November 3, 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 2 things in constant tension: the push for softer, more breathable prints that people really take pleasure in wearing, and the requirement to produce at scale without compromising the environment or the bottom line. That stress has actually formed how I choose inks, pretreatments, and materials for customized clothing tasks. For many years, I have actually discovered that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce stunning results and genuine convenience, especially for T t-shirt printing that requires to withstand day-to-day wear.

If you run a brand, manage bulk t t-shirt orders, or merely want your individualized shirts to feel like a favorite from the first wash, it's worth understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The ideal option can make the distinction in between a t-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 rather than in plasticizers and solvents. Unlike plastisol, which sits on top of the fabric and remedies into a film, water based inks take in into the fibers. That single particular describes most of the advantages and compromises. Prints feel soft due to the fact that 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 typically equivalent from the shirt itself. For custom-made t shirts developed for comfort, this is the course to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are 2 main households: basic water based and discharge. Standard water based ink works best on white or very light shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the ideal base, but once you move into darker fabrics, you either need a much heavier print or you switch to discharge. Discharge printing uses an activator that raises the dye from the material throughout curing, basically bleaching the shirt's color in the printed areas, then replaces it with your pigment. Completion outcome is the softest possible print on dark cotton, often with exceptional detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing slogan if you unload the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks generally include fewer volatile natural substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and avoid PVC entirely. Lots of are certified with stringent standards like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail testing regimes that prohibit specific phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell customized clothing 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 principle. Ink is one part. You likewise require to look at store practices: purification on your washout cubicle, reclaim chemistry, energy usage on your clothes dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, typically based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or similar compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run store, direct exposure is controlled and waste is recorded. If you're utilizing print as needed with a partner, ask how they handle discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls called in. Genuine sustainability hides in the details.

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

Most individuals do not buy a graphic tee due to the fact that they love the ink. They purchase it because 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 in some cases receive from heavy plastisol when you extend across the chest.

I keep a rack of comparison t-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 much more, the colors mellowed somewhat, and the t-shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the very same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear customers 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 refers control, humidity, and the fabric's own dye. On white or heather light t-shirts, standard water based ink can strike 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 raise to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you include steers the last color, but you're still working with a background that is shifting as the color is removed.

That's not a flaw, it's part of the medium. Lots of designers embrace the somewhat vintage character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand needs laser-precise color recreation for corporate logo designs, either order test prints on the exact batch you prepare to utilize or think about a water based underbase or hybrid technique where required. For wholesale t t-shirts that will be dispersed nationally, put swatch approvals into your process so there are no surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than many people think

A water based print is a collaboration in local Jacksonville T shirt printing options between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink wonderfully. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and drinks ink unevenly. Blends make complex things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can work with water based, however discharge only lifts the cotton part. That means your color saturates the cotton while the polyester and rayon remain as-is, often yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks deliberate if you style for it. If your goal is flat, brilliant color on a poly mix, standard plastisol or a specialized low-cure system may 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 completed tees presents seams, folds, and irregular pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you should print on ended up garments, expect small voids along seams, which some clients like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks act differently on press. They dry quicker in the screen, which is useful 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 option at hand, and keep the print space humidity in a steady range, roughly 45 to 55 percent, to prevent premature drying. Manual press operators will notice how rapidly a standard water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Vehicle presses, with flood bars and constant rate, lower clogging.

Curing is where numerous beginners miss the mark. Water based inks need both heat and time for the water to evaporate, then for the binders to cross-link. A dryer tunnel with sufficient airflow makes the difference. You desire even heat throughout the belt and enough dwell to reach the producer's treatment temperature throughout the ink layer, not just at the surface. T-shirts leaving the tunnel ought to be dry to the touch with no cool spots. For discharge, the chemical reaction occurs throughout 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 outlast the t-shirt. I measure sturdiness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual inspection for fading and breaking. Water based prints reveal gradual softening and a mild fade in the exact same method denim unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is various, generally splitting if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For individualized t-shirts that require to look good at a household reunion and still remain in rotation next summer, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to choose which method

Costs vary regionally, however the economics fall into familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is frequently equivalent to plastisol at the gallon level, but 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 fit together, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, cars run at comparable speeds. Where it really pays off remains in viewed worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank often feels premium without leaping to the highest-cost shirt. Brand names can price accordingly.

For bulk t shirt orders above a few 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 better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel compromises. When you take on wholesale t shirts with several colorways and should keep inventory versatile, a flexible water based combination on light garments is efficient, since you prevent the weight and tightness that build up with numerous underbases in plastisol.

Design options that highlight the very 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 subdue. On dark cotton, discharge shines with mid-tone richness and soft edges. Consider how the shirt color peeks through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic appear like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Really thin knockouts inside heavy flood areas can complete with discharge, specifically on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor unfavorable area, separate 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 instead of relying on a digital mockup. A mockup can not record fiber interplay and color lift.

When you need to say no to discharge

There are times I recommend against discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can trigger dye migration, specifically with sublimated or cationic-dyed efficiency shirts, causing 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 delicate to small smell throughout treating, discharge days in the store are obvious. Well-managed airflow alleviates this, however it is part of the process.

If a customer requires metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that area. Water based metallics exist, but the particles often sink, and the result is more satin than true 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 rely on a partner, established a workflow that removes uncertainty. An easy method keeps surprises at bay and assists you struck deadlines for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric initially, then ink: select one hundred percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, high-quality cotton for standard water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered effect is desired.
  • Request test prints on the precise blanks: one shirt per colorway is generally enough to lock approvals, especially for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: supply Pantone targets for light garments and explain appropriate varieties 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 clients, then verify your cure times so wash sturdiness matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological standards: ask your printer about ink certifications, ventilation, and waste capture, especially if your brand name messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print as needed has its own constraints: quick art modifications, little batch sizes, and the need for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has become the default, however water based screen printing can fit POD if you arrange brochure method. For designs that are high volume even at little day-to-day amounts, pre-burning screens and keeping a little stock of popular sizes lets you ship very same day with water based prints that feel better than many DTG outputs. It works finest when you keep art to a couple of 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 comfort and breathability are the selling points. Consumers who care about touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and interacting value

When clients ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a standard plastisol job, I describe what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail consumers correspond with quality, improved breathability, and compliance for sensitive purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a basic three-color front hit may be modest, typically a small uplift that can be reduced the effects of by picking a somewhat more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts entering into stores or e-commerce at superior rate points, the improvement in viewed worth 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 "comfort upgrade" that includes a ringspun blank with water based ink. You will see a clear split: some customers enhance for expense, others for feel. Satisfying both lets you serve a broader market without diluting your craft.

Care guidelines that clients in fact follow

Care labels often read like legal disclaimers. Keep it simple and realistic so the t-shirt survives real life. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, however they will sustain regular laundering if correctly cured. I suggest phrasing care ideas in human terms on item pages: wash cold with comparable colors, topple dry low, prevent fabric softeners if you desire colors to remain crisp. The last note matters because some softeners can deposit movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I've 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 slightly quicker fading of mid-tones, yet still looked good. That tolerance comes from appropriate remedy, not from babying the garment.

All over print ideas that do not battle the limitations

All over print captures attention, but printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of combating joints, style for them. Use tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at seams, or use a ghosted grid that looks intentional when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and sew. Brands that sell limited runs can justify cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the style requires it. The ended up garments read 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 festival. The customer desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that seemed like it resided in the fabric. We tested on 3 blacks from two mills. Batch one lifted easily with discharge, batch two stayed stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the artwork. 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 finish the reaction. The outcome: constant tees throughout 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

That job taught the team to deal with discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a chalkboard. The dish matters, however so does tasting and adjusting.

Common pitfalls and how to prevent them

Most problems I see trace back to process, not the ink household. Under-curing is the first culprit. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never struck the needed temperature for the right period. Utilize a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to measure true ink movie temperature level, not just clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a constant speed on press, flood in between prints, and control store humidity.

A 3rd pitfall is neglecting material variability. If you change blanks mid-run because a size is out of stock, you may see shifts in color. Develop contingency into your buying. For brands planning ahead, choosing a basic blank and locking it with your provider lowers surprises.

Final assistance for selecting your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom apparel that customers keep wearing, water based inks are worth the learning curve. Usage standard water based upon light garments for clean detail and matte color. Transfer to discharge on one hundred percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and prepare for small color difference with discharge, particularly throughout color lots. For bulk t shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical sampling on the actual blanks you will use, then document your settings and keep back a recommendation shirt for quality control.

If you run a print on demand brochure, take a water based capsule of finest sellers on light t-shirts. Market the distinction: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialty impacts and neon stunners in plastisol or hybrid systems where they belong.

Custom t t-shirts are judged in the hands, not just on screens. When a consumer rubs their thumb across a print and feels absolutely nothing but fiber, you have actually won. That's the minute water based and discharge deliver, and why they deserve a place in any serious 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.