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.

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 continuous stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that people really delight 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 materials for customized garments tasks. Over the years, I've found out that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce gorgeous results and real comfort, especially for T shirt printing that requires to withstand daily wear.

If you run a brand name, manage bulk t t-shirt orders, or simply desire your tailored t-shirts to feel like a favorite from the first wash, it deserves understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they require care. The ideal option can make the difference in between a shirt that gets worn as soon as and one that becomes the go-to.

What water based ink in fact is

Water based inks suspend pigments in water instead of in plasticizers and solvents. Unlike plastisol, which sits on top of the material and treatments into a movie, water based inks absorb into the fibers. That single characteristic discusses the majority of the advantages and trade-offs. Prints feel soft since you're touching the cotton, not a layer of treated PVC. Colors tend to look more matte and integrated. On light garments, the hand is frequently indistinguishable from the t-shirt itself. For customized t shirts developed for convenience, this is the course to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are 2 primary families: standard water based and discharge. Basic water based ink works best on white or really light t-shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the right base, once you move into darker fabrics, you either require a much heavier print or you change to discharge. Discharge printing uses an activator that raises the dye from the material throughout treating, essentially whitening the shirt's color in the printed locations, then changes it with your pigment. The end result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, often with exceptional detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing motto if you unload the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks usually consist of less unpredictable natural substances than solvent-heavy options and avoid PVC entirely. Many are compliant with stringent standards like Oeko-Tex or satisfy retail screening regimes that ban particular phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer custom-made clothing into business health cares, 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 require to take a look at shop practices: filtering on your washout cubicle, recover chemistry, energy use on your dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge needs an activator, usually based on zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable substances, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run store, direct exposure is managed and waste is recorded. If you're using print as needed with a partner, ask how they deal with discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls dialed in. Real sustainability hides in the details.

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

Most individuals do not purchase a graphic tee since they like the ink. They buy it since the garment looks good, feels excellent, and keeps that character after duplicated washing. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, give 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 often get from heavy plastisol when you extend throughout 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 even more, the colors mellowed somewhat, and the t-shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the very same art looks glossier and still pops more under extreme light, which some streetwear customers choose, but the user feedback is consistent: water based seems like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations form results

Color accuracy with water based inks is a matter of control, humidity, and the material's own color. On white or heather light shirts, standard water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a determined ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Different color lots discharge in a different way, even within the exact 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 guides the final color, however you're still dealing with a background that is moving as the color is removed.

That's not a flaw, it's part of the medium. Numerous designers embrace the a little vintage character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand name needs laser-precise color reproduction for business logos, either order test prints on the precise batch you prepare to utilize or consider a water based underbase or hybrid technique where required. For wholesale t t-shirts that will be dispersed 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 collaboration in between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink magnificently. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and drinks ink unevenly. Blends make complex things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can deal with water based, but discharge only lifts the cotton part. That suggests your color saturates the cotton while the polyester and rayon stay as-is, frequently yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks intentional if you design for it. If your objective is flat, vivid color on a poly blend, traditional plastisol or a specialized low-cure system might 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 introduces seams, folds, and inconsistent pressure that appear as blank micro-gaps. If you should print on finished garments, anticipate small voids along seams, which some customers 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 fabric but can lock a mesh if you pause too long. Running a higher mesh for detail, say 230 to 305, keeps the deposit thin and crisp. Establish with a misting bottle or a dedicated screen rewetting service at hand, and keep the print space humidity in a stable range, approximately 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, lower clogging.

Curing is where numerous novices 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 air flow makes the difference. You want even heat throughout the belt and sufficient dwell to reach the producer's remedy temperature throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface area. Shirts exiting the tunnel needs to be dry to the touch with no cool spots. For discharge, the chain reaction occurs during this cure, and you will smell the activator. Great ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends upon proper cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlive the shirt. I determine toughness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, topple dry medium, then visual evaluation for fading and breaking. Water based prints reveal steady softening and a mild fade in the Jacksonville Custom t shirts very same method denim relaxes. Plastisol's failure mode is various, generally splitting if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For tailored shirts that need to look proficient at a household reunion and still remain in rotation next summertime, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to select which method

Costs differ regionally, however the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is often comparable 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 since you pay closer attention to fit together, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, autos perform at comparable speeds. Where it truly pays off remains in perceived worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank frequently feels premium without leaping 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 turnaround and art changes constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF may be better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel compromises. When you handle wholesale t t-shirts with several colorways and need to keep inventory flexible, a flexible water based palette on light garments is efficient, given that you avoid the weight and stiffness that accumulate with multiple underbases in plastisol.

Design choices that highlight the 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. Basic water based ink prints those with a special that plastisol tends to subdue. On dark cotton, discharge shines with mid-tone richness and soft edges. Think about how the shirt color glances through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic looks like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Extremely thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can complete with discharge, particularly on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor unfavorable area, separate the art to print unfavorable shapes as positive strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for a proof on the actual garment rather than trusting 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 recommend versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can trigger color migration, especially with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance 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 delicate to small smell throughout treating, discharge days in the shop are visible. Well-managed air flow alleviates 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 typically sink, and the result is more satin than real metal. For high-opacity neons on dark t-shirts that need to be billboard-bright, you might require a water based underbase tuned for opacity or a switch to plastisol.

Practical workflow for brands and creators

Whether you run your own presses or rely on a partner, set up a workflow that eliminates uncertainty. A basic technique keeps surprises at bay and helps you hit 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 standard water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered effect is desired.
  • Request test prints on the specific blanks: one shirt per colorway is usually adequate to lock approvals, especially for bulk 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 previous work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: recommend cold wash and low heat dry for consumers, then validate your cure times so wash durability matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological standards: ask your printer about ink accreditations, ventilation, and waste capture, especially 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 changes, small batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color range. Direct-to-garment has actually become the default, however water based screen printing can fit POD if you arrange brochure technique. For designs that are high volume even at little day-to-day 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 lots of DTG outputs. It works finest when you keep art to a couple of colors and select light garments.

If your POD design 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. 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 fundamental plastisol task, I describe what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail clients equate with quality, improved breathability, and compliance for sensitive purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the distinction for a basic three-color front hit might be modest, typically a little uplift that can be reduced the effects of by picking a slightly more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts entering into boutiques or e-commerce at superior rate points, the enhancement in perceived worth more than covers the change.

For individualized t-shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, alternatives matter. Offer a base rate 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 optimize for cost, others for feel. Meeting both lets you serve a broader market without diluting your craft.

Care guidelines that clients actually follow

Care labels typically read like legal disclaimers. Keep it simple and practical so the shirt makes it through real life. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, but they will withstand regular laundering if correctly treated. I suggest phrasing care tips in human terms on product pages: wash cold with similar colors, tumble dry low, prevent fabric softeners if you want colors to remain crisp. The last note matters since some conditioners can deposit films on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I have actually tested these instructions in-house: two identical shirts, one washed 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 good. That tolerance comes from right remedy, not from babying the garment.

All over print concepts that do not fight the limitations

All over print catches attention, but printing flood coats on put together garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of combating joints, 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. Alternatively, run panel printing and stitch. Brand names that offer limited runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design necessitates it. The ended up garments read as custom-made from a distance, which is the goal.

A brief anecdote from a hectic season

One spring we ran a series for a local music celebration. The customer desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it lived in the fabric. We tested on three blacks from two mills. Batch one raised cleanly with discharge, batch two remained stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the art work. We logged dye 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 response. The outcome: consistent tees throughout 2,400 systems, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

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

Common pitfalls and how to prevent them

Most issues I see trace back to procedure, not the ink family. Under-curing is the 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. Utilize a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to measure real ink film temperature, not just clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a consistent pace on press, flood between prints, and control shop humidity.

A 3rd risk is neglecting material variability. If you change blanks mid-run since a size runs out stock, you might see shifts in color. Develop contingency into your buying. For brand names preparing ahead, selecting a standard blank and locking it with your provider reduces surprises.

Final guidance for selecting your path

If your top priority is soft, breathable custom apparel that consumers keep wearing, water based inks deserve the learning curve. Usage basic water based upon light garments for tidy detail and matte color. Relocate to discharge on 100 percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and prepare for minor color variance with discharge, specifically across dye lots. For bulk t shirt orders, build in a single round of physical tasting on the actual blanks you will utilize, then record your settings and keep back a reference shirt for quality control.

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

Custom t shirts are evaluated in the hands, not simply on screens. When a customer rubs T shirt printing their thumb throughout a print and feels nothing however fiber, you have actually won. That's the moment water based and discharge provide, and why they should have 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.