October 18, 2025

Beyond Fundamental 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 2 things in constant stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals actually enjoy using, and the requirement to produce at scale without compromising the environment or the bottom line. That tension has shaped how I select inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom garments projects. For many years, I have actually learned that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce lovely results and genuine comfort, especially for T t-shirt printing that requires to withstand daily wear.

If you run a brand name, manage bulk t t-shirt orders, or just want your personalized 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 best choice can make the distinction between a t-shirt that gets used as soon as and one that becomes 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 treatments into a film, water based inks absorb into the fibers. That single characteristic describes the majority of the advantages and trade-offs. 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 often 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 primary 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 best base, but once you move into darker fabrics, you either need a much heavier print or you change to release. Discharge printing uses an activator that lifts the color from the material during treating, essentially bleaching the t-shirt's dye in the printed areas, then changes it with your pigment. Completion result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, typically with impressive 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 usually contain less volatile natural compounds than solvent-heavy alternatives and prevent PVC entirely. Numerous are compliant with rigorous requirements like Oeko-Tex or satisfy retail screening regimes that ban particular phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer customized garments into corporate health cares, schools, or health-conscious brands, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That stated, "eco friendly" is a system principle. Ink is one part. You also need to take a look at store practices: filtration on your washout booth, recover chemistry, energy usage on your dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge needs an activator, typically based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or similar substances, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run store, 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 dialed in. Real sustainability conceals in the details.

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

Most individuals do not purchase a graphic tee since they like the ink. They buy it due to the fact that the garment looks great, feels great, and keeps that character after repeated cleaning. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, offer you that broken-in convenience from the first day. On a 100 percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and versatile. You will not hear the crackle you often get from heavy plastisol when you stretch 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 exact same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear clients prefer, but the wearer feedback is consistent: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, coverage, 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 Stencil durability t-shirts, standard water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a clean mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Different dye lots discharge in a different way, even within the same brand name and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch might 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 dye is removed.

That's not a defect, it's part of the medium. Many designers accept the a little classic character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand name demands laser-precise color reproduction for corporate logo designs, either order test prints on the exact batch you prepare to use or think about a water based underbase or hybrid technique where needed. For wholesale t t-shirts that will be distributed nationally, put example 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 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 work with water based, but discharge only lifts the cotton portion. That indicates your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon remain as-is, frequently 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, conventional 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, consider cut-and-sew with water based prints on panels before assembly. Garment printing all over on ended up tees introduces joints, folds, and irregular pressure that appear as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on finished garments, expect little spaces along joints, 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 fabric but can lock a mesh if you stop briefly too long. Running a greater 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 consistent variety, roughly 45 to 55 percent, to avoid early drying. Manual press operators will notice how quickly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Car presses, with flood bars and consistent pace, minimize clogging.

Curing is where lots of 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 clothes dryer tunnel with adequate air flow makes the distinction. You desire even heat throughout the belt and sufficient dwell to reach the producer's cure temperature throughout the ink layer, not just at the surface area. T-shirts leaving the tunnel must be dry to the touch with no cool areas. For discharge, the chain reaction takes place during this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Good ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends upon correct treatment and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can last longer than the t-shirt. I determine resilience by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, topple dry medium, then visual evaluation for fading and splitting. Water based prints show steady softening and a mild fade in the very same way jeans unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is different, usually cracking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For customized t-shirts that require to look proficient at a family reunion and still remain personalized tees 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 under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is often similar to plastisol at the gallon level, but you invest more in store environment and drying capacity. On press, water based can be slightly slower at setup due to the fact that you pay closer attention to fit together, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, automobiles run at similar speeds. Where it actually pays off is in viewed worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank typically feels premium without jumping to the highest-cost shirt. Brands can price accordingly.

For bulk t t-shirt orders above a few hundred pieces where the art fits the medium, discharge on one hundred percent cotton is a workhorse. For print as needed that needs overnight turnaround and art modifications continuously, direct-to-garment or DTF might be better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel compromises. When you handle wholesale t t-shirts with multiple colorways and should keep inventory versatile, a flexible water based palette on light garments is efficient, considering that you prevent the weight and stiffness that collect with numerous underbases in plastisol.

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

Design planning begins with the material 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 special that plastisol tends to subdue. On dark cotton, discharge shines with mid-tone richness and soft edges. Think about how the shirt color glimpses through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic looks like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Very thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can complete with discharge, especially on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor negative space, different the art to print unfavorable shapes as positive strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for an evidence on the actual garment instead of trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not capture fiber interaction 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 trigger color migration, particularly with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance t-shirts, causing ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, especially reactive black blends, resist lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a customer is delicate to minor odor during treating, discharge days in the store are noticeable. Well-managed air flow mitigates this, however it is part of the process.

If a customer requires metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that space. Water based metallics exist, but the particles often sink, and the impact is more satin than true metal. For high-opacity neons on dark t-shirts that need to 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 depend on a partner, set up a workflow that gets rid of uncertainty. A basic technique keeps surprises at bay and helps you hit due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric initially, then ink: choose one hundred percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, top quality cotton for standard water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered impact is desired.
  • Request test prints on the specific blanks: one shirt per colorway is usually adequate to lock approvals, particularly for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: supply Pantone targets for light garments and describe acceptable varieties for dark discharge prints, with pictures of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: recommend cold wash and low heat dry for consumers, then validate your remedy times so wash resilience matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological requirements: ask your printer about ink certifications, 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 restraints: fast art modifications, little batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has actually become the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you arrange brochure strategy. For styles that are high volume even at small day-to-day quantities, 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 lots of DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to one or two colors and select 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 care about touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and interacting value

When clients ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a basic plastisol job, I explain what they are purchasing. They get the soft hand that retail clients relate with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for delicate buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a basic three-color front hit may be modest, frequently a little uplift that can be neutralized by choosing a monogramming slightly 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 t-shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, alternatives matter. Deal a base rate 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 customers optimize for expense, others for feel. Fulfilling both lets you serve a larger market without diluting your craft.

Care guidelines that customers actually follow

Care labels often read like legal disclaimers. Keep it simple and reasonable so the t-shirt survives reality. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, but they will endure regular laundering if appropriately cured. I suggest phrasing care ideas in human terms on item pages: wash cold with similar colors, tumble dry low, avoid material softeners if you want colors to remain crisp. The last note matters since some conditioners can transfer films on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I've tested these instructions in-house: two similar t-shirts, one cleaned cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee showed a little quicker fading of mid-tones, yet still looked excellent. That tolerance originates from correct treatment, not from babying the garment.

All over print ideas that do not combat the limitations

All over print catches attention, however printing flood coats on assembled garments with water Water-based ink based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of combating seams, design for them. Usage tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at joints, or apply a ghosted grid that looks intentional when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and sew. Brand names that offer restricted runs can justify cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design requires it. The finished garments check out as custom-made from a distance, which is the goal.

A brief anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a local music celebration. The customer wanted soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it lived in the fabric. We sampled on three blacks from two mills. Batch one raised easily with discharge, batch two stayed stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the art work. We logged dye lot numbers, rotated the ink mix by including a touch more white pigment to compensate, and changed dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to finish the reaction. The result: constant tees throughout 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

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

Common pitfalls and how to prevent them

Most issues I see trace back to process, 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 needed temp for the ideal period. Use a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to determine real ink film temperature, not simply dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a constant rate on press, flood between prints, and control store humidity.

A 3rd pitfall is disregarding material variability. If you change blanks mid-run because a size is out of stock, you may see shifts in color. Build contingency into your purchasing. For brand names planning ahead, picking a basic blank and locking it with your provider lowers surprises.

Final assistance for picking your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom-made clothing that customers keep wearing, water based inks deserve the learning curve. Use basic water based on light garments for tidy information and matte color. Relocate to discharge on one hundred percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and prepare for minor color variance with discharge, specifically throughout color lots. For bulk t shirt orders, build in a single round of physical sampling on the real blanks you will utilize, then document your settings and hold back a referral t-shirt for quality control.

If you operate a print as needed catalog, carve out a water based capsule of finest sellers on light shirts. Market the difference: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialty results and neon stunners in plastisol or hybrid systems Squeegee pressure where they belong.

Custom t t-shirts are judged in the hands, not simply on screens. When a customer rubs their thumb across a print and feels nothing but fiber, you have actually won. That's the minute water based and discharge deliver, and why they should have a location in any severe store 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.