October 18, 2025

Beyond Basic 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 print shop that takes its craft seriously, and you will see 2 things in consistent stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that people really take pleasure in wearing, and the requirement 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 clothing tasks. Throughout the years, I've learned that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce stunning results and genuine convenience, specifically for T t-shirt printing that requires to withstand day-to-day wear.

If you run a brand name, manage bulk t shirt orders, or simply desire your personalized t-shirts to seem like a favorite from the first wash, it deserves understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The ideal option can make the distinction in between a shirt that gets worn when and one that ends up being 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 movie, water based inks take in into the fibers. That single characteristic describes the majority of the benefits and trade-offs. Prints feel soft because 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 indistinguishable from the t-shirt itself. For custom t shirts created for convenience, this is the course to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are two main households: basic water based and discharge. Basic water based ink works best on white or very light t-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. Release printing utilizes an activator that raises the dye from the material during curing, essentially bleaching the shirt's dye in the printed areas, then changes it with your pigment. Completion outcome is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently with outstanding detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing motto if you unpack the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks typically include fewer volatile natural substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and avoid PVC altogether. Many are compliant with stringent requirements like Oeko-Tex or satisfy retail screening programs that prohibit certain phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell customized garments into corporate 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 principle. Ink is one part. You also need to take a look at shop practices: filtering on your washout cubicle, recover chemistry, energy usage on your clothes dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge needs an activator, usually based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run store, exposure is managed and waste is captured. If you're using print as needed with a partner, ask how they manage discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls called in. Genuine sustainability hides in the details.

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

Most people do not buy a graphic tee since they enjoy the ink. They purchase it since the garment looks good, feels excellent, and keeps that character after repeated washing. Water based inks, including 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 versatile. You will not hear the crackle you in some cases receive from heavy plastisol when you extend across the chest.

I keep a shelf of contrast shirts in the studio. One from a surf brand, 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 somewhat, and the t-shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the exact same art looks glossier and still pops more under harsh light, which some streetwear customers choose, but the wearer feedback is consistent: water based seems like a premium garment.

Color, protection, 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 t-shirts, basic water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a determined ink mix and a clean mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Various color lots discharge differently, even within the exact same brand name and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch might lift to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you add guides the last color, however you're still dealing with a background that is moving as the color is removed.

That's not a defect, it becomes part of the medium. Numerous designers accept the a little vintage character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand needs laser-precise color recreation for corporate logo designs, either order test prints on the specific batch you prepare to use or think about a water based underbase or hybrid method where needed. 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 many people think

A water based print is a partnership in between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink magnificently. 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 just lifts the cotton part. That implies your color saturates the cotton while the polyester and rayon remain as-is, typically yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks intentional if you style for it. If your goal is flat, vibrant color on a poly mix, conventional plastisol or a specialized low-cure system may 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 appear as blank micro-gaps. If you must print on finished garments, expect small spaces along joints, which some customers like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks act differently on press. They dry quicker in the screen, which is useful on material but can lock a mesh if you stop briefly too long. Running a higher mesh for information, 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 stable range, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to avoid premature drying. Manual press operators will see how rapidly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Vehicle presses, with flood bars and constant monogramming pace, lower clogging.

Curing is where lots of novices miss the mark. Water based inks require both heat and time for the water to vaporize, then for the binders to cross-link. A dryer tunnel with enough airflow makes the difference. You want even heat across the belt and sufficient dwell to reach the producer's cure temperature level throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface area. T-shirts leaving the tunnel must be dry to the touch with no cool areas. For discharge, the chemical custom hoodie printing reaction occurs during this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Excellent 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 outlive the t-shirt. I determine durability by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual examination for fading and breaking. Water based prints show gradual softening and a gentle fade in the same way denim unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is various, usually splitting if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For individualized shirts that need to look proficient at a family reunion and still be in rotation next summer, water based holds up when produced Eco-friendly inks correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to select which method

Costs vary regionally, however the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is typically similar to plastisol at the gallon level, but you invest more in store 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. When tuned, vehicles perform at similar speeds. Where it really pays off remains in perceived value. 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 shirt orders above a few hundred pieces where the art fits the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print as needed that needs overnight turn-around and art changes continuously, direct-to-garment or DTF might be better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel compromises. When you take on wholesale t shirts with multiple colorways and need to keep stock versatile, a flexible water based scheme on light garments is efficient, since you avoid the weight and tightness that collect with several underbases in plastisol.

Design options that bring out the best in water based and discharge

Design planning begins with the material color and ends with curing. On light shirts, lean into detail: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Basic water based ink prints those with a special that plastisol tends to overpower. 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. Really thin knockouts inside heavy flood areas can fill out with discharge, especially on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor unfavorable space, different 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 instead of trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not catch fiber interplay and dye lift.

When you need to state no to discharge

There are times I recommend versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are top of the list. The activator can cause color migration, specifically with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance t-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 customer is delicate to minor smell throughout curing, discharge days in the store are visible. Well-managed airflow reduces this, however it is part of the process.

If a customer requires metallics, puff, or specialized 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 real metal. For high-opacity neons on dark shirts that must be billboard-bright, you may 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, set up a workflow that gets rid of guesswork. An easy technique keeps surprises at bay and helps you struck due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on material 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 effect is desired.
  • Request test prints on the specific blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is normally sufficient to lock approvals, specifically for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: provide Pantone targets for light garments and explain appropriate ranges for dark discharge prints, with photos of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: recommend cold wash and low heat dry for customers, then verify your treatment times so clean toughness matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological requirements: ask your printer about ink accreditations, ventilation, and waste capture, particularly if your brand name 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 brochure technique. For styles that are high volume even at small daily quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a little stock of popular sizes lets you deliver very same day with water based prints that feel better than numerous DTG outputs. It works finest when you keep art to a couple of colors and choose 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 convenience and breathability are the selling points. Consumers 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 customers relate with quality, improved breathability, and compliance for sensitive buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the distinction for a standard three-color front hit may be modest, typically a little uplift that can be neutralized by picking a slightly more affordable blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts going into shops or e-commerce at premium price points, the enhancement in viewed value more than covers the change.

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

Care directions that consumers in fact follow

Care labels typically check out like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and practical so the shirt makes promotional products it through real life. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, but they will endure regular laundering if properly treated. I recommend phrasing care tips in human terms on item pages: wash cold with similar colors, topple dry low, avoid material conditioners if you desire colors to remain crisp. The last note matters because some conditioners can deposit movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of fine lines.

I've tested these instructions in-house: two similar shirts, one washed cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee revealed a little quicker fading of mid-tones, yet still looked great. That tolerance comes from proper cure, not from babying the garment.

All over print concepts that do not battle the limitations

All over print catches attention, but printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of fighting seams, design for them. Use tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at joints, or apply a ghosted grid that looks deliberate when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and sew. Brands that sell restricted runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the style necessitates it. The ended up garments check out as custom from a range, which is the goal.

A brief anecdote from a hectic 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 material. We sampled on 3 blacks from two mills. Batch one raised cleanly with discharge, batch two remained stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the artwork. We logged dye lot numbers, rotated the ink mix by including a touch more white pigment to compensate, and adjusted dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to complete the response. The outcome: consistent tees throughout 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

That job taught the team to deal with discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a chalkboard. The dish matters, but 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 perpetrator. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never hit the required temperature for the right duration. Use a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to measure true ink movie temperature level, not simply clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a consistent rate on press, flood in between prints, and control store humidity.

A third pitfall is overlooking material irregularity. If you switch blanks mid-run because a size runs out stock, you might see shifts in color. Construct contingency into your acquiring. For brand names preparing ahead, picking a standard blank and locking it with your supplier reduces surprises.

Final guidance for picking your path

If your top priority is soft, breathable custom-made garments that clients keep using, water based inks deserve the knowing curve. Use basic water based on light garments for tidy information and matte color. Relocate to discharge on one hundred percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark shirts. Accept and prepare for small color variance with discharge, particularly throughout dye lots. For bulk t shirt orders, build in a single round of physical sampling on the actual blanks you will use, then record your settings and keep back a referral t-shirt for quality control.

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

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