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 2 things in continuous stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that people in fact enjoy wearing, and the requirement to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That stress has actually shaped how I pick inks, pretreatments, and materials for custom-made garments tasks. For many years, I've found out that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce lovely outcomes and genuine comfort, specifically for T t-shirt printing that needs to withstand day-to-day wear.

If you run a brand, manage bulk t shirt orders, or just want your tailored t-shirts to feel like a preferred from the very first wash, it deserves understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The ideal choice can make the difference in between a t-shirt that gets worn once and one that ends up being 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 take in into the fibers. That single particular explains the majority of the advantages and compromises. 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 often equivalent from the t-shirt itself. For customized t shirts designed for comfort, this is the path to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are 2 main households: basic water based and discharge. Basic water based ink works best on white or really light t-shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the best base, but once you move into darker materials, you either need a much heavier print or you switch to release. Discharge printing utilizes an activator that raises the color from the material during treating, essentially bleaching the shirt's color in the printed areas, then replaces it with your pigment. Completion result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently with outstanding detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing motto if you unload the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks generally contain less unstable natural compounds than solvent-heavy options and avoid PVC altogether. Numerous are certified with rigorous standards like Oeko-Tex or satisfy retail screening regimes that prohibit certain phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer customized garments into corporate 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 also require to look at shop practices: purification on your washout cubicle, recover chemistry, energy use on your clothes dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, typically based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or similar substances, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run store, exposure is managed and waste is caught. If you're using print on demand with a partner, ask how they manage discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls dialed in. Real sustainability conceals in the details.

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

Most individuals do not purchase a graphic tee because they love the ink. They buy it because the garment looks good, feels good, and keeps that character after duplicated cleaning. Water based inks, including discharge, give you that broken-in comfort from the first day. On a 100 percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and versatile. You will not hear the crackle you sometimes obtain from heavy plastisol when you stretch throughout the chest.

I keep a shelf of contrast 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 much more, the colors mellowed slightly, and the t-shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the exact same art looks glossier and still pops more under extreme light, which some streetwear customers choose, however the user feedback is consistent: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations form results

Color precision with water based inks refers control, humidity, and the material's own color. On white or heather light shirts, standard water based ink can strike tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a clean mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Various dye lots discharge differently, even within the 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 include guides the final color, however you're still dealing with a background that is shifting as the dye is removed.

That's not a flaw, it belongs to the medium. Numerous designers accept the somewhat classic character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep rather than neon. If your brand name needs laser-precise color reproduction for business logos, either order test prints on the exact batch you plan to utilize or think about a water based underbase or hybrid approach where needed. For wholesale t t-shirts that will be distributed nationally, put example approvals into your procedure 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 beverages ink unevenly. Blends complicate things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can work with water based, but discharge just raises the cotton portion. That indicates your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon remain as-is, typically yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks deliberate if you style for it. If your objective is flat, brilliant color Minimum order quantity 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, think about cut-and-sew with water based prints on panels before assembly. Garment printing all over on finished tees presents seams, folds, and irregular pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on completed garments, expect 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 quicker in the screen, which works on fabric but can lock a mesh if you stop briefly too long. Running a higher mesh for information, state 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 room humidity in a stable range, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to prevent premature drying. Manual press operators will see how rapidly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Car presses, with flood bars and constant pace, decrease clogging.

Curing is where many beginners miss the mark. Water based inks require both heat and time for the water to vaporize, then for the binders to cross-link. A clothes dryer tunnel with sufficient air flow makes the difference. You desire even heat throughout the belt and adequate dwell to reach the producer's treatment temperature throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface area. Shirts exiting the tunnel ought to be dry to the touch with no cool areas. For discharge, the chemical reaction happens during this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Good ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on appropriate treatment and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlast the t-shirt. I measure sturdiness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual examination for fading and cracking. Water based prints reveal steady softening and a mild fade in the exact same method denim unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is different, normally 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 be in rotation next summer, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to pick which method

Costs vary regionally, but the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is typically equivalent to plastisol at the gallon level, however you invest more in shop environment and drying capacity. On press, water based can be a little slower at setup since you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. As soon as tuned, autos run at comparable speeds. Where it truly settles remains in perceived worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank often feels premium without leaping to the highest-cost shirt. Brand names can price accordingly.

For bulk t t-shirt orders above a few hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that needs over night turnaround and art modifications continuously, direct-to-garment or DTF may be much better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel trade-offs. When you handle wholesale t t-shirts with several colorways and should keep inventory versatile, a flexible water based palette on light garments is effective, because you avoid the weight and tightness that build up with multiple underbases in plastisol.

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

Design planning begins with the fabric color and ends with treating. 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 peeks 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 in with discharge, specifically on high-absorbency cotton. If you need razor negative 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 instead of trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not capture fiber interaction and color lift.

When you must state no to discharge

There are times I advise against discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading 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 odor throughout curing, discharge days in the store are noticeable. Well-managed airflow reduces this, however it belongs to the process.

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

Practical workflow for brand names and creators

Whether you run your own presses or count on a partner, established a workflow that eliminates guesswork. A simple method keeps surprises at bay and assists you struck deadlines for launches and events.

  • Decide on material initially, then ink: choose one hundred percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, top quality cotton for basic water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered result is desired.
  • Request test prints on the exact blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is normally adequate to lock approvals, especially for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: offer Pantone targets for light garments and explain appropriate varieties for dark discharge prints, with photos of previous work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: suggest cold wash and low heat dry for clients, then validate your treatment times so wash resilience matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm environmental requirements: ask your printer about ink accreditations, ventilation, and waste capture, especially if your brand messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print on demand has its own restrictions: fast art changes, 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 organize brochure technique. For styles that are high volume even at little daily amounts, pre-burning screens and keeping a small stock of popular sizes lets you ship exact same day with water based prints that feel better than many DTG outputs. It works best when screen printing you keep art to a couple of colors and choose light garments.

If your POD model counts 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 comfort and breathability are the selling points. Clients who care about touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When clients ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a standard plastisol job, I describe what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail consumers correspond with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for sensitive purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a basic three-color front hit may be modest, frequently a little uplift that can be neutralized by picking a somewhat more affordable blank. If the program is for wholesale t shirts going into shops or e-commerce at exceptional rate points, the improvement in perceived value more than covers the change.

For individualized t-shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, options 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 expense, others for feel. Fulfilling both lets you serve a wider market without diluting your craft.

Care guidelines that consumers in fact follow

Care labels frequently read like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and sensible so the shirt makes it through real life. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower dryer heat, however they will endure typical laundering if appropriately cured. I recommend phrasing care pointers in human terms on product pages: wash cold with comparable colors, topple dry low, avoid material softeners if you desire colors to stay crisp. The last note matters due to the fact that some conditioners can transfer movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of fine lines.

I have actually tested these directions in-house: 2 identical t-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 appropriate 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 put together garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of battling seams, design 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. Brand names that offer limited runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the style necessitates it. The ended up garments read as customized from a range, which is the goal.

A short anecdote from a hectic season

One spring we ran a series for a regional music festival. The customer wanted soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it lived in the fabric. We sampled on 3 blacks from 2 mills. Batch one lifted easily with discharge, batch 2 stayed 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 finish the response. The outcome: consistent tees throughout 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

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

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Most problems 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 ever struck the needed temp for the ideal duration. Use a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to measure real ink film temperature, not just dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a consistent speed on press, flood in between prints, and control store humidity.

A 3rd mistake is neglecting material heat transfer vinyl irregularity. If you switch blanks mid-run because a size is out of stock, you might see shifts in color. Develop contingency into your buying. For brands preparing ahead, selecting a basic blank and locking it with your supplier reduces surprises.

Final guidance for choosing your path

If your concern is soft, breathable custom garments that customers keep using, water based inks deserve the knowing curve. Use basic water based upon light garments for tidy detail and matte color. Relocate to discharge on 100 percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark shirts. Accept and plan for minor color variation with discharge, specifically across color lots. For bulk t shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical sampling on the actual blanks you will use, then document your settings and keep back a referral shirt for quality control.

If you run a print as needed catalog, take a water based capsule of best sellers on light 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 evaluated in the hands, not just on screens. When a consumer rubs their thumb throughout a print and feels nothing however fiber, you have actually won. That's the moment water based and discharge deliver, and why they should have a place in any serious 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.