November 3, 2025

Beyond Standard 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 continuous stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals in fact enjoy wearing, and the need to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That tension has actually formed how I choose inks, pretreatments, and materials for customized garments tasks. Over the years, I have actually discovered that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce lovely outcomes and real convenience, particularly for T t-shirt printing that requires to stand up to daily wear.

If you run a brand, handle bulk t shirt orders, or simply desire your individualized shirts to seem like a favorite from the very first wash, it's worth understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they require care. The right choice can make the difference between a t-shirt that gets used 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 material and treatments into a movie, water based inks soak up into the fibers. That single particular discusses the majority of the benefits and compromises. Prints feel soft since 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 shirt itself. For customized t t-shirts created for comfort, this is the course to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are 2 primary households: standard water based and discharge. Standard water based ink works best on white or very light t-shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the right base, once you move into darker fabrics, you either require a heavier print or you switch to release. Discharge printing utilizes an activator that raises the color from the material during curing, basically bleaching the shirt's dye in the printed areas, then replaces 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 actually limits

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing slogan if you unpack the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks generally contain fewer volatile organic compounds than solvent-heavy options and prevent PVC entirely. Many are compliant with strict standards like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail testing routines that ban specific phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer custom apparel into business 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 principle. Ink is one part. You likewise need to look at store practices: filtering on your washout cubicle, recover chemistry, energy usage on your dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, generally based upon 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 using print on demand with a partner, ask how they manage discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls called in. Real sustainability hides in the details.

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

Most people do not purchase a graphic tee due to the fact that they love the ink. They purchase it since the garment looks excellent, feels good, and keeps that character after repeated cleaning. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, give 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 obtain from heavy plastisol when you extend across the chest.

I keep a rack of comparison 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 a little, and the shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear customers prefer, but the user feedback is consistent: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, coverage, and how expectations form results

Color precision with water based inks is a matter of control, humidity, and the material's own dye. On white or heather light shirts, standard water based ink can strike tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge includes variables. Different color lots discharge differently, even within the exact same brand and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch may lift to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you add guides the last color, but 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. Many designers accept the slightly classic character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep rather than neon. If your brand needs laser-precise color reproduction for business logos, either order test prints on the specific batch you plan to use or consider a water based underbase or hybrid technique where required. For wholesale t shirts that will be distributed nationally, put swatch approvals into your process so there are no surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than most 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 deal with water based, however discharge just raises the cotton portion. That indicates your color saturates the cotton while the polyester and rayon remain as-is, frequently yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks intentional if you design for it. If your objective is flat, vibrant color on a poly blend, standard 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 completed tees introduces seams, folds, and inconsistent pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you should print on finished garments, anticipate little spaces along seams, which some customers like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks behave differently on press. They dry quicker in the screen, which works on material but can lock a mesh if you stop briefly too long. Running a greater mesh for detail, state 230 to 305, keeps the deposit thin and crisp. Establish with a misting bottle or a devoted screen rewetting solution at hand, and keep the print room humidity in a consistent variety, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to avoid early drying. Manual press operators will see how quickly a best T shirt printing Jacksonville standard water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Auto presses, with flood bars and consistent rate, reduce clogging.

Curing is where many beginners fizzle. Water based inks need both heat and time for the water to evaporate, then for the binders to cross-link. A dryer tunnel with enough airflow makes the difference. You desire even heat across the belt and sufficient dwell to reach the manufacturer's remedy temperature level throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface. Shirts exiting the tunnel ought to be dry to the touch without any cool areas. For discharge, the chain reaction occurs throughout this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Excellent ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends upon appropriate treatment and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlast the shirt. I determine toughness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, topple dry medium, then visual evaluation for fading and splitting. Water based prints reveal gradual softening and a gentle fade in the very same way jeans unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is different, normally splitting if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For customized t-shirts that need to look good at a family reunion and still be 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 typically comparable to plastisol at the gallon level, but you invest more in shop 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. As soon as tuned, automobiles run at comparable speeds. Where it really pays off is in viewed value. A soft print on a mid-tier blank frequently feels premium without jumping to the highest-cost t-shirt. Brand names can price accordingly.

For bulk t shirt orders above a couple of hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that needs over night turnaround and art modifications continuously, direct-to-garment or DTF may be much better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel compromises. When you handle wholesale t shirts with multiple colorways and need to keep stock versatile, a flexible water based palette on light garments is effective, given that you prevent the weight and stiffness that accumulate with multiple underbases in plastisol.

Design choices that highlight the very best in water based and discharge

Design planning begins with the fabric color and ends with treating. On light t-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. Consider how the shirt color glimpses through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic appear like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Very thin knockouts inside heavy flood areas can fill in with discharge, particularly on high-absorbency cotton. If you need razor negative space, 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 rather than trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not capture fiber interplay and dye lift.

When you ought to state no to discharge

There are times I encourage versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are top of the list. The activator can cause color migration, especially with sublimated or cationic-dyed efficiency shirts, causing ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, especially reactive black blends, withstand lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a customer is delicate to minor smell throughout treating, discharge days in the store are noticeable. Well-managed air flow reduces this, however it is part of the process.

If a client needs metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that space. Water based metallics exist, however the particles often sink, and the result is more satin than true metal. For high-opacity neons on dark t-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 brands and creators

Whether you run your own presses or count on a partner, set up a workflow that removes uncertainty. A basic method keeps surprises at bay and assists you struck due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on material initially, then ink: pick 100 percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, top quality cotton for standard water based. Avoid high poly unless the heathered result is desired.
  • Request test prints on the exact blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is generally enough to lock approvals, specifically for bulk t t-shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: provide Pantone targets for light garments and describe acceptable varieties 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 consumers, then confirm your remedy times so wash resilience matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm environmental standards: ask your printer about ink accreditations, ventilation, and waste capture, particularly if your brand messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print as needed has its own constraints: quick art changes, little batch sizes, and the need for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has ended up being the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize brochure technique. For styles that are high volume even at small everyday quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a small stock of popular sizes lets you deliver very same day with water based prints that feel better than lots of DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to a couple of colors and select light garments.

If your POD model depends 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. Clients who care about touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When customers 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 equate with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for delicate purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a standard three-color front hit might be modest, frequently a little uplift that can be neutralized by picking a slightly more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts entering into boutiques or e-commerce at premium rate points, the improvement in viewed worth more than covers the change.

For personalized shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, alternatives matter. Offer a base cost with plastisol on midweight cotton, then a "convenience upgrade" that includes a ringspun blank with water based ink. You will see a clear split: some clients enhance for expense, others for feel. Meeting both lets you serve a wider market without diluting your craft.

Care guidelines that consumers really follow

Care labels typically check out like legal disclaimers. Keep it simple and practical so the shirt survives reality. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, however they will endure typical laundering if properly cured. I recommend phrasing care ideas in human terms on product pages: wash cold with comparable colors, topple dry low, prevent material conditioners if you want colors to stay crisp. The last note matters because some conditioners can transfer movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of fine lines.

I've tested these instructions in-house: 2 identical t-shirts, one cleaned cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee revealed a little much faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked great. That tolerance comes from right remedy, not from babying the garment.

All over print ideas that do not combat the limitations

All over print catches attention, but printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Instead of battling seams, style for them. Use tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at seams, or use a local Jacksonville T shirt printing options ghosted grid that looks deliberate when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and stitch. Brand names that sell minimal runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design necessitates it. The ended up garments read as customized from a range, which is the goal.

A short anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a regional music festival. The client wanted soft black tees with a sunburst print that seemed like it resided in the fabric. We tested on three blacks from 2 mills. Batch one lifted easily with discharge, batch two stayed stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the artwork. We logged color 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 complete the reaction. The outcome: consistent tees across 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

That task taught the crew to deal with 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 problems I see trace back to process, not the ink household. 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 struck the required temp for the ideal period. Use a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to determine true ink movie temperature, not just clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a constant rate on press, flood between prints, and control store humidity.

A third mistake is overlooking fabric variability. If you switch blanks mid-run since a size runs out stock, you may see shifts in color. Build contingency into your buying. For brands preparing ahead, picking a standard blank and locking it with your provider minimizes surprises.

Final assistance for choosing your path

If your top priority is soft, breathable customized garments that consumers keep using, water based inks deserve the learning curve. Usage standard water based on light garments for clean information and matte color. Relocate to release on one hundred percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and prepare for minor color variance with discharge, particularly across color lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, build in a single round of physical tasting on the real blanks you will use, then document your settings and keep back a reference shirt for quality control.

If you operate a print on demand brochure, take a water based capsule of best sellers on light shirts. Market the difference: 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 evaluated in the hands, not simply on screens. When a consumer rubs their thumb across a print and feels nothing however fiber, you have actually won. That's the moment water based and discharge provide, and why they are worthy of a place 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.