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.

View on Google Maps
2826 Art Museum Dr, Jacksonville, 32207, US
Business Hours:
  • Monday–Friday: 09:00–17:00
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
Follow Us:

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 take pleasure in wearing, and the need to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That stress has actually formed how I pick inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom-made clothing jobs. Over the years, I've learned that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce beautiful outcomes and genuine convenience, specifically for T shirt printing that needs to withstand day-to-day wear.

If you run a brand, handle bulk t t-shirt orders, or simply want your customized t-shirts to feel like a preferred 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 difference between a t-shirt that gets worn once and one that becomes the go-to.

What water based ink in fact is

Water based inks suspend pigments in water rather than in plasticizers and solvents. Unlike plastisol, which sits on top of the fabric and cures into a film, water based inks take in into the fibers. That single characteristic explains the majority of the advantages and compromises. Prints feel soft since you're touching the cotton, not a layer of treated PVC. Colors tend to look more matte and incorporated. On light garments, the hand is often equivalent from the shirt itself. For customized t shirts designed for comfort, this is the course to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are two main households: basic water based and discharge. Basic 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 require a much heavier print or you change to release. Release printing uses an activator that raises the color from the fabric during curing, basically bleaching the t-shirt's color in the printed locations, then replaces it with your pigment. The end outcome is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently with exceptional detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing motto if you unload the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks normally consist of fewer unstable organic substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and avoid PVC altogether. Numerous are compliant with strict requirements like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail testing regimes that prohibit certain phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell customized garments into corporate wellness programs, 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 likewise require to take a look at shop practices: filtration on your washout booth, reclaim chemistry, energy usage on your dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge needs an activator, usually based on zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run store, direct exposure is managed and waste is caught. If you're utilizing print as needed with a partner, ask how they deal with discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and treating controls called in. Genuine sustainability hides in the details.

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

Most individuals do not purchase a graphic tee because they enjoy the ink. They purchase it because the garment looks excellent, feels good, and keeps that character after duplicated washing. Water based inks, including discharge, provide you that broken-in comfort from the first day. On a 100 percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and flexible. You will not hear the crackle you sometimes receive from heavy plastisol when you extend across the chest.

I keep a shelf of comparison shirts in the studio. One from a browse brand name, 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 exact same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear clients choose, however the user feedback is consistent: water based seems like a premium garment.

Color, coverage, and how expectations form results

Color accuracy 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 hit tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Different 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 include steers photo t shirts the final color, however you're still working with a background that is shifting 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 rather than neon. If your brand demands laser-precise color recreation for corporate logos, either order test prints on the exact batch you plan to use or consider a water based underbase or hybrid technique where required. For wholesale t t-shirts that will be distributed nationally, put example approvals into your procedure so there are no surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than many people think

A water based print is a collaboration between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink beautifully. 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, however discharge only lifts the cotton part. That indicates your color saturates the cotton while the polyester and rayon stay as-is, frequently yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks deliberate if you design 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, consider cut-and-sew with water based prints on panels before assembly. Garment printing all over on finished tees presents seams, folds, and inconsistent pressure that appear as blank micro-gaps. If you must print on ended up garments, anticipate little voids along joints, which patches and emblems some customers 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 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, 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 room humidity in a stable range, roughly 45 to 55 percent, to avoid early drying. Manual press operators will notice how quickly a standard water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Car presses, with flood bars and constant speed, decrease 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 clothes dryer tunnel with sufficient airflow makes the difference. You desire even heat throughout the belt and adequate dwell to reach the maker's treatment temperature throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface. Shirts exiting the tunnel needs to be dry to the touch with no cool areas. For discharge, the chain reaction happens throughout this cure, and you will smell the activator. Great ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on appropriate cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can last longer than the t-shirt. I determine sturdiness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual assessment for fading and cracking. Water based prints show steady softening and a gentle fade in the exact same method denim unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is various, typically splitting if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For customized t-shirts that require to look proficient at a household reunion and still be in rotation next summertime, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to select which method

Costs vary regionally, but the economics fall under 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 a little slower at setup due to the fact that you pay closer attention to fit together, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. As soon as tuned, autos perform at comparable speeds. Where it truly settles remains in viewed value. 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 t-shirt orders above a few hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on one hundred percent cotton is a workhorse. For print as needed that requires overnight turnaround and art modifications constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF may be much better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel trade-offs. When you take on wholesale t shirts with several colorways and should keep stock flexible, a versatile water based scheme on light garments is effective, considering that you prevent the weight and tightness that accumulate with multiple underbases in plastisol.

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

Design preparation starts with the material color and ends with curing. On light shirts, lean into information: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Standard 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 glances 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, particularly on high-absorbency cotton. If you need razor unfavorable area, different the art to print negative shapes as favorable 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 interplay and color lift.

When you need to say no to discharge

There are times I encourage against discharge. Polyester-rich garments are top of the list. The activator can cause dye migration, especially with sublimated or cationic-dyed efficiency shirts, causing ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, specifically reactive black blends, resist lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a customer is delicate to small smell during curing, discharge days in the shop are obvious. Well-managed airflow alleviates this, however it becomes part of the process.

If a client requires metallics, puff, or specialized textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that area. Water based metallics exist, but the particles typically sink, and the effect is more satin than true metal. For high-opacity neons on dark 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 rely on a partner, established a workflow that gets rid of uncertainty. A basic technique keeps surprises at bay and helps you hit deadlines for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric first, then ink: select 100 percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, high-quality cotton for standard water based. Avoid high poly unless the heathered effect is desired.
  • Request test prints on the exact blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is generally enough to lock approvals, especially for bulk t t-shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: supply Pantone targets for light garments and describe appropriate ranges for dark discharge prints, with images of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: recommend cold wash and low heat dry for customers, then verify your cure times so clean 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 on demand has its own restrictions: quick art modifications, small batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has ended up being the default, however water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize catalog method. For designs that are high volume even at little everyday amounts, pre-burning screens and keeping a small stock of popular sizes lets you ship very same day with water based prints that feel much better than numerous DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to one or two 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. Clients who care about touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and interacting value

When customers 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 customers relate with quality, improved breathability, and compliance for sensitive buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the distinction for a basic three-color front hit might be modest, typically a small uplift that can be neutralized by choosing a somewhat more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t shirts entering into shops or e-commerce at exceptional cost points, the improvement in perceived worth more than covers the change.

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

Care guidelines that consumers actually follow

Care labels often read like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and sensible so the shirt makes it through reality. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, however they will withstand typical laundering if effectively treated. I suggest phrasing care pointers in human terms on product pages: wash cold with similar colors, topple dry low, avoid fabric softeners if you want colors to stay crisp. The last note matters due to the fact that some softeners can deposit movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of fine lines.

I've checked these directions in-house: two identical shirts, one cleaned 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 excellent. That tolerance comes from correct cure, not from babying the garment.

All over print concepts that do not battle the limitations

All over print captures attention, but printing flood coats on put together garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Instead of fighting seams, design for them. Usage tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at joints, or use a ghosted grid that looks deliberate when it breaks at hems. Alternatively, run panel printing and stitch. Brands that sell minimal runs can justify cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the style necessitates it. The ended up garments read as customized from a range, which is the goal.

A quick anecdote from a hectic season

One spring we ran a series for a local music celebration. The client desired 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 lifted easily with discharge, batch two stayed stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the art work. 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 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 team to deal with discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a chalkboard. The recipe matters, but so does tasting and adjusting.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Most problems I see trace back to procedure, not the ink family. Under-curing is the very first culprit. 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 period. Utilize a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to measure real ink movie temperature level, not simply clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a consistent rate on press, flood in between prints, and control shop humidity.

A third risk is neglecting fabric irregularity. If you change blanks mid-run due to the fact that a size runs out stock, you may see shifts in color. Build contingency into your acquiring. For brand names planning ahead, choosing a basic blank and locking it with your supplier minimizes surprises.

Final guidance for selecting your path

If your concern is soft, breathable custom-made clothing that clients keep using, water based inks are worth the learning curve. Use basic water based on light garments for clean information and matte color. Relocate to release on 100 percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and prepare for slight color difference with discharge, specifically across color lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, build in a single round of physical tasting on the real blanks you will utilize, then record your settings and hold back a referral shirt for quality control.

If you run a print on demand brochure, carve out a water based pill of best sellers on light 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 shirts are judged in the hands, not just on screens. When a consumer rubs their thumb across a print and feels nothing but fiber, you have actually won. That's the moment water based and discharge deliver, and why they should have a place in any major 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.