Beyond Basic Tees: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Water-Based Inks and Discharge Printing for Custom-made 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 people actually delight in wearing, and the need to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That tension has formed how I pick inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom-made clothing tasks. For many years, I've learned that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce lovely outcomes and genuine convenience, especially for T shirt printing that needs to withstand day-to-day wear.

If you run a brand name, handle bulk t t-shirt orders, or just want your customized 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 distinction in between a shirt that gets used when and one that becomes 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 cures into a movie, water based inks absorb into the fibers. That single characteristic discusses the majority 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 integrated. On light garments, the hand is frequently indistinguishable from the t-shirt itself. For custom t t-shirts designed for convenience, this is the course to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are two main families: standard water based and discharge. Basic water based ink works best on white or extremely light shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the right base, but once you move into darker fabrics, you either require a much heavier print or you change to discharge. Release printing utilizes an activator that raises the color from the material throughout curing, basically whitening the shirt's dye in the printed locations, then changes it with your pigment. The end outcome is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently with impressive detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing motto if you unpack the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks typically contain fewer unstable natural substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and avoid PVC altogether. Numerous are compliant with strict standards like Oeko-Tex or satisfy retail testing programs that ban certain phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell customized garments into corporate health cares, schools, or health-conscious brands, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That said, "eco friendly" is a system concept. Ink is one part. You likewise require to look at shop practices: filtering on your washout booth, recover chemistry, energy usage on your clothes dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, generally based on zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run store, exposure is managed and waste is caught. If you're using print as needed with a partner, ask how they manage discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and treating controls dialed in. Real sustainability hides in the details.

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

Most people do not purchase a graphic tee due to the fact that they love the ink. They buy it because the garment looks excellent, feels good, and keeps that character after duplicated cleaning. Water based inks, including 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 often receive from heavy plastisol when you extend throughout the chest.

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

Color, protection, and how expectations shape results

Color accuracy with water based inks refers control, humidity, and the material's own dye. On white or heather light t-shirts, basic water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a determined ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge includes variables. Various dye lots discharge differently, even within the very same brand and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch may raise 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 moving as the color is removed.

That's not a defect, it's part of the medium. Numerous designers welcome the slightly classic character of discharge, where https://www.facebook.com/theprintsrus reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand name needs laser-precise color reproduction for corporate logo designs, either order test prints on the precise batch you prepare to use or think about a water based underbase or hybrid method where needed. 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 many people think

A water based print is a partnership in between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink beautifully. 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 just raises the cotton part. That indicates your color saturates 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 goal is flat, brilliant color on a poly blend, conventional plastisol or a specialized low-cure system might be smarter.

On all over print tasks, 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 irregular pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on completed garments, expect 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 differently on press. They dry much faster in the screen, which works on material 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. Set up with a misting bottle or a devoted screen rewetting service at hand, and keep the print room humidity in a consistent variety, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to avoid premature drying. Manual press operators will observe how rapidly a standard water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Auto presses, with flood bars and constant rate, minimize clogging.

Curing is where lots of beginners miss the mark. Water based inks need both heat and time for the water to vaporize, then for the binders to cross-link. A clothes dryer tunnel with sufficient airflow makes the distinction. You want even heat throughout the belt and adequate dwell to reach the producer's remedy temperature throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface. T-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 upon 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 inspection for fading and cracking. Water based prints reveal gradual softening and a mild fade in the exact same way jeans relaxes. Plastisol's failure mode is various, normally cracking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For tailored t-shirts that require to look good at a family reunion and still remain in rotation next summertime, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to select which method

Costs vary regionally, however the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is frequently similar to plastisol at the gallon level, but you invest more in shop environment and drying capacity. On press, water based can be a little slower at setup since you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. As soon as tuned, cars perform at comparable speeds. Where it truly settles is in perceived worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank frequently feels premium without jumping to the highest-cost shirt. Brands can price accordingly.

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

Design choices that highlight the best in water based and discharge

Design preparation starts with the material color and ends with treating. On light shirts, lean into information: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Standard 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 looks 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 fill out with discharge, specifically on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor negative area, 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 real garment instead of trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not capture fiber interaction and dye lift.

When you must say no to discharge

There are times I recommend against discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can cause color migration, especially with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance t-shirts, causing ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, particularly reactive black blends, resist lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a client is delicate to minor smell throughout treating, discharge days in the shop are obvious. Well-managed airflow mitigates this, however it belongs to the process.

If a customer needs 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 t-shirts that should be billboard-bright, you might require 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 count on a partner, set up a workflow that eliminates guesswork. A simple method keeps surprises at bay and helps you struck deadlines for launches and events.

Decide on material first, then ink: select one hundred percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, premium cotton for basic water based. Avoid high poly unless the heathered impact is desired. Request test prints on the exact blanks: one shirt per colorway is normally sufficient to lock approvals, especially for bulk t t-shirt orders where consistency matters. Clarify color expectations in context: provide Pantone targets for light garments and explain appropriate ranges for dark discharge prints, with photos of prior work you like. Align on care labels and handling: suggest cold wash and low heat dry for customers, then validate your cure times so clean resilience 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 as needed has its own restrictions: fast art modifications, small batch sizes, and the need for a broad color range. Direct-to-garment has become the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize catalog method. For styles that are high volume even at small everyday quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a little stock of popular sizes lets you deliver very same day with water based prints that feel better than many DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to a couple of colors and choose light garments.

If your POD model relies on all over print sublimation for polyester garments, water based screen printing is not a replacement, it is a parallel offering. 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 standard plastisol task, I discuss what they are purchasing. They get the soft hand that retail customers relate with quality, improved breathability, and compliance for sensitive buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a standard three-color front hit might be modest, frequently a little uplift that can be reduced the effects of by choosing a slightly more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t shirts going into boutiques or e-commerce at exceptional price points, the enhancement in viewed value more than covers the change.

For customized t-shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, options 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 clients enhance for cost, others for feel. Fulfilling both lets you serve a larger market without diluting your craft.

Care guidelines that clients actually follow

Care labels often check out like legal disclaimers. Keep it basic and practical so the shirt endures reality. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower dryer heat, however they will endure normal laundering if effectively cured. I recommend phrasing care ideas in human terms on product pages: wash cold with comparable colors, topple dry low, prevent fabric softeners if you desire colors to remain crisp. The last note matters since some conditioners can deposit movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I have actually evaluated 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 somewhat faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked great. That tolerance originates from appropriate treatment, not from babying the garment.

All over print concepts that do not battle the limitations

All over print catches attention, but printing flood coats on put together garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Instead of battling joints, style for them. Use tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at joints, or apply a ghosted grid that looks intentional when it breaks at hems. Alternatively, run panel printing and stitch. Brands that sell minimal runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design warrants it. The completed garments read as customized from a distance, which is the goal.

A quick anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a regional music festival. The customer desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that seemed like it resided in the fabric. We sampled on 3 blacks from two mills. Batch one lifted cleanly with discharge, batch 2 remained stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the art work. We logged color lot numbers, rotated the ink mix by adding a touch more white pigment to compensate, and adjusted dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to complete the reaction. The result: constant tees across 2,400 systems, each with a soft, breathable print that offered out by day two.

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

Common risks and how to prevent them

Most problems I see trace back to process, not the ink family. 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 temperature for the right duration. Use a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to determine true ink movie temperature level, not just dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a consistent pace on press, flood in between prints, and control shop humidity.

A 3rd mistake is overlooking material irregularity. If you switch blanks mid-run due to the fact that a size is out of stock, you may see shifts in color. Build contingency into your acquiring. For brands planning ahead, selecting a basic blank and locking it with your supplier minimizes surprises.

Final guidance for selecting your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom clothing that customers keep wearing, water based inks deserve the knowing curve. Usage basic water based upon light garments for tidy information and matte color. Move to release on 100 percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and prepare for slight color variance with discharge, specifically throughout dye lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical tasting on the real blanks you will use, 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 distinction: 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 t-shirts are evaluated in the hands, not simply on screens. When a customer rubs their thumb throughout a print and feels absolutely nothing but fiber, you have actually won. That's the moment water based and discharge deliver, and why they should have a location 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

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Pub: 29 Sep 2025 23:25 UTC

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