Plastisol Screen Printing

Plastisol ink is the most durable and popular choice for custom printed garments on the market.

Plastisol ink is versatile and can be used with a wide range of fabrics. This makes it an excellent ink choice for most of the products we provide.

We have several types of plastisol inks that are fabric specific. For example, for 100% polyester and blends we use a thicker white ink, so that the dye from the garment doesn't seep through the print and distort the color. This is called "dye-migration" and can even occur on 100% cotton that uses cheap dye.

We have other specialized inks for nylon, spandex, rayon, and others to ensure that the ink and the fabric bond properly.  

If you have any questions regarding a specific product, please feel free to contact us.

When the ink reaches 320 degrees Fahrenheit then it is "cured" meaning it's bonded to the garment. If the ink does not reach this temperature then it will lead quickly cracking and color loss in the washer.

An easy way to test if the plastisol ink has been properly cured is to do the "stretch test". All you need to do is gently "pull apart" the print and if you see cracking then the chances are that it wasn't cured properly.

This is not always the case though, because screen print designs that use halftones and vintage textures may crack despite being properly cured.

No, they are not. As a result, we take our ink quality seriously to ensure our clients and operators stay safe.

We use International Coatings Screen Printing Inks which are the industry standard. They are renowned for their exceptional performance, user-friendly application, and consistent quality. 

They are certified under the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System standard and click here to view their product quality certification. 

We can screen print plastisol inks up to 14 colors on white t-shirts and 12 colors on dark t-shirts. The reason for the difference is due to the fact that dark colored t-shirts need a base white and highlight white screen, so this reduces the color count by 2.

If you'd like to screen print more colors then we'd suggest learning about our digital screen printing service which has no color limit!

Or, consider using full color heat transfers.

It is possible for plastisol inks to fade or crack if not printed or cured properly. We always adjust the formula to best suit your selected fabric to prevent these issues.

Also, it's important to follow the proper washing instructions which includes always using cold water and hang drying. This plays a significant part in the plastisol printed design's lifespan. 

You may begin to see color fading and/or cracking at 50 washes, but this largely depends on how the garment is washed.