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 2 things in constant stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals really take pleasure in wearing, and the requirement to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That tension has shaped how I choose inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom garments jobs. For many years, I've found out that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce stunning results and genuine convenience, especially for T t-shirt printing that needs to stand up to daily wear.

If you run a brand, manage bulk t shirt orders, or just desire your tailored t-shirts to feel like a preferred from the very first wash, it deserves understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The right option can make the distinction between a shirt that gets used when and one that ends up being the go-to.

What water based ink actually 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 soak up into the fibers. That single particular describes 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 typically identical from the shirt itself. For customized t affordable T shirt printing in Jacksonville shirts created for comfort, this is the course to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are 2 main households: standard 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, once you move into darker fabrics, you either require a heavier print or you switch to discharge. Release printing uses an activator that lifts the color from the material during treating, basically bleaching the shirt's color in the printed locations, then changes it with your pigment. The end outcome is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently with outstanding 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 normally contain less volatile organic substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and prevent PVC entirely. Many are certified with stringent requirements like Oeko-Tex or meet retail screening regimes that prohibit specific phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell customized apparel into business health cares, schools, or health-conscious brand names, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That stated, "eco friendly" is a system idea. Ink is one part. You also need to take a look at store practices: purification on your washout booth, reclaim chemistry, energy usage on your clothes dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, usually based on zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or similar substances, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run store, direct exposure is controlled and waste is recorded. If you're utilizing print on demand with a partner, ask how they handle discharge affordable custom t shirts effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls called in. Real sustainability conceals in the details.

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

Most individuals do not purchase a graphic tee due to the fact that they love the ink. They buy it due to the fact that the garment looks great, feels excellent, and keeps that character after duplicated cleaning. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, provide you that broken-in convenience from day one. On an one hundred percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and flexible. You will not hear the crackle you sometimes get from heavy plastisol when you extend across the chest.

I keep a rack of contrast 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 exact same art looks glossier and still pops more under extreme light, which some streetwear clients prefer, however the user feedback is consistent: water based seems 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 fabric's own color. On white or heather light t-shirts, basic water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a determined ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Different dye lots discharge in a different way, 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 include guides the final color, however 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 demands laser-precise color reproduction for corporate logos, either order test prints on the specific batch you prepare to use or think about a water based underbase or hybrid method where required. For wholesale t t-shirts that will be distributed nationally, put example approvals into your procedure so there are not a surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than most people think

A water based print is a collaboration between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink perfectly. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and drinks ink unevenly. Blends complicate things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can deal with water based, however discharge only lifts the cotton portion. That means 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 goal is flat, vivid color on a poly blend, traditional 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 ended up tees presents seams, folds, and irregular pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on completed garments, expect little spaces along seams, which some clients like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks act in a different way on press. They dry much faster in the screen, which is useful 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. Set up with a misting bottle or a devoted screen rewetting service at hand, and keep the print room humidity in a steady 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. Automobile presses, with flood bars and consistent rate, reduce clogging.

Curing is where lots of newbies fizzle. Water based inks need both heat and time for the water to vaporize, then for the binders to cross-link. A clothes dryer tunnel with sufficient airflow makes the distinction. You desire even heat throughout the belt and sufficient dwell to reach the maker's cure temperature level throughout the ink layer, not just at the surface. T-shirts leaving the tunnel needs to be dry to the touch with no cool areas. For discharge, the chain reaction takes place throughout this treatment, and you will smell the activator. Excellent ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends upon appropriate cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlast the shirt. I determine sturdiness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual assessment for fading and breaking. Water based prints reveal gradual softening and a gentle fade in the same method jeans unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is different, usually breaking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For individualized shirts that need to look good at a household reunion and still remain in rotation next summer season, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to select which method

Costs differ regionally, but the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is often equivalent to plastisol at the gallon level, however you invest more in store 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. As soon as tuned, automobiles perform at comparable speeds. Where it actually settles 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 couple of hundred pieces where the art matches the medium, discharge on one hundred percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that needs over night turn-around and art changes constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF might be better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel trade-offs. When you handle wholesale t shirts with numerous colorways and must keep inventory versatile, a versatile water based palette on light garments is effective, because you avoid the weight and stiffness that build up with numerous underbases in plastisol.

Design choices that highlight the best in water based and discharge

Design planning begins with the material color and ends with treating. On light shirts, lean into information: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Basic 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 t-shirt color glimpses through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic appear like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Extremely thin knockouts inside heavy flood areas can fill out with discharge, specifically on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor negative space, separate the art to print negative shapes as positive strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for a proof on the real garment rather than relying on a digital mockup. A mockup can not record fiber interplay and color lift.

When you ought to say no to discharge

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

If a client needs metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that area. Water based metallics exist, but the particles often sink, and the impact is more satin than true metal. For high-opacity neons on dark shirts that should be billboard-bright, you might 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 depend on a partner, established a workflow that eliminates uncertainty. An easy technique keeps surprises at bay and helps you struck due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric initially, then ink: select one hundred percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, premium cotton for basic water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered result is desired.
  • Request test prints on the precise blanks: one shirt per colorway is usually sufficient to lock approvals, particularly for bulk t 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 images of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: advise cold wash and low heat dry for consumers, then verify your treatment times so wash resilience matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological standards: 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 constraints: quick art changes, little batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has become the default, however water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize catalog strategy. For styles that are high volume even at little day-to-day quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a small stock of popular sizes lets you deliver exact same day with water based prints that feel much better than many 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. Use it where cotton convenience and breathability are the selling points. Clients who appreciate touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and interacting value

When customers ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a standard plastisol task, I explain what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail clients relate with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for delicate purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a basic three-color front hit might be modest, often a small uplift that can be reduced the effects of by choosing a somewhat more cost-effective blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts going into boutiques or e-commerce at premium cost points, the improvement in viewed worth more than covers the change.

For personalized shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, choices matter. Deal a base price with plastisol on midweight cotton, then a "comfort upgrade" that includes a ringspun blank Jacksonville Custom t shirts deals with water based ink. You will see a clear split: some customers enhance for cost, others for feel. Fulfilling both lets you serve a larger market without diluting your craft.

Care instructions that customers actually follow

Care labels typically read like legal disclaimers. Keep it simple and practical so the shirt survives reality. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower dryer heat, but they will withstand normal laundering if correctly treated. I recommend phrasing care pointers in human terms on product pages: wash cold with similar colors, tumble dry low, prevent material conditioners if you desire colors to stay crisp. The last note matters because some conditioners can transfer movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I have actually checked these instructions in-house: 2 identical shirts, one washed cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee showed somewhat much faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked great. That tolerance originates from correct treatment, not from babying the garment.

All over print ideas that do not fight the limitations

All over print catches attention, but printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Instead of battling joints, design for them. Usage tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at joints, or use a ghosted grid that looks intentional when it breaks at hems. Alternatively, run panel printing and stitch. Brand names that sell limited runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design necessitates it. The finished garments check out as custom-made from a range, which is the goal.

A quick anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a local music festival. The customer wanted soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it lived in the material. We tested on 3 blacks from two mills. Batch one raised easily with discharge, batch 2 stayed stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the artwork. We logged color lot numbers, pivoted the ink mix by including a touch more white pigment to compensate, T shirt printing prices Jacksonville and changed dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to complete the reaction. The result: constant tees throughout 2,400 systems, each with a soft, breathable print that offered out by day two.

That task taught the crew to treat discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a blackboard. The recipe matters, however so does tasting and adjusting.

Common risks and how to prevent 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 ever hit the needed temp for the right period. Use a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to determine real ink film temperature level, not just clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a consistent pace on press, flood between prints, and control store humidity.

A third pitfall is disregarding material variability. If you change blanks mid-run since a size is out of stock, you might see shifts in color. Build contingency into your acquiring. For brand names preparing ahead, picking a standard blank and locking it with your provider minimizes surprises.

Final guidance for picking your path

If your concern is soft, breathable custom-made apparel that clients keep using, water based inks deserve the knowing curve. Use basic water based on light garments for tidy detail and matte color. Move to release on one hundred percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark shirts. Accept and prepare for minor color variance with discharge, specifically across dye lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, integrate 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 operate a print on demand brochure, carve out a water based pill of finest sellers on light shirts. Market the distinction: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialized results 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 client rubs their thumb across a print and feels nothing but fiber, you've won. That's the moment water based and discharge provide, and why they are worthy of a place in any severe 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.