October 18, 2025

Beyond Standard 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 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 actually delight in using, and the need to produce at scale without compromising the environment or the bottom line. That stress has actually formed how I pick inks, pretreatments, and materials for customized garments projects. For many years, I've discovered that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce gorgeous outcomes and genuine comfort, specifically for T shirt printing that needs to withstand everyday wear.

If you run a brand, handle bulk t t-shirt orders, or simply want your customized t-shirts to seem like a favorite from the very first wash, it deserves understanding how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they need care. The ideal option can make the difference in between a shirt that gets worn when 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 fabric and cures into a movie, water based inks take in into the fibers. That single characteristic discusses most of the benefits 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 typically indistinguishable from the t-shirt itself. For custom t shirts designed for comfort, this is the course to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are two primary families: basic water based and discharge. Standard water based ink works best on white or very light shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the best base, once you move into darker fabrics, you either need a much heavier print or you switch to release. Release printing utilizes an activator that lifts the color from the material during curing, basically whitening the t-shirt's dye in the printed locations, then changes it with your pigment. The end outcome is the softest possible print on dark cotton, frequently with outstanding detail.

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

Eco friendly inks are not a marketing slogan if you unpack the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks usually contain less unstable organic compounds than solvent-heavy options and avoid PVC altogether. Lots of are certified with stringent requirements like Oeko-Tex or satisfy retail testing routines that prohibit particular phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell customized 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 require to look at store practices: purification on your washout booth, recover chemistry, energy use on your dryer, and even material sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, generally based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable substances, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run store, direct exposure is controlled and waste is recorded. If you're using 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 people do not buy a graphic tee due to the fact that they enjoy the ink. They buy it since the garment looks good, feels good, and keeps that character after duplicated washing. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, give you that broken-in convenience from the first day. On an one hundred 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 throughout the chest.

I keep a rack of contrast 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 t-shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear clients choose, but the wearer feedback is consistent: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, coverage, and how expectations shape results

Color precision with full-color photo printing on fabric water based inks refers control, humidity, and the material's own dye. On white or heather light t-shirts, basic water based ink can hit tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge includes variables. Various dye lots discharge differently, even within the exact same brand and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch might raise to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you include guides the last color, but you're still working with a background that is moving as the color is removed.

That's not a defect, it belongs to the medium. Numerous designers welcome the somewhat classic character of discharge, where reds land earthy and blues feel deep instead of neon. If your brand name needs laser-precise color recreation for business logos, either order test prints on the precise batch you prepare to use or consider a water based underbase or hybrid method where required. For wholesale t shirts that will be dispersed nationally, put example approvals into your process so there are no surprises at scale.

Fabric matters more than many people think

A water based print is a collaboration between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink beautifully. Carded open end cotton is scratchier and beverages ink unevenly. Blends complicate things. A 50/50 poly-cotton or a triblend with rayon can deal with water based, but discharge only lifts the cotton portion. That means your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon stay as-is, often yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks intentional if you design for it. If your goal is flat, vivid color on a poly mix, standard plastisol or a specialized low-cure system might 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 completed tees introduces joints, folds, and irregular pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on finished garments, anticipate little spaces along joints, which some customers 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 much faster in the screen, which works on fabric but can lock a mesh if you pause 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 devoted screen rewetting solution at hand, and keep the print room humidity in a consistent range, roughly 45 to 55 percent, to avoid early drying. Manual press operators will discover how rapidly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Automobile presses, with flood bars and consistent pace, minimize clogging.

Curing is where lots of newbies miss the mark. Water based inks need both heat and time for the water to vaporize, then for the binders to cross-link. A dryer tunnel with enough airflow makes the difference. You desire even heat across the belt and sufficient dwell to reach the maker's remedy temperature throughout the ink layer, not simply at the surface. Shirts exiting the tunnel must be dry to the touch without any cool areas. For discharge, the chemical reaction happens throughout this cure, and you will smell the activator. Excellent 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 outlive the shirt. I determine sturdiness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, tumble dry medium, then visual assessment 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, normally splitting if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For individualized t-shirts that need to look good at a household reunion and still remain in rotation next summer season, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to pick which method

Costs differ regionally, but the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is frequently comparable to plastisol at the gallon level, but you invest more in store environment and drying capability. On press, water based can be a little slower at setup due to the fact that you pay closer attention to fit together, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, cars run at similar speeds. Where it truly settles remains in perceived worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank typically feels premium without leaping to the highest-cost shirt. Brands can price accordingly.

For bulk t t-shirt orders above a couple of hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on one hundred percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that requires over night turn-around and art modifications constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF might be much better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel compromises. When you handle wholesale t t-shirts with numerous colorways and must keep inventory versatile, a versatile water based scheme on light garments is efficient, considering that you prevent the weight and stiffness that accumulate with several underbases in plastisol.

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

Design preparation begins with the fabric color and ends with treating. On light shirts, lean into detail: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Standard water based ink prints those with a special that plastisol tends to overpower. On dark cotton, discharge shines with mid-tone richness and soft edges. Think about how the shirt color glances through. A charcoal heather with a discharge cream graphic looks like it grew there.

Type weight matters. Really thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can fill in with discharge, particularly on high-absorbency cotton. If you require razor unfavorable space, separate the art to print unfavorable shapes as positive strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for a proof on the actual garment instead of trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can same-day embroidery not capture fiber interaction and dye lift.

When you must 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 shirts, resulting in ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, particularly reactive black blends, withstand lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a client is sensitive to small smell during curing, discharge days in the shop are obvious. Well-managed air flow mitigates this, however it belongs to the process.

If a customer requires metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that area. Water based metallics exist, but the particles frequently sink, and the impact is more satin than real metal. For high-opacity neons on dark t-shirts that must be billboard-bright, you might need a water based underbase tuned for opacity or a switch to plastisol.

Practical workflow for brand names and creators

Whether you run your own presses or depend on a partner, established a workflow that removes uncertainty. A simple technique keeps surprises at bay and helps you hit deadlines for launches and events.

  • Decide on material initially, then ink: choose 100 percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, top quality cotton for standard water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered impact is desired.
  • Request test prints on the exact blanks: one t-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 varieties for dark discharge prints, with pictures of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: advise cold wash and low heat dry for clients, then validate your remedy times so clean sturdiness matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological standards: ask your printer about ink accreditations, ventilation, and waste capture, particularly if your brand name messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print on demand has its own restrictions: quick art changes, small batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color range. Direct-to-garment has ended up being the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you arrange brochure technique. For designs that are high volume even at little daily quantities, pre-burning screens and keeping a small stock of popular sizes lets you ship exact same day with water based prints that feel much better than lots of DTG outputs. It works best 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. Utilize it where cotton comfort and breathability are the selling points. Clients 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 fundamental plastisol job, I discuss what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail clients correspond with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for sensitive buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the distinction for a basic three-color front hit might be modest, often a little uplift that can be neutralized by selecting a slightly more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts entering into boutiques or e-commerce at premium cost points, the improvement in viewed value more than covers the change.

For personalized shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, alternatives matter. Deal 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 clients optimize for expense, others for feel. Fulfilling both lets you serve a wider market without diluting your craft.

Care instructions that consumers actually follow

Care labels frequently check out like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and practical so the shirt makes it through reality. Water based and discharge prints choose cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, but they will endure regular laundering if effectively treated. I suggest phrasing care tips in human terms on item pages: wash cold with similar colors, tumble dry low, avoid fabric conditioners if you desire colors to remain crisp. The last note matters because some conditioners can transfer movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I've 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 revealed slightly much faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked great. That tolerance comes from appropriate cure, not from babying the garment.

All over print ideas that do not battle the limitations

All over print catches attention, but printing flood coats on assembled garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Rather of combating joints, style for them. Usage tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at seams, or apply a ghosted grid that looks intentional when it breaks at hems. Additionally, run panel printing and sew. Brand names that sell minimal runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the style warrants it. The finished garments read as custom-made from a range, which is the goal.

A brief anecdote from a hectic 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 fabric. We tested on three blacks from 2 mills. Batch one lifted easily with discharge, batch 2 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 response. The result: Heat press vs screen printing constant tees across 2,400 systems, each with a soft, breathable print that offered out by day two.

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

Common risks and how to avoid them

Most issues I see trace back to process, not the ink household. Under-curing is the first perpetrator. Water based ink that feels dry can still be under-cured if the core of the print never hit the required temperature for the best period. Use a donut probe or an embedded thermochromic strip to measure true ink movie temperature level, not just clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the 2nd. Keep a constant rate on press, flood between prints, and control shop humidity.

A third mistake is overlooking fabric variability. If you switch blanks mid-run due to the fact that a size runs out stock, you may see shifts in color. Develop contingency into your getting. For brand names planning ahead, picking a basic blank and locking it with your supplier reduces surprises.

Final assistance for picking your path

If your concern is soft, breathable customized apparel that clients keep wearing, water based inks are worth the learning curve. Use basic water based on light garments for tidy detail and matte color. Relocate to release on 100 percent cotton when you want the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and plan for slight color variation with discharge, particularly throughout color lots. For bulk t shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical sampling on the real blanks you will utilize, then document your settings and hold back a reference shirt for quality control.

If you operate a print as needed catalog, take 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 just on screens. When a consumer rubs their thumb across a print and feels absolutely nothing however fiber, you have actually won. That's the minute water based and discharge provide, and why they deserve a location in any serious 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.