October 18, 2025

Beyond Basic Tees: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Water-Based Inks and Discharge Printing for Customized 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 two things in consistent tension: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals actually delight in using, and the need to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That tension has actually shaped how I select inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom-made apparel projects. Over the years, I've discovered that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce gorgeous results and genuine comfort, especially for T shirt printing that requires to withstand day-to-day wear.

If custom logo shirts you run a brand, handle bulk t shirt orders, or merely want your customized t-shirts to seem like a favorite from the first wash, it deserves comprehending how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The right choice can make the distinction between a t-shirt that gets worn when and one that becomes the go-to.

What water based ink really is

Water based inks suspend pigments in water instead of in plasticizers and solvents. Unlike plastisol, which sits on top of the material and remedies into a movie, water based inks soak up into the fibers. That single characteristic discusses most of the benefits 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 incorporated. On light garments, the hand is typically identical from the t-shirt itself. For customized t t-shirts developed for comfort, this is the course to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are 2 primary families: 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 best base, but once you move into darker fabrics, you either require a heavier print or you change to release. Release printing utilizes an activator that lifts the color from the material during curing, essentially bleaching the shirt's color in the printed areas, then replaces it with your pigment. Completion outcome 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 unpack the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks generally contain fewer unstable natural substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and avoid PVC altogether. Many are certified with rigorous standards like Oeko-Tex or satisfy retail testing regimes that prohibit particular phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell customized apparel into business health cares, schools, or health-conscious brands, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That said, "eco friendly" is a system concept. Ink is one part. You likewise require to look at store practices: filtration on your washout booth, reclaim chemistry, energy use on your dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, usually based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or similar substances, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run store, direct exposure is controlled and waste is caught. If you're utilizing print as needed with a partner, ask how they deal with discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and treating controls called in. Genuine sustainability conceals in the details.

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

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

I keep a rack of comparison t-shirts in the studio. One from a browse brand name, one from a brewery, both printed with discharge on midweight cotton. After 30 to 40 home washes, the prints softened even more, the colors mellowed slightly, and the shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the very same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear customers choose, however the user feedback corresponds: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, coverage, and how expectations form results

Color accuracy with water based inks refers control, humidity, and the material's own dye. On white or heather light shirts, basic 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 in a different way, even within the very same brand name and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch might raise to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you add steers the final color, but you're still working with a background that is shifting as the color is removed.

That's not a flaw, it belongs to the medium. Many designers accept the somewhat 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 logo designs, either order test prints on the specific batch you plan to use or think about a water based underbase or hybrid technique where needed. For wholesale t shirts that will be distributed nationally, put swatch approvals into your process so there are not a surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than the majority of people think

A water based print is a partnership between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink magnificently. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and beverages ink unevenly. Blends complicate things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can work with water based, however discharge only raises the cotton part. That indicates your color saturates the cotton while the polyester and rayon stay as-is, typically yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks intentional if you style for it. If your goal is flat, brilliant color on a poly blend, conventional 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, consider cut-and-sew with water based prints on panels before assembly. Garment printing all over on completed tees presents seams, folds, and irregular pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you must print on finished garments, expect small spaces along joints, 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 quicker in the screen, which works on fabric but can lock a mesh if you pause too long. Running a higher mesh for information, say 230 to 305, keeps the deposit thin and crisp. Set up with a misting bottle or a devoted screen rewetting option at hand, and keep the print room humidity in a consistent variety, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to avoid premature drying. Manual press operators will discover how quickly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Auto presses, with flood bars and constant speed, decrease clogging.

Curing is where lots of novices miss the mark. Water based inks require both heat and time for the water to evaporate, then for the binders to cross-link. A dryer tunnel with sufficient air flow makes the distinction. You desire even heat throughout the belt and adequate dwell to reach the manufacturer's cure temperature level throughout the ink layer, not just at the surface area. T-shirts leaving the tunnel ought to be dry to the touch without any cool spots. For discharge, the chemical reaction happens during this cure, and you will smell the activator. Excellent ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on proper treatment and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlive the t-shirt. I measure resilience by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual examination for fading and cracking. Water based prints show progressive softening and a mild fade in the exact same method denim relaxes. Plastisol's failure mode is different, usually cracking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For personalized shirts that require to look proficient at a family reunion and still remain in rotation next summertime, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to pick which method

Costs vary regionally, but the economics fall into familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is often equivalent to plastisol at the gallon level, however you invest more in shop environment and drying capacity. On press, water based can be slightly slower at setup because you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, cars run at similar speeds. Where it really settles is in viewed worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank typically feels premium without jumping to the highest-cost t-shirt. Brand names can price accordingly.

For bulk t t-shirt orders above a couple of hundred pieces where the art matches the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print as needed that needs over night turnaround and art modifications constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF may be much better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel compromises. When you take on wholesale t t-shirts with several colorways and need to keep stock versatile, a versatile water based scheme on light garments is effective, considering that you avoid the weight and stiffness that collect with numerous underbases in plastisol.

Design choices that draw out the best in water based and discharge

Design planning begins with the fabric color and ends with curing. On light shirts, lean into information: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Standard water based ink prints those with a special that plastisol tends to overpower. On dark cotton, discharge shines with mid-tone richness and soft edges. Think about how the shirt color glimpses through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic appear like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Really thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can fill out with discharge, specifically on high-absorbency cotton. If you need razor unfavorable space, 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 instead of relying on a digital mockup. A mockup can not catch fiber interplay and color lift.

When you need to state no to discharge

There are times I advise versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are top of the list. The activator can trigger dye migration, especially with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance shirts, causing ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, particularly reactive black blends, resist lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a customer is sensitive to minor smell throughout curing, discharge days in the store are visible. Well-managed airflow mitigates this, however it becomes part of the process.

If a customer requires metallics, puff, or specialized textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that area. Water based metallics exist, however the particles often sink, and the effect is more satin than real metal. For high-opacity neons on dark t-shirts that should be billboard-bright, you might need a water based underbase tuned for opacity or a switch to plastisol.

Practical workflow for brand names and creators

Whether you run your own presses or depend on a partner, established a workflow that gets rid of guesswork. An easy approach keeps surprises at bay and assists you struck deadlines for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric initially, then ink: choose 100 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 specific blanks: one shirt per colorway is generally adequate to lock approvals, specifically for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: supply 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: advise cold wash and low heat dry for consumers, then validate your remedy times so clean toughness 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 on demand has its own constraints: quick art modifications, little batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color range. Direct-to-garment has actually become the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you arrange brochure method. For designs that are high volume even at little daily 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 depends on all over print sublimation for polyester garments, water based screen printing is not a replacement, it is a parallel offering. Utilize it where cotton convenience 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 fundamental plastisol task, I discuss what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail clients relate with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for sensitive buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a standard three-color front hit may be modest, frequently a small uplift that can be neutralized by choosing a slightly more cost-effective blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts going into stores or e-commerce at premium price points, the improvement in perceived worth more than covers the change.

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

Care guidelines that consumers actually follow

Care labels typically read like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and sensible so the t-shirt makes it through reality. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, but they will endure normal laundering if effectively cured. I recommend phrasing care suggestions in human terms on item pages: wash cold with comparable colors, tumble dry low, prevent fabric softeners if you want colors to stay crisp. The last note matters due to the fact that some conditioners can deposit movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of fine lines.

I have actually checked these directions in-house: two identical t-shirts, one washed cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee revealed slightly much faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked good. That tolerance comes from correct remedy, not from babying the garment.

All over print ideas that do not fight the limitations

All over print catches attention, however printing flood coats on put together garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Instead of combating 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 minimal runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the style necessitates it. The completed garments read as custom from a distance, which is the goal.

A short anecdote from a hectic season

One spring we ran a series for a regional music festival. The client desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it resided in the fabric. We sampled on 3 blacks from 2 mills. Batch one raised easily with discharge, batch 2 stayed stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the artwork. We logged dye lot numbers, pivoted 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 result: constant tees throughout 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that offered out by day two.

That job taught the team 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 issues I see trace back to process, not the ink household. 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 ever hit the required temperature for the right duration. Use a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to determine real ink movie temperature level, not just clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a consistent speed on press, flood between prints, and control shop humidity.

A third risk is disregarding material variability. If you change blanks mid-run because a size is out of stock, you may see shifts in color. Develop contingency into your acquiring. For brand names preparing ahead, selecting a basic blank and locking it with your provider decreases surprises.

Final guidance for picking your path

If your concern is soft, breathable customized garments that consumers keep using, water based inks are worth the learning curve. Use basic water based upon light garments for tidy information and matte color. Relocate to release on 100 percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark shirts. Accept and prepare for slight color variation with discharge, particularly throughout color lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical sampling on the actual blanks you will utilize, then document your settings and keep back a reference t-shirt for quality control.

If you run a print on demand brochure, carve out a water based capsule of best sellers on light t-shirts. Market the distinction: 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 t-shirts are evaluated in the hands, not just on screens. When a customer rubs their thumb across a print and feels nothing but fiber, you've won. That's the minute water based and discharge provide, and why they deserve a place in any major 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.