October 18, 2025

Beyond Fundamental 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 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 using, and the requirement to produce at scale without compromising the environment or the bottom line. That tension has actually formed how I choose inks, pretreatments, and materials for custom-made garments jobs. Throughout the years, I have actually found out that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce stunning outcomes and genuine comfort, specifically for T shirt printing that needs to withstand everyday wear.

If you run a brand, manage bulk t t-shirt orders, or merely want your individualized shirts to seem like a favorite from the very first wash, it deserves comprehending how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The ideal choice can make the distinction between a t-shirt that gets worn once 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 material and remedies into a film, water based inks soak up into the fibers. That single characteristic discusses most of the advantages and trade-offs. Prints feel soft due to the fact that 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 indistinguishable from the t-shirt itself. For custom-made t t-shirts developed for convenience, this is the course to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are two primary households: basic water based and discharge. Basic water based ink works best on white or really 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 change to discharge. Discharge printing utilizes an activator that raises the color from the fabric during treating, basically bleaching the t-shirt's color in the printed locations, then replaces it with your pigment. The end result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, typically with impressive 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 usually consist of fewer volatile natural compounds than solvent-heavy alternatives and avoid PVC completely. Numerous are certified with stringent standards like Oeko-Tex or meet retail screening regimes that ban specific phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell custom-made clothing into corporate wellness programs, 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: filtering on your washout cubicle, recover chemistry, energy use on your dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, usually based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable substances, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run store, exposure is managed and waste is recorded. If you're utilizing print on demand with a partner, ask how they deal with discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and treating controls called in. Real sustainability conceals in the details.

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

Most people do not buy a graphic tee since they love the ink. They purchase it due to the fact that the garment looks great, feels good, and keeps that character after repeated washing. Water based inks, including discharge, provide you that custom t shirt printing broken-in convenience from the first day. 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 stretch throughout the chest.

I keep a rack of comparison t-shirts in the studio. One from a browse brand, one from a brewery, both printed with discharge on midweight cotton. After 30 to 40 home washes, the prints softened even more, the colors mellowed somewhat, and the shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the very same art looks glossier and still pops more under extreme light, which some streetwear clients prefer, but 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 material's own dye. On white or heather light t-shirts, basic water based ink can strike tight Pantones with a determined ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Various color lots discharge in a different way, even within the exact 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 guides the last color, however you're still working with a background that is moving as the dye is removed.

That's not a flaw, it's part of the medium. Lots of designers embrace the a little classic character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand bulk custom t shirts name demands laser-precise color reproduction for business logos, either order test prints on the specific batch you prepare to utilize or think about a water based underbase or hybrid approach where required. For wholesale t shirts that will be dispersed nationally, put example approvals into your process so there are no surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than most people think

A water based print is a partnership between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink beautifully. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and beverages ink unevenly. Blends make complex things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can deal with water based, but discharge just lifts the cotton portion. That implies 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 design for it. If your goal is flat, vibrant color on a poly mix, standard plastisol or a specialized low-cure system might be smarter.

On all over print tasks, such as a seam-to-seam tonal pattern behind a chest graphic, consider 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 need to print on completed garments, expect little spaces along seams, which some customers like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks behave in a different way on press. They dry much faster in the screen, which is useful on fabric however can lock a mesh if you pause too long. Running a greater mesh for information, state 230 to 305, keeps the deposit thin and crisp. Set up with a misting bottle or a dedicated screen rewetting solution at hand, and keep the print room humidity in a steady range, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to avoid early drying. Manual press operators will notice how quickly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Vehicle presses, with flood bars and constant pace, decrease clogging.

Curing is where lots of newbies 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 adequate airflow makes the distinction. You want even heat throughout the belt and sufficient dwell to reach the producer's treatment temperature throughout the ink layer, not just at the surface area. Shirts leaving the tunnel must be dry to the touch without any cool areas. For discharge, the chemical reaction happens during this treatment, and you will smell the activator. Good ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on correct treatment and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlive the t-shirt. I measure durability by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual assessment for fading and cracking. Water based prints show steady softening and a mild fade in the very same method denim unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is different, generally cracking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For tailored shirts that need to look proficient at a family 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 into familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is frequently comparable to plastisol at the gallon level, however you invest more in shop environment and drying capability. On press, water based can be slightly slower at setup due to the fact that you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, vehicles perform at comparable speeds. Where it truly pays off is in perceived value. A soft print on a mid-tier blank typically 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 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 better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel trade-offs. When you handle wholesale t shirts with several colorways and must keep inventory versatile, a versatile water based combination on light garments is effective, since you avoid the weight and tightness that accumulate with multiple underbases in plastisol.

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

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

Type weight matters. Really thin knockouts inside custom long sleeve shirts heavy flood locations can fill in with discharge, especially on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor negative area, separate the art to print unfavorable shapes as favorable strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for a proof on the real garment rather than trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not capture fiber interplay and dye lift.

When you must state no to discharge

There are times I encourage against discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can cause dye migration, especially with sublimated or cationic-dyed efficiency t-shirts, causing ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, especially reactive black blends, resist lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a customer is delicate to small smell throughout curing, discharge days in the shop are obvious. Well-managed airflow reduces this, however it belongs to the process.

If a customer needs metallics, puff, or specialized textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that area. Water based metallics exist, but the particles often sink, and the effect is more satin than true metal. For high-opacity neons on dark t-shirts that need to 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 rely on a partner, established a workflow that removes guesswork. A simple method 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 standard water based. Avoid high poly unless the heathered impact is desired.
  • Request test prints on the exact blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is usually enough to lock approvals, particularly for bulk t t-shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: provide Pantone targets for light garments and explain acceptable ranges for dark discharge prints, with images of previous work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: advise cold wash and low heat dry for clients, then verify your treatment times so clean durability matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological standards: ask your printer about ink certifications, ventilation, and waste capture, especially if your brand name messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print as needed has its own constraints: fast art modifications, little 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 organize brochure method. For styles that are high volume even at small day-to-day quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a little stock of popular sizes lets you deliver very same day with water based prints that feel much better than many 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. Use it where cotton convenience and breathability are the selling points. Consumers who appreciate touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When clients ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a standard plastisol task, I discuss what they are purchasing. They get the soft hand that retail clients correspond with quality, improved breathability, and compliance for sensitive purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the distinction for a basic three-color front hit may be modest, frequently a small uplift that can be reduced the effects of by selecting a somewhat more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t shirts going into stores or e-commerce at superior cost points, the improvement in viewed value more than covers the change.

For individualized t-shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, options matter. Deal a base cost 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 expense, others for feel. Meeting both lets you serve a larger market without diluting your craft.

Care guidelines that clients actually follow

Care labels often read like legal disclaimers. Keep it basic and practical so the t-shirt makes it through reality. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower dryer heat, but they will endure regular laundering if correctly cured. I recommend phrasing care suggestions in human terms on item pages: wash cold with comparable colors, tumble dry low, avoid fabric softeners if you desire colors to remain crisp. The last note matters since some conditioners can deposit films on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of fine lines.

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

All over print ideas that do not combat the limitations

All over print catches attention, but printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of fighting seams, style for them. Usage tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at seams, or apply a ghosted grid that looks intentional 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 design warrants it. The ended up garments check out as customized from a distance, which is the goal.

A quick anecdote from a hectic season

One spring we ran a series for a regional music festival. The client wanted soft black tees with a sunburst print that seemed like it resided in the 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 adding a touch more white pigment to compensate, and adjusted dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to finish the response. The result: constant tees throughout 2,400 systems, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

That job taught the crew to deal with discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a chalkboard. The recipe matters, however so does tasting and adjusting.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Most issues I see trace back to process, not the ink household. Under-curing is the very first offender. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never ever hit the needed temperature for the ideal period. Use a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to measure true ink film temperature, not simply clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a consistent rate on press, flood between prints, and control store humidity.

A third risk is neglecting fabric variability. If you switch blanks mid-run since a size is out of stock, you may see shifts in color. Construct contingency into your purchasing. For brand names preparing ahead, choosing a standard blank and locking it with your provider minimizes surprises.

Final assistance for selecting your path

If your top priority is soft, breathable custom garments that consumers keep wearing, water based inks deserve the knowing curve. Use basic water based on light garments for tidy detail and matte color. Move to discharge on 100 percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark shirts. Accept and prepare for small color variation with discharge, especially across dye lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, build in a single round of physical tasting on the actual blanks you will use, then record your settings and keep back a recommendation t-shirt for quality control.

If you operate a Screen reclaiming print as needed brochure, carve out a water based capsule of best sellers on light t-shirts. Market the difference: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialty effects and neon stunners in plastisol or hybrid systems where they belong.

Custom t shirts are judged in the hands, not simply on screens. When a consumer rubs their thumb throughout a print and feels nothing but fiber, you have actually won. That's the minute water based and discharge provide, and why they deserve a location in any serious shop 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.