October 18, 2025

Beyond Standard 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 tension: the push for softer, more breathable prints that people really delight in wearing, and the requirement to produce at scale without compromising the environment or the bottom line. That stress has formed how I choose inks, pretreatments, and materials for customized apparel tasks. Throughout the years, I have actually learned that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce beautiful outcomes and real convenience, especially for T shirt printing that needs to withstand daily wear.

If you run a brand name, manage bulk t shirt orders, or just want your personalized 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 require care. The best choice can make the distinction in between a t-shirt that gets worn when and one that ends up being 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 fabric and remedies into a film, water based inks take in into the fibers. That single characteristic discusses the majority of the advantages and trade-offs. Prints feel soft due to the fact that you're touching the cotton, not a layer of cured PVC. Colors tend to look more matte and integrated. On light garments, the hand is frequently indistinguishable from the shirt itself. For custom t shirts designed for convenience, this is the course to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are two primary households: 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 best base, once you move into darker materials, you either need a heavier print or you switch to release. Discharge printing uses an activator that raises the dye from the fabric during treating, essentially whitening the t-shirt's dye in the printed locations, 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 limits

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing motto if you unload the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks normally consist of less volatile organic substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and prevent PVC entirely. Lots of are compliant with rigorous requirements like Oeko-Tex or meet retail testing programs that ban particular phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell customized clothing into business health cares, schools, or health-conscious brands, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That stated, "eco friendly" is a system concept. Ink is one part. You also need to take a look at store practices: filtering on your washout cubicle, reclaim chemistry, energy usage on your clothes dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge needs an activator, generally based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or similar substances, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run store, direct exposure is managed and waste is caught. If you're using print on demand with a partner, ask how they deal with discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and treating controls dialed in. Real sustainability conceals in the details.

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

Most individuals do not purchase a graphic tee due to the fact that they enjoy the ink. They buy it since the garment looks great, feels excellent, and keeps that character after repeated washing. 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 flexible. You will not hear the crackle you in some cases receive from heavy plastisol when you extend across the chest.

I keep a rack of contrast shirts in the studio. One from a surf brand, one from a brewery, both printed with discharge on midweight cotton. After 30 to 40 home washes, the prints softened 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 severe light, which some streetwear customers choose, but the user feedback is consistent: water based seems like a premium garment.

Color, coverage, 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 clean mesh. On darker cotton, discharge includes variables. Various dye lots discharge in a different way, even within the very same brand and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch may lift to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you include guides the last color, but you're still working with a background that is moving as the color is removed.

That's not a flaw, it's part of the medium. Numerous designers accept the a little vintage character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep rather than neon. If your brand name needs laser-precise color recreation for business logo designs, either order test prints on the precise batch you plan to use or think about a water based underbase or hybrid method where needed. For wholesale t shirts that will be distributed nationally, put example approvals into your procedure so there are not a surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than the majority of people think

A water based print is a collaboration between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink perfectly. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and beverages ink unevenly. Blends complicate things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can water-based inks deal with water based, but discharge only raises the cotton portion. That means your color saturates 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, vibrant color on a poly mix, 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 finished tees presents joints, folds, and irregular pressure that appear as blank micro-gaps. If you must print on finished garments, expect small spaces along seams, which some clients like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks act differently on press. They dry faster in the screen, which is useful on material however 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. Set up with a misting bottle or a dedicated screen rewetting service at hand, and keep the print space humidity in a constant range, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to prevent 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 rate, minimize clogging.

Curing is where many novices fizzle. Water based inks require both heat and time for the water to evaporate, then for the binders to cross-link. A clothes dryer tunnel with sufficient air flow makes the distinction. You desire even heat throughout the belt and enough dwell to reach the manufacturer's cure temperature throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface. Shirts leaving the tunnel needs to be dry to the touch without any cool areas. For discharge, the chain reaction takes place during this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Great ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends upon appropriate cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlast the shirt. I measure sturdiness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual evaluation for fading and cracking. Water based prints reveal steady softening and a gentle fade in the very same method denim relaxes. Plastisol's failure mode is different, generally breaking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For individualized shirts that need to look good at a household reunion and still be in rotation next summer season, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to pick which method

Costs differ regionally, however the economics fall into familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is typically similar to plastisol at the gallon level, but you invest more in store environment and drying capability. On press, water based can be somewhat slower at setup due to the fact that you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. When tuned, cars run at similar speeds. Where it really settles remains in viewed value. 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 few hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print as needed that requires overnight turn-around and art changes constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF might be much better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel trade-offs. When you take on wholesale t t-shirts with multiple colorways and must keep stock versatile, a flexible water based combination on light garments is effective, because you avoid the weight and tightness that collect with multiple underbases in plastisol.

Design choices that highlight the best in water based and discharge

Design planning starts with the material color and ends with treating. On light t-shirts, lean into detail: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Standard 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. Consider how the shirt color glimpses through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic appear like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Very thin knockouts inside heavy flood areas can fill in with discharge, especially on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor negative space, different the art to print unfavorable shapes as favorable strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for an evidence on the actual garment instead of trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not catch fiber interaction and color lift.

When you ought to state no to discharge

There are times I encourage against discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can cause color migration, especially with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance t-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 odor during curing, discharge days in the shop are noticeable. Well-managed air flow alleviates this, however it is part of the process.

If a client needs metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that area. Water based metallics exist, however the particles typically sink, and the result is more satin than real metal. For high-opacity neons on dark shirts that must be billboard-bright, you might require 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 eliminates guesswork. An easy method keeps surprises at bay and assists you struck due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric first, then ink: choose 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 precise blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is generally enough to lock approvals, particularly for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: offer Pantone targets for light garments and describe acceptable ranges for dark discharge prints, with pictures of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: suggest cold wash and low heat dry for clients, then verify your remedy times so clean sturdiness matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm environmental standards: ask your printer about ink certifications, ventilation, and waste capture, particularly if your brand messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print as needed has its own restraints: fast art modifications, small batch sizes, and the need for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has actually become the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize catalog technique. For designs that are high volume even at small day-to-day quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a little stock of popular sizes lets you ship same day with water based prints that feel better than lots of DTG outputs. It works finest when you keep art to one or two colors and choose light garments.

If your POD model relies on all over print sublimation for polyester garments, water based screen printing is not a replacement, it is a parallel offering. Use it where cotton convenience and breathability are the selling points. Clients who appreciate touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When customers 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 consumers equate with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for delicate purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a standard three-color front hit may be modest, frequently a little uplift that can be neutralized by picking a slightly more affordable blank. If the program is for wholesale t shirts entering into shops or e-commerce at superior cost points, the enhancement in perceived value more than covers the change.

For personalized shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, choices matter. Offer a base price with plastisol on midweight cotton, then a "comfort upgrade" that consists of a ringspun blank with water based ink. You will see a clear split: some customers optimize for cost, others for feel. Meeting custom patches near me both lets you serve a wider market without diluting your craft.

Care directions that clients in fact follow

Care labels often read like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and practical so the shirt survives reality. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, but they will endure normal laundering if effectively treated. bulk t shirt orders I suggest phrasing care tips in human terms on product pages: wash cold with similar colors, topple dry low, avoid fabric softeners if you want colors to remain crisp. The last note matters since some conditioners can transfer movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I have actually tested these instructions 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 somewhat much faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked excellent. That tolerance comes from appropriate cure, 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 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. Brands that sell limited runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design requires it. The finished garments check out as customized from a distance, which is the goal.

A short anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a regional music celebration. The customer wanted soft black tees with a sunburst print that seemed like it lived in the material. We sampled on 3 blacks from custom shirt near me two mills. Batch one lifted cleanly with discharge, batch two remained stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the art work. We logged dye lot numbers, rotated the ink mix by including a touch more white pigment to compensate, and adjusted dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to complete the reaction. The outcome: constant tees across 2,400 systems, each with a soft, breathable print that offered out by day two.

That job taught the team 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 problems I see trace back to procedure, not the ink household. Under-curing is the first culprit. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never struck the needed temp for the ideal period. Use a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to measure real ink film temperature, not simply dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a constant rate on press, flood between prints, and control shop polyester DTG compatibility humidity.

A third pitfall is neglecting material irregularity. If you change blanks mid-run because a size is out of stock, you may see shifts in color. Construct contingency into your getting. For brand names planning ahead, picking a standard blank and locking it with your provider decreases surprises.

Final assistance for selecting your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom apparel that clients keep wearing, water based inks are worth the knowing curve. Usage basic water based upon light garments for tidy detail and matte color. Transfer to release on one hundred percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark shirts. Accept and prepare for minor color variance with discharge, especially across color lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, build in a single round of physical sampling on the actual blanks you will utilize, then document your settings and keep back a reference shirt for quality control.

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

Custom t t-shirts are judged in the hands, not just on screens. When a customer rubs their thumb across a print and feels nothing however fiber, you've won. That's the minute water based and discharge deliver, and why they are worthy of a place in any severe 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.