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 constant stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that people in fact delight in wearing, and the requirement to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That stress has shaped how I select inks, pretreatments, and materials for custom-made clothing jobs. Throughout the years, I have actually learned that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce lovely results and real convenience, specifically for T shirt printing that needs to withstand everyday wear.

If you run a brand name, handle bulk t shirt orders, or merely want your personalized shirts to feel like a favorite from the first wash, it deserves understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they require care. The right choice can make the difference between a shirt that gets worn as soon as and one that becomes the go-to.

What water based ink actually 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 film, water based inks soak up into the fibers. That single characteristic explains the majority 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 often indistinguishable from the t-shirt itself. For customized t shirts created for convenience, this is the path to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are 2 primary families: standard monogramming water based and discharge. Standard 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 fabrics, you either require a much heavier print or you switch to discharge. Discharge printing uses an activator that raises the dye from the material during curing, essentially whitening the t-shirt's color in the printed areas, then replaces it with your pigment. The end result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently with exceptional detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing motto if you unload the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks typically include less unstable organic compounds than solvent-heavy alternatives and avoid PVC altogether. Numerous are compliant with strict requirements like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail screening regimes that ban particular phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell customized apparel into business health cares, schools, or health-conscious brand names, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That stated, "eco friendly" is a system idea. Ink is one part. You likewise require to look at store practices: filtration on your washout booth, reclaim chemistry, energy usage on your dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, normally based on zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run store, exposure is managed and waste is recorded. If you're using print on demand with a partner, ask how they deal with discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls called in. Real sustainability hides in the details.

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

Most people do not buy a graphic tee due to the fact that they like the ink. They buy it due to the fact that the garment looks great, feels great, and keeps that character after repeated cleaning. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, offer you that broken-in convenience 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 shelf of contrast 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 a lot more, the colors mellowed a little, and the t-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 wearer feedback is consistent: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, coverage, and how expectations shape results

Color precision with water based inks is a matter of control, humidity, and the fabric's own dye. 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 adds variables. Different 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 steers the final color, but you're still working with a background that is moving as the color is removed.

That's not a flaw, it belongs to the medium. Many designers welcome the slightly classic character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand demands laser-precise color recreation for business logos, either order test prints on the specific batch you prepare to use or think about a water based underbase or hybrid method where needed. For wholesale t shirts that will be dispersed nationally, put example approvals into your procedure so there are not a surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than many people think

A water based print is a collaboration in between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink wonderfully. 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 just lifts the cotton portion. That indicates your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon stay as-is, typically yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks deliberate if you style for it. If your objective is flat, vivid color on a poly mix, standard plastisol or a specialized low-cure system may be smarter.

On all over print projects, 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 seams, folds, and inconsistent pressure that appear as blank micro-gaps. If you should print on finished garments, expect little spaces along seams, which some clients 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 quicker in the screen, which works on fabric however can lock a mesh if you pause 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 devoted screen rewetting option at hand, and keep the print space humidity in a steady range, roughly 45 to 55 percent, to avoid early drying. Manual press operators will notice how rapidly a standard water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Car presses, with flood bars and consistent speed, lower clogging.

Curing is where many beginners fizzle. Water based inks require both heat and time for the water to vaporize, then for the binders to cross-link. A dryer tunnel with enough air flow makes the difference. You desire even heat across the belt and adequate dwell to reach the manufacturer'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 spots. For discharge, the chain reaction happens during this treatment, and you will smell the activator. Excellent ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on correct cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlast the t-shirt. I determine toughness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, topple dry medium, then visual examination for fading and breaking. Water based prints show gradual softening and a mild fade in the same way jeans unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is various, typically breaking 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 choose which method

Costs differ regionally, but the economics fall under familiar patterns. best custom t shirt company Water based ink itself is often comparable 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 since you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. When tuned, vehicles run at comparable speeds. Where it truly pays off is in viewed worth. 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 requires overnight turn-around 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 take on wholesale t t-shirts with several colorways and need to keep inventory flexible, a flexible water based combination on light garments is efficient, given that you prevent the weight and stiffness that accumulate with numerous underbases in plastisol.

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

Design planning begins 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 delicacy that plastisol tends to overpower. On dark cotton, discharge shines with mid-tone richness and soft edges. Consider how the shirt color peeks through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic appear like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Extremely thin knockouts inside heavy flood areas can fill out with discharge, particularly on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor unfavorable space, separate the art to print negative shapes as favorable strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for a proof on the actual garment rather than trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not capture fiber interaction and color lift.

When you need to state no to discharge

There are times I encourage versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are top of the list. The activator can cause color migration, specifically 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 sensitive to minor smell during curing, discharge days in the store are noticeable. Well-managed airflow alleviates this, but 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, however the particles often sink, and the impact is more satin than real metal. For high-opacity neons on dark t-shirts that need to be billboard-bright, you might require a water based underbase tuned for opacity or a switch to plastisol.

Practical workflow for brand names and creators

Whether you run your own presses or rely on a partner, set up a workflow that eliminates uncertainty. A simple technique keeps surprises at bay and helps you struck deadlines for launches and events.

  • Decide on material first, then ink: select one hundred percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, premium cotton for basic water based. Avoid high poly unless the heathered effect is desired.
  • Request test prints on the specific blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is typically sufficient to lock approvals, specifically for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: provide Pantone targets for light garments and explain appropriate varieties 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 customers, then validate your cure times so clean durability 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 restraints: quick 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 arrange 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 exact same day with water based prints that feel much better than numerous DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to a couple of colors and select 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. Utilize it where cotton convenience and breathability are the selling points. Consumers who appreciate touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and interacting value

When customers ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a fundamental plastisol job, I describe what they are purchasing. They get the soft hand that retail consumers relate with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for delicate purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a basic three-color front hit might be modest, typically a little uplift that can be reduced the effects of by picking a somewhat more affordable blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts entering into shops or e-commerce at exceptional price points, the enhancement in perceived value more than covers the change.

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

Care guidelines that customers in fact follow

Care labels often print on demand read like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and practical so the t-shirt makes it through real life. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, however they will withstand regular laundering if effectively treated. I recommend phrasing care pointers in human terms on product pages: wash cold with similar colors, tumble dry low, avoid fabric conditioners 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 great lines.

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

All over print concepts that do not fight the limitations

All over print captures embroidery services attention, however printing flood coats on put together garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of combating joints, design for them. Usage tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at seams, or apply a ghosted grid that looks deliberate when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and sew. Brands that sell limited runs can justify cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the style warrants it. The completed garments read as custom from a range, which is the goal.

A brief anecdote from a hectic season

One spring we ran a series for a regional music celebration. The client desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it resided in the material. We tested on three blacks from 2 mills. Batch one lifted easily with discharge, batch two remained stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the art work. We logged color lot numbers, pivoted 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: consistent tees across 2,400 systems, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

That task taught the team to treat discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a chalkboard. The recipe matters, but 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 offender. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never ever hit the needed temp for the best period. Use a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to determine true ink film temperature, not simply dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a constant rate on press, flood in between prints, and control shop humidity.

A 3rd mistake is neglecting fabric irregularity. If you switch blanks mid-run due to the fact that a size runs out stock, you may see shifts in color. Build contingency into your acquiring. For brands preparing ahead, picking a standard blank and locking it with your supplier decreases surprises.

Final assistance for selecting your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom apparel that customers keep wearing, water based inks deserve the learning curve. Usage basic water based on light garments for tidy information and matte color. Transfer to release on one hundred percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and prepare for slight color variation with discharge, particularly across dye lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, build in a single round of physical sampling on the actual blanks you will use, then document your settings and keep back a recommendation shirt for quality control.

If you operate a print as needed catalog, carve out a water based pill of finest sellers on light t-shirts. Market the distinction: 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 simply on screens. When a client rubs their thumb throughout a print and feels absolutely nothing but fiber, you've won. That's the minute water based and discharge deliver, and why they should have a place in any major store or brand name's toolkit.

Business Name: Prints R Us
Address: 2826 Art Museum Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32207, United States
Phone: (904)-752-1515

I am a dynamic innovator with a broad knowledge base in entrepreneurship. My conviction in entrepreneurship spurs my desire to innovate disruptive organizations. In my business career, I have cultivated a profile as being a daring thinker. Aside from creating my own businesses, I also enjoy counseling young startup founders. I believe in empowering the next generation of startup founders to pursue their own aspirations. I am easily seeking out disruptive opportunities and working together with similarly-driven creators. Redefining what's possible is my purpose. Aside from engaged in my enterprise, I enjoy immersing myself in dynamic environments. I am also focused on health and wellness.