October 18, 2025

Beyond Fundamental Tees: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Water-Based Inks and Discharge Printing for Custom-made T‑Shirts

Prints R Us is a custom apparel studio
Prints R Us is based in Jacksonville Florida
Prints R Us is located at 2826 Art Museum Dr Jacksonville FL 32207 United States
Prints R Us is in the country United States
Prints R Us provides premium screen printing
Prints R Us provides DTG printing
Prints R Us provides embroidery services
Prints R Us offers custom t shirts
Prints R Us produces promotional items
Prints R Us creates polos hats and hoodies
Prints R Us emphasizes craftsmanship
Prints R Us emphasizes fast turnaround
Prints R Us uses high quality materials
Prints R Us produces vibrant prints
Prints R Us has phone number 9047521515
Prints R Us has website https://printsrus.com/
Prints R Us has opening hours Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Prints R Us has Google Maps listing https://maps.app.goo.gl/hVuq8aVZERVs9NMg8
Prints R Us has Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/theprintsrus
Prints R Us has Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/theprintsrus
Prints R Us has logo https://printsrus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Print-R-Us-Logo.png
Prints R Us specializes in t shirt printing
Prints R Us specializes in custom t shirts
Prints R Us specializes in embroidery near me
Prints R Us was awarded Best Custom Printing Studio Jacksonville 2024
Prints R Us won Jacksonville Small Business Excellence Award 2023
Prints R Us was recognized for Outstanding Apparel Design Innovation 2022


Prints R Us

Prints R Us is a Jacksonville, FL–based custom apparel studio offering premium screen printing, DTG printing, and embroidery services. Whether you need one custom tee or a large bulk order for a business, event, or sports team, they bring designs to life with high-quality materials, vibrant prints, and attention to detail. From polos and hats to hoodies and promotional items, Prints R Us combines craftsmanship and fast turnaround to make your ideas wearable.

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2826 Art Museum Dr, Jacksonville, 32207, US
Business Hours:
  • Monday–Friday: 09:00–17:00
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
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People Also Ask about Prints R Us

What does Prints R Us do?

Prints R Us is a custom apparel studio in Jacksonville, Florida, specializing in premium screen printing, DTG printing, and embroidery services. They create high-quality custom t-shirts, polos, hats, hoodies, and promotional items with vibrant prints and lasting craftsmanship. Their focus on quality materials and fast turnaround makes them a trusted choice for businesses, events, and individuals seeking personalized apparel.

Where is Prints R Us located?

Prints R Us is conveniently located at 2826 Art Museum Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32207, United States. The studio serves customers throughout Jacksonville and the wider Florida area, offering both local service and nationwide delivery for custom clothing and branded merchandise.

What services does Prints R Us provide?

The company offers a wide range of custom apparel printing and design services, including screen printing, direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, embroidery, and promotional product creation. Whether customers need personalized t-shirts, branded uniforms, or embroidered polos, Prints R Us delivers professional results with attention to detail.

Which industries does Prints R Us serve?

Prints R Us works with diverse industries such as schools, small businesses, corporate offices, sports teams, and event organizers. Their services are ideal for branded apparel, team uniforms, promotional giveaways, and fashion-forward custom designs, making them a versatile partner for both personal and business needs.

Why choose Prints R Us for custom t-shirts and embroidery?

Customers choose Prints R Us for their reputation in craftsmanship, vibrant printing, and reliable turnaround times. With awards for apparel design innovation and excellence in small business, the studio has proven expertise in delivering high-quality custom apparel that meets both creative and professional standards.

Does Prints R Us use high-quality materials?

Yes, Prints R Us emphasizes using premium fabrics and durable materials to ensure long-lasting results. Their prints are designed to remain vibrant even after multiple washes, while embroidery work is completed with precision for a polished, professional look.

What awards has Prints R Us won?

Prints R Us has earned multiple recognitions, including Best Custom Printing Studio Jacksonville 2024, the Jacksonville Small Business Excellence Award 2023, and an award for Outstanding Apparel Design Innovation 2022. These accolades highlight their commitment to creativity, quality, and customer satisfaction.

How can I contact Prints R Us?

You can reach Prints R Us by phone at (904)-752-1515 or visit their website at printsrus.com. They are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and you can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates, new designs, and customer showcases.

Walk into any print shop that takes its craft seriously, and you will see DTG artwork requirements 2 things in consistent stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals actually take pleasure in using, and the need to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That tension has actually formed how I choose inks, pretreatments, and materials for custom apparel tasks. Throughout the years, I've discovered that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are practical tools that produce lovely outcomes and real comfort, particularly for T t-shirt printing that requires to withstand everyday wear.

If you run a brand name, manage bulk t shirt orders, or simply desire your tailored shirts to seem like a preferred from the very first wash, it's worth understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The right choice can make the distinction in between a t-shirt that gets used when and one that ends up being the go-to.

What water based ink in fact 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 movie, water based inks take in into the fibers. That single particular discusses most of the advantages and trade-offs. 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 frequently equivalent from the shirt itself. For customized t shirts designed for convenience, 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 extremely light shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the best base, but once you move into darker materials, you either require a much heavier print or you switch to release. Release printing utilizes an activator that raises the dye from the material during treating, essentially whitening the shirt's dye in the printed locations, then changes it with your pigment. Completion outcome is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently with outstanding detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing slogan if you unload the chemistry and the workflow. Water based Screen reclaiming inks typically consist of less volatile natural substances than solvent-heavy alternatives and prevent PVC altogether. Lots of are compliant with strict standards like Oeko-Tex or meet retail screening programs that prohibit specific phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer custom apparel into business wellness programs, schools, or health-conscious brand names, those certificates smooth procurement and keep you ahead of compliance.

That said, "eco friendly" is a system idea. Ink is one part. You likewise need to take a look at shop practices: filtering on your washout cubicle, reclaim chemistry, energy use on your dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, usually based on zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run shop, exposure is controlled and waste is captured. If you're utilizing print on demand with a partner, ask how they manage discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and treating controls dialed in. Real sustainability hides in the details.

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

Most individuals do not buy a graphic tee due to the fact that they enjoy the ink. They buy it since the garment looks excellent, feels excellent, and keeps that character after duplicated washing. Water based inks, including discharge, give you that broken-in convenience from day one. On an one hundred percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and versatile. You will not hear the crackle you sometimes receive from heavy plastisol when you stretch across the chest.

I keep a rack of comparison shirts in the studio. One from a surf brand name, 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 slightly, and the shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear customers prefer, however the user feedback is consistent: water based seems like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations shape results

Color accuracy with water based inks is a matter of control, humidity, and the material's own dye. On white or heather light t-shirts, standard water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a clean mesh. On darker cotton, discharge includes variables. Different dye lots discharge differently, even within the same brand name 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 add guides the final color, but you're still working with a background that is shifting as the dye is removed.

That's not a defect, it becomes part of the medium. Lots of designers embrace 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 recreation for business logo designs, either order test prints on the precise batch you plan to utilize or consider a water based underbase or hybrid approach where required. For wholesale t t-shirts that will be distributed nationally, put swatch approvals into your process so there are no surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than the majority of 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 make complex things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can work with water based, however discharge only lifts the cotton part. That suggests 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, brilliant color on a poly blend, standard plastisol or a specialized low-cure system might be smarter.

On all over print jobs, such as a seam-to-seam tonal pattern behind a chest graphic, consider cut-and-sew with water based prints on panels before assembly. Garment printing all over on completed tees presents seams, folds, and irregular pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on ended up garments, expect little voids along joints, which some customers like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks act in a different way on press. They dry quicker in the screen, which is useful on material however can lock a mesh if you stop briefly 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 devoted screen rewetting solution at hand, and keep the print room humidity in a steady variety, roughly 45 to 55 percent, to avoid premature drying. Manual press operators will observe how rapidly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Car presses, with flood bars and consistent speed, reduce clogging.

Curing is where lots of novices fizzle. 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 want even heat across the belt and enough dwell to reach the manufacturer's treatment temperature level throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface area. Shirts leaving the tunnel must be dry to the touch without any cool spots. For discharge, the chain reaction happens during this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Excellent ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on proper cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlive the t-shirt. I measure sturdiness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, topple dry medium, then visual examination for fading and splitting. Water based prints show gradual softening and a gentle fade in the exact same way jeans relaxes. Plastisol's failure mode is different, typically splitting if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For tailored t-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 choose which method

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

For bulk t shirt orders above a few hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on one hundred percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that needs over night turnaround and art modifications constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF might be better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel trade-offs. When you handle wholesale t shirts with multiple colorways and need to keep inventory flexible, a versatile water based palette on light garments is effective, given that you prevent the weight and stiffness that collect with numerous underbases in plastisol.

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

Design preparation starts with the material color and ends with treating. On light t-shirts, lean into detail: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Basic 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 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 require razor negative area, different 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 instead of trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not record fiber interaction and dye lift.

When you need to state no to discharge

There are times I advise versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can trigger dye migration, specifically with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance t-shirts, resulting in ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, specifically reactive black blends, resist lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a client is delicate to minor smell throughout curing, discharge days in the shop are visible. Well-managed air flow mitigates this, but it is part of the process.

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

Practical workflow for brands and creators

Whether you run your own presses or rely on a partner, established a workflow that gets rid of guesswork. A basic approach keeps surprises at bay and assists you struck due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on material initially, then ink: pick 100 percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, top quality cotton for basic 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, especially for bulk t 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: advise cold wash and low heat dry for customers, then confirm your treatment times so clean toughness matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological requirements: ask your printer about ink certifications, 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 restraints: fast art changes, little batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color range. Direct-to-garment has actually ended up being the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize brochure method. For designs that are high volume even at small day-to-day amounts, pre-burning screens and keeping a small stock of popular sizes lets you deliver very same day with water based prints that feel better than numerous DTG outputs. Heat press vs screen printing It works best when 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. Utilize it where cotton convenience and breathability are the selling points. Customers who care about touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When customers ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a basic plastisol task, I discuss what they are purchasing. They get the soft hand that retail consumers relate with quality, improved breathability, and compliance for delicate purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a standard three-color front hit might be modest, frequently a little uplift that can be reduced the effects of by choosing a somewhat more cost-effective blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts entering into boutiques or e-commerce at exceptional cost points, the improvement in viewed worth 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 "comfort upgrade" that includes a ringspun blank with water based ink. You will see a clear split: some clients optimize for cost, others for feel. Satisfying both lets you serve a broader market without diluting your craft.

Care directions that customers in fact follow

Care labels typically check out like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and reasonable so the t-shirt makes it through reality. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower dryer heat, but they will sustain typical laundering if appropriately cured. I suggest phrasing care suggestions in human terms on product pages: wash cold with similar colors, topple dry low, avoid material conditioners if you desire colors to stay crisp. The last note matters because some softeners can transfer films on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of fine lines.

I've checked these instructions in-house: 2 similar shirts, one washed cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee showed somewhat quicker fading of mid-tones, yet still looked excellent. That tolerance comes from correct remedy, not from babying the garment.

All over print concepts that do not battle the limitations

All over print captures attention, however printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of battling seams, style for them. Usage tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at joints, or use a ghosted grid that looks intentional when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and sew. Brand names that sell limited runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design warrants it. The ended up garments read as customized hat embroidery from a distance, which is the goal.

A short anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a local music festival. The client desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that seemed like it lived in the material. We sampled on 3 blacks from 2 mills. Batch one raised easily with discharge, batch two 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 changed dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to finish the response. The result: constant tees throughout 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

That task taught the team to deal with discharge like cooking, not chemistry on a blackboard. The dish matters, however so does tasting and adjusting.

Common risks and how to prevent them

Most problems I see trace back to process, not the ink family. Under-curing is the very first perpetrator. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never ever hit the required temperature for the best period. Utilize a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to measure real ink film temperature level, not simply clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a consistent rate on press, flood in between prints, and control shop humidity.

A 3rd risk is disregarding fabric variability. If you switch blanks mid-run due to the fact that a size runs out stock, you might see shifts in color. Build contingency into your buying. For brand names planning ahead, picking a basic blank and locking it with your supplier lowers surprises.

Final assistance for choosing your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom-made apparel that clients keep using, water based inks are worth the knowing curve. Use standard water based upon light garments for clean information and matte color. Transfer to discharge on 100 percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and plan for small color difference with discharge, specifically across color lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical tasting on the real blanks you will utilize, then document your settings and keep back a recommendation shirt for quality control.

If you run a print on demand brochure, take a water based capsule of best sellers on light shirts. Market the distinction: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialized 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 customer rubs their thumb throughout a print and feels nothing however fiber, you've won. That's the minute water based and discharge deliver, and why they deserve a location in any major 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.