flexible water based palette on light garments is efficient, considering that you prevent the weight and stiffness that build up with several underbases in plastisol.

Design choices that draw out the very best in water based and discharge

Design preparation begins with the fabric color and ends with curing. 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 glimpses through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic appear like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Very thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can fill in with discharge, specifically on high-absorbency cotton. If you need razor negative space, different the art to print unfavorable shapes as favorable strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for a proof on the actual garment rather than relying on a digital mockup. A mockup can not capture fiber interplay and color lift.

When you ought to say no to discharge

There are times I encourage versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are top of the list. The activator can trigger dye migration, specifically with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance t-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 airflow reduces this, but it becomes part of the process.

If a client requires metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that area. Water based metallics exist, however the particles frequently sink, and the impact is more satin than true metal. For high-opacity neons on dark shirts that should be billboard-bright, you may require 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, set up a workflow that eliminates uncertainty. A basic technique keeps surprises at bay and assists you hit due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on material initially, then ink: choose one hundred 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 specific 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: supply Pantone targets for light garments and describe appropriate ranges for dark discharge prints, with pictures of previous work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: advise cold wash and low heat dry for consumers, then confirm your treatment times so clean sturdiness matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological standards: ask your printer about ink accreditations, ventilation, and waste capture, particularly if your brand name messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print on demand has its own restrictions: quick art changes, small batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color range. Direct-to-garment has actually ended up being the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize catalog method. For designs that are high volume even at little everyday quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a little stock of popular sizes lets you ship same day with water based prints that feel much better than many DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to one or two colors and choose 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. Clients who care about touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When customers ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a standard plastisol job, I discuss what they are purchasing. 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 might be modest, often a small uplift that can be neutralized by choosing a slightly more affordable blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts going into shops or e-commerce at exceptional price points, the improvement in perceived value more than covers the change.

For personalized t-shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, choices matter. Deal a base rate 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 cost, others for feel. Fulfilling both lets you serve a broader market without diluting your craft.

Care directions that consumers in fact follow

Care labels often read like legal disclaimers. Keep it simple and reasonable so the shirt endures real life. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower dryer heat, however they will sustain typical laundering if properly treated. I recommend phrasing care suggestions in human terms on item pages: wash cold with comparable colors, tumble dry low, prevent material softeners if you want colors to stay crisp. The last note matters since some conditioners can deposit films on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I have actually evaluated these directions in-house: two identical shirts, one washed cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee showed somewhat much faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked excellent. That tolerance comes from correct cure, not from babying the garment.

All over print concepts 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 battling joints, design for them. Use tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at joints, or use a ghosted grid that looks intentional when it breaks at hems. Alternatively, run panel printing and stitch. Brand names that sell minimal runs can justify cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design warrants it. The completed garments check out as custom from a range, which is the goal.

A short anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a local music celebration. The customer desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it resided in the fabric. We tested on 3 blacks from two mills. Batch one raised easily with discharge, batch two remained stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the art work. We logged dye lot numbers, pivoted the ink mix by adding a touch more white pigment to compensate, and changed dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to complete the response. The result: constant tees throughout 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 risks and how to prevent them

Most issues I see trace back to procedure, not the ink household. 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 ever struck the required temperature for the right period. Use a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to measure real ink film temperature, not simply dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a constant pace on press, flood in between prints, and control shop humidity.

A 3rd risk is overlooking material irregularity. If you change blanks mid-run because a size runs out stock, you might see shifts in color. Develop contingency into your getting. For brands preparing ahead, choosing a standard blank and locking it with your provider decreases surprises.

Final guidance for picking your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom apparel that customers keep using, water based inks deserve the learning curve. Use basic water based upon light garments for tidy detail and matte color. Transfer to release on one hundred percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and plan for minor color variance with discharge, especially across color lots. For bulk t shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical tasting on the actual blanks you will use, then record your settings and hold back a recommendation t-shirt for quality control.

If you operate a print as needed brochure, carve out a water based pill of finest sellers on light shirts. Market the difference: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialized impacts 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 client rubs their thumb across a print and feels absolutely nothing however fiber, you've won. That's the minute water based and discharge deliver, and why they should have a place in any major store 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.