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 two things in CMYK screen printing continuous tension: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals in fact enjoy wearing, and the requirement to produce at scale without compromising the environment or the bottom line. That tension has formed how I choose inks, pretreatments, and materials for customized garments tasks. For many years, I've found out that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce lovely results and genuine convenience, specifically for T shirt printing that requires to stand up to daily wear.

If you run a brand, manage bulk t shirt orders, or simply want your individualized t-shirts to seem like a preferred from the very first wash, it's worth comprehending how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they require care. The right option can make the difference in between a t-shirt that gets used once 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 cures into a movie, water based inks soak up into the fibers. That single characteristic explains most of the benefits and trade-offs. Prints feel soft because you're touching the cotton, not a layer of treated PVC. Colors tend to look more matte and integrated. On light garments, the hand is often indistinguishable from the t-shirt itself. For customized t shirts developed for convenience, this is the course to the "retail feel" clients ask for.

There are two main families: basic water based and discharge. Basic water based ink works best on white or extremely 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 discharge. Discharge printing utilizes an activator that lifts the dye from the fabric throughout curing, basically bleaching the t-shirt's dye in the printed areas, then changes it with your pigment. Completion result is the softest possible print on dark cotton, often with exceptional detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing slogan if you unpack the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks normally include fewer unpredictable natural compounds than solvent-heavy alternatives and prevent PVC altogether. Lots of are compliant with strict standards like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail testing regimes that ban specific phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer custom garments into corporate 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 also need to take a look at shop practices: purification on your washout booth, recover chemistry, energy usage on your clothes dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge needs an activator, usually based on zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run store, direct exposure is managed and waste is captured. If you're using print as needed with a partner, ask how they manage discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls called in. Genuine sustainability hides in the details.

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

Most people do not purchase a graphic tee due to the fact that they like the ink. They purchase it since the garment looks good, feels excellent, and keeps that character after duplicated cleaning. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, offer you that broken-in comfort 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, 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 slightly, and the t-shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the same art looks glossier and still pops more under harsh light, which some streetwear clients choose, but the user feedback is consistent: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations shape results

Color precision with water based inks refers control, humidity, and the fabric'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 color lots discharge differently, even within the exact same brand and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch may raise to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you add guides the last color, but you're still dealing with a background that is moving as the dye is removed.

That's not a defect, it's part of the medium. Many designers embrace the somewhat vintage character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand demands laser-precise color reproduction for business logo designs, either order test prints on the specific batch you plan to utilize or consider a water based underbase or hybrid approach where needed. For wholesale t shirts that will be dispersed nationally, put swatch approvals into your procedure so there are not a surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than most 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 drinks ink unevenly. Blends make complex things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can work with water based, however discharge just raises the cotton part. That means your color saturates the cotton while the polyester and rayon remain as-is, typically yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks intentional if you design for it. If your objective is flat, vivid 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 introduces joints, folds, and irregular pressure that appear as blank micro-gaps. If you should print on completed garments, anticipate 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 behave in a different way on press. They dry quicker in the screen, which works on material but can lock a mesh if you stop briefly too long. Running a greater mesh for detail, state 230 to 305, keeps the deposit thin and crisp. Establish with a misting bottle or a dedicated screen rewetting option at hand, and keep the print space humidity in a steady variety, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to avoid premature drying. Manual press operators will notice how quickly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Auto presses, with flood bars and constant rate, minimize clogging.

Curing is where many newbies miss the mark. Water based inks need both heat and time for the water to evaporate, then for the binders to cross-link. A clothes dryer tunnel with sufficient airflow makes the difference. You desire even heat across the belt and adequate dwell to reach the maker's cure temperature throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface. Shirts leaving the tunnel should be dry to the touch without any cool areas. For discharge, the chain reaction takes place throughout this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Excellent ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends on appropriate remedy and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlast the shirt. I determine 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 mild fade in the very same method denim unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is different, normally breaking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For personalized shirts that require to look good at a family reunion and still be in rotation next summertime, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to choose 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, but you invest more in shop environment and drying capacity. On press, water based can be a little slower at setup because you pay closer attention to fit together, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. When tuned, automobiles run at similar speeds. Where it truly settles remains in perceived value. A soft print on a mid-tier blank typically feels premium without leaping to the highest-cost shirt. Brand names can price accordingly.

For bulk t shirt orders above a few hundred pieces where the art matches the medium, discharge on one hundred percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that requires overnight turn-around and art changes constantly, 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 shirts with several colorways and should keep stock flexible, a versatile water based scheme on light garments is efficient, given that you avoid the weight and stiffness that build up with numerous underbases in plastisol.

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

Design planning starts with the material color and ends with curing. 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. Think about how the shirt color peeks through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic looks like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Really thin knockouts inside heavy flood areas can fill in with discharge, especially on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor unfavorable space, different the art to print unfavorable shapes as positive strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for an evidence on the actual garment rather than relying on a digital mockup. A mockup can not capture fiber interplay and dye lift.

When you should say no to discharge

There are times I recommend versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can cause dye migration, specifically with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance 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 client is sensitive to small smell throughout curing, discharge days in the store are obvious. Well-managed airflow alleviates this, however it belongs to 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 frequently 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 need 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 removes uncertainty. An easy method keeps surprises at bay and helps you struck due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on material initially, then ink: select 100 percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, high-quality cotton for basic water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered impact is desired.
  • Request test prints on the exact blanks: one shirt per colorway is typically 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 describe acceptable ranges for dark discharge prints, with images of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: recommend cold wash and low heat dry for customers, then validate your treatment times so wash resilience matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm environmental requirements: 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 on demand has its own restraints: fast art changes, little batch sizes, and the need for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has actually ended up being the default, however water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize brochure technique. For styles that are high volume even at small everyday quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a little stock of popular sizes lets you ship very same day with water based prints that feel much better than numerous DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to one or two colors and choose light garments.

If your POD model depends 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 comfort and breathability are the selling points. Consumers 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 basic plastisol job, I describe what they are purchasing. They get the soft hand that retail customers relate with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for delicate buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the distinction for a standard three-color front hit might be modest, often a small uplift that can be neutralized by selecting a somewhat more cost-effective blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts entering into stores or e-commerce at premium cost points, the enhancement in perceived value more than covers the change.

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

Care directions that consumers actually follow

Care labels frequently check out like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and realistic so the shirt endures real life. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, but they will withstand regular laundering if properly cured. I recommend phrasing care ideas in human terms on product pages: wash cold with similar colors, tumble dry low, prevent material conditioners if you desire colors to remain crisp. The last note matters since some softeners can transfer films on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I've checked these directions in-house: two identical shirts, one cleaned 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 remedy, not from babying the garment.

All over print concepts that do not fight the limitations

All over print captures attention, but printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Instead of fighting joints, style for them. Use tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at joints, or apply a ghosted grid that looks intentional when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and sew. Brand names that offer minimal runs can justify cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the style requires it. The ended up garments read as customized from a distance, which is the goal.

A brief anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a local music celebration. The customer desired soft black tees with a sunburst print that seemed like it resided in the fabric. We sampled on 3 blacks from two mills. Batch one raised easily 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 adding a touch more white pigment to compensate, and adjusted dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to finish the reaction. The result: constant tees across 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that sold out by day two.

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

Common mistakes and how to prevent them

Most problems I see trace back to procedure, not the ink family. Under-curing is the very first culprit. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never ever struck the required temperature for the ideal duration. Utilize a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to measure true ink film temperature, not simply dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a consistent speed on press, flood in between prints, and control shop humidity.

A 3rd mistake is neglecting fabric variability. If you switch blanks mid-run since a size runs out stock, you may see shifts in color. Build contingency into your purchasing. For brands planning ahead, choosing a basic blank and locking it with your provider minimizes surprises.

Final assistance for picking your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom-made clothing that clients keep wearing, water based inks deserve the learning curve. Use standard water based upon light garments for clean detail and matte color. Transfer to discharge on one hundred percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and prepare for minor color variation with discharge, specifically throughout color lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical sampling on the actual blanks you will use, then record your settings and keep back a recommendation shirt for quality control.

If you run a print on demand brochure, carve out a water based pill of best sellers on light 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 customer rubs their thumb across a print and feels absolutely nothing however fiber, you've won. That's the minute water based and discharge provide, and why they deserve 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.