October 18, 2025

Beyond Standard 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 consistent stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that people really enjoy wearing, and the need to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That tension has shaped how I pick inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom-made clothing projects. Over the years, I have actually found out that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce stunning results and genuine convenience, particularly for T shirt printing that requires to stand up to day-to-day wear.

If you run a brand name, handle bulk t t-shirt orders, or just want your individualized shirts to seem like a favorite from the very first wash, it deserves understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they require care. The ideal option can make the distinction between a shirt that gets worn once and one that ends up being the go-to.

What water based ink really is

Water based inks suspend pigments in water instead of in plasticizers and solvents. Unlike plastisol, which sits on top of the material and remedies into a movie, water based inks soak up into the fibers. That single particular describes 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 identical from the shirt itself. For custom-made t t-shirts created for comfort, this is the course to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are 2 main households: standard water based and discharge. Standard water based ink works best on white or really light t-shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the best base, once you move into darker materials, you either need a much heavier print or you switch to release. Discharge printing utilizes an activator that raises the color from the fabric during curing, essentially whitening the t-shirt's color in the printed locations, then replaces it with your pigment. Completion result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently 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 typically include fewer unpredictable organic substances than solvent-heavy options and avoid PVC entirely. Lots of are certified with rigorous requirements like Oeko-Tex or satisfy retail screening routines that prohibit particular phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer customized garments into corporate health cares, schools, or health-conscious brand names, 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 take a look at shop practices: purification on your washout booth, recover chemistry, energy usage on your clothes dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, typically based on zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable substances, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run shop, direct exposure is controlled and waste is caught. If you're utilizing print as needed with a partner, ask how they handle 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 enjoy the ink. They buy it because the garment looks excellent, feels great, and keeps that character after repeated washing. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, offer you that broken-in convenience from the first day. On an one hundred percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and versatile. You will not hear the crackle you sometimes obtain from heavy plastisol when you extend throughout the chest.

I keep a shelf of comparison 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 a lot more, the colors mellowed a little, and the shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the very same art looks glossier and still pops more under harsh light, which some streetwear customers choose, however the wearer feedback corresponds: water based seems like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations form results

Color precision with water based inks refers control, humidity, and the fabric's own dye. On white or heather light shirts, standard water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a determined ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Various dye lots discharge differently, even within the same brand name 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 add guides the last color, but you're still working with a background that is moving as the dye is removed.

That's not a defect, it becomes part of the medium. Numerous designers accept the slightly classic character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep rather than neon. If your brand name demands laser-precise color reproduction for corporate logos, either order test prints on the precise batch you plan to utilize or consider a water based underbase or hybrid technique where required. For wholesale t shirts that will be distributed nationally, put example approvals into your procedure so there are not a surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than many people think

A water based print is a partnership between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink perfectly. 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 deal with water based, however discharge just lifts the cotton portion. That implies your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon stay as-is, often yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks intentional if you style for it. If your objective is flat, vivid color on a poly mix, 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 completed tees introduces seams, folds, and inconsistent pressure that appear as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on ended up garments, anticipate small spaces along seams, which some clients like jacket embroidery as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks behave differently on press. They dry faster in the screen, which is useful on fabric however can lock a mesh if you stop briefly too long. Running a greater mesh for detail, 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 constant variety, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to avoid early drying. Manual press operators will see how quickly a standard water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Auto presses, with flood bars and consistent speed, lower clogging.

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

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on proper cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlast the shirt. I measure resilience by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, topple dry medium, then visual assessment for fading and cracking. Water based prints show steady softening and a mild fade in the same method denim relaxes. Plastisol's failure mode is different, usually breaking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For personalized shirts that need to look good at a household reunion and still remain in rotation next summer season, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to pick which method

Costs vary regionally, however the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is frequently comparable to plastisol at the gallon level, however you invest more in shop environment and drying capacity. On press, water based can be somewhat slower at setup due to the fact that you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, vehicles perform at comparable speeds. Where it actually settles remains in perceived value. 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 fits the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that needs overnight turn-around and art modifications continuously, direct-to-garment or DTF may be much better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel trade-offs. When you handle wholesale t t-shirts with numerous colorways and should keep stock flexible, a flexible water based palette on light garments is effective, because you prevent the weight and tightness that collect with multiple underbases in plastisol.

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

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

Type weight matters. Extremely thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can fill out with discharge, particularly on high-absorbency cotton. If you need razor unfavorable area, different the art to print unfavorable shapes as favorable strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for an evidence on the real garment rather than relying on a digital mockup. A mockup can not catch fiber interplay and color lift.

When you must state no to discharge

There are times I advise versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can cause color migration, specifically with sublimated or cationic-dyed efficiency 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 odor throughout treating, discharge days in the shop are visible. Well-managed airflow alleviates this, however it belongs to the process.

If a customer needs metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that space. Water based metallics exist, but the particles often sink, and the result is more satin than true metal. For high-opacity neons on dark t-shirts that need to be billboard-bright, you might 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 depend on a partner, set up a workflow that removes uncertainty. A simple approach keeps surprises at bay and assists you struck deadlines for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric initially, then ink: choose 100 percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, top quality cotton for basic water based. Avoid high poly unless the heathered effect is desired.
  • Request test prints on the specific blanks: one shirt per colorway is generally sufficient 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 acceptable varieties for dark discharge prints, with photos of previous work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: suggest cold wash and low heat dry for consumers, then validate your cure times so clean sturdiness matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological requirements: ask your printer about ink accreditations, ventilation, and waste capture, particularly if your brand messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print as needed has its own restraints: fast art changes, small batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color range. Direct-to-garment has ended up being the default, but water based screen printing can fit eco-friendly inks POD if you arrange brochure strategy. For styles that are high volume even at little everyday quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a small stock of popular sizes lets you ship exact same day with water custom patches near me based prints that feel better than numerous DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to a couple of colors and select light garments.

If your POD design 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. Consumers who appreciate touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When clients ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a fundamental plastisol job, I describe what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail customers equate with quality, improved breathability, and compliance for delicate buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a basic three-color front hit may be modest, often a little uplift that can be reduced the effects of by selecting a somewhat more affordable blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts going into stores or e-commerce at premium price points, the improvement in viewed value more than covers the change.

For customized t-shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, alternatives matter. Offer a base cost 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. Fulfilling both lets you serve a wider market without diluting your craft.

Care directions that customers actually follow

Care labels frequently read like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and realistic so the t-shirt survives real life. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower dryer heat, however they will endure normal laundering if correctly cured. I recommend phrasing care ideas in human terms on product pages: wash cold with similar colors, topple dry low, prevent fabric conditioners if you want colors to stay crisp. The last note matters because some softeners can transfer films on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of fine lines.

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

All over print concepts that do not fight the limitations

All over print captures attention, but printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of fighting seams, style for them. Usage tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally Silk screen at seams, or use a ghosted grid that looks deliberate when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and stitch. Brands that offer minimal runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design warrants it. The ended up garments read as custom-made from a distance, which is the goal.

A short 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 lived in the fabric. We tested on 3 blacks from two mills. Batch one lifted cleanly with discharge, batch 2 remained stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the artwork. We logged color lot numbers, pivoted the ink mix by adding a touch more white pigment to compensate, and adjusted dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to finish the response. The result: constant tees across 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

That task taught the team to treat discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a blackboard. The dish matters, but so does tasting and adjusting.

Common mistakes 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 hit the needed temp for the ideal period. Utilize a print on demand shirts donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to determine true ink film temperature level, not just clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a constant speed on press, flood between prints, and control shop humidity.

A 3rd mistake is ignoring material irregularity. If you change blanks mid-run since a size runs out stock, you might see shifts in color. Develop contingency into your purchasing. For brand names planning ahead, selecting a standard blank and locking it with your provider lowers surprises.

Final assistance for selecting your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom garments that customers keep using, water based inks deserve the learning curve. Use standard water based on light garments for clean information and matte color. Move to release on 100 percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark shirts. Accept and prepare for small color variation with discharge, specifically across dye lots. For bulk t shirt orders, build in a single round of physical tasting on the real blanks you will use, then record your settings and keep back a referral shirt for quality control.

If you operate a print as needed catalog, take a water based capsule of best sellers on light t-shirts. Market the distinction: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialty 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 consumer rubs their thumb throughout a print and feels absolutely nothing however fiber, you have actually won. That's the minute water based and discharge provide, and why they should have a place in any serious 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.