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 two things in consistent stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that people in fact enjoy using, and the need to produce at scale without jeopardizing the environment or the bottom line. That tension has shaped how I pick inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom garments projects. For many years, I have actually found out that water based inks and discharge printing are not simply buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce lovely outcomes and real comfort, specifically for T t-shirt printing that requires to withstand day-to-day wear.

If you run a brand name, handle bulk t shirt orders, or simply want your customized shirts to feel like a preferred from the very first wash, it deserves comprehending how these ink systems work, where they shine, and where they require care. The right choice can make the distinction in between a t-shirt that gets used as soon as and one that becomes the go-to.

What water based ink really is

Water based inks suspend pigments in water instead of in plasticizers and solvents. Unlike plastisol, which sits on top of the fabric and cures into a film, water based inks take in into the fibers. That single characteristic explains the majority of the benefits and compromises. 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 typically identical from the t-shirt itself. For custom t t-shirts developed for convenience, this is the course to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are 2 main families: basic water based and discharge. Basic water based ink works best on white or very light shirts. It can cover mid-tones with the right base, but once you move into darker fabrics, you either require a heavier print or you change to discharge. Release printing uses an activator that lifts the color from the fabric throughout treating, basically whitening the shirt's color in the printed areas, then changes it with your pigment. Completion result 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 motto if you unpack the chemistry and the workflow. Water based inks generally contain fewer volatile natural compounds than solvent-heavy alternatives and prevent PVC entirely. Many are certified with rigorous standards like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail screening programs that prohibit specific phthalates and heavy metals. If you offer custom clothing into corporate health cares, schools, or health-conscious brands, 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 look at shop practices: filtering on your washout cubicle, recover chemistry, energy use on your clothes dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, normally based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or similar compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation needs. In a well-run shop, exposure is managed and waste is recorded. If you're utilizing print on demand with a partner, ask how they deal with discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and treating controls called in. Real sustainability conceals in the details.

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

Most people do not purchase a graphic tee because they like the ink. They buy it since the garment looks great, feels excellent, and keeps that character after repeated cleaning. Water based inks, consisting of discharge, offer 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 stretch across the chest.

I keep a shelf 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 shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the same art looks glossier and still pops more under harsh light, which some streetwear customers choose, however the user feedback corresponds: water based seems like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations form results

Color precision with water based inks refers control, humidity, and the material's own dye. On white or heather light t-shirts, standard water based ink can strike tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge includes variables. Various color 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 steers the final color, but you're still dealing with a background that is shifting as the dye is removed.

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

Fabric matters more than the majority of people think

A water based print is a partnership between ink and fiber. Ringspun cotton takes ink perfectly. 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 deal with water based, however discharge just raises the cotton part. That suggests 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, brilliant color on a poly blend, conventional plastisol or a specialized low-cure system may 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 ended up tees presents seams, folds, and irregular pressure that show up as blank micro-gaps. If you should print on completed garments, expect little voids along joints, which some clients like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks behave differently on press. They dry faster in the screen, which works on fabric but can lock a mesh if you pause 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 stable range, approximately 45 to 55 percent, to prevent premature drying. Manual press operators will notice how quickly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Vehicle presses, with flood bars and constant rate, decrease clogging.

Curing is where lots of newbies miss the mark. 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 desire even heat throughout the belt and adequate dwell to reach the producer's cure temperature level 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 chemical reaction occurs throughout this treatment, 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 last longer than the shirt. I determine sturdiness by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, topple dry medium, then visual inspection for fading and splitting. Water based prints reveal progressive softening and a mild fade in the same method jeans relaxes. Plastisol's failure mode is various, generally breaking 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 summertime, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to choose which method

Costs differ regionally, but the economics fall into familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is often equivalent to plastisol at the gallon level, however you invest more in store environment and drying capability. On press, water based can be a little slower at setup because you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. Once tuned, vehicles run at similar speeds. Where it truly pays off remains in perceived worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank often feels premium without jumping to the highest-cost shirt. Brands can price accordingly.

For bulk t t-shirt orders above a couple of hundred pieces where the art fits the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print as needed that needs over night turn-around and art modifications continuously, direct-to-garment or DTF might be much better operationally, though both have their own environmental and feel trade-offs. When you take on wholesale t t-shirts with multiple colorways and must keep inventory versatile, a flexible water based palette on light garments is effective, since you avoid the weight and stiffness that accumulate with several underbases in plastisol.

Design options that highlight the best in water based and discharge

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

Type weight matters. Very thin knockouts inside heavy flood areas can complete with discharge, specifically on high-absorbency cotton. If you need 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 an evidence on the actual garment rather than trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not record fiber interaction and color lift.

When you need to state no to discharge

There are times I advise versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are top of the list. The activator can trigger color migration, particularly with sublimated or cationic-dyed performance t-shirts, causing ghosting or brownish casts. Some garment dyes, particularly reactive black blends, resist lifting, leaving a shadowed print that looks undercured even when it isn't. If a client is sensitive to minor smell during treating, discharge days in the shop are noticeable. Well-managed airflow mitigates this, however it becomes part of the process.

If a client needs metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that space. Water based metallics exist, but the particles frequently sink, and the impact is more satin than true metal. For high-opacity neons on dark 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 depend on a partner, set up a workflow that gets rid of guesswork. A simple technique keeps surprises at bay and helps you hit due dates for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric first, then ink: pick one hundred percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, high-quality cotton for basic water based. Prevent high poly unless the heathered effect is desired.
  • Request test prints on the precise blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is usually sufficient to lock approvals, especially for bulk t t-shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: supply Pantone targets for light garments and explain acceptable ranges for dark discharge prints, with pictures of prior work you like.
  • Align on care labels and handling: suggest cold wash and low heat dry for clients, then confirm your cure times so wash durability matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm ecological requirements: ask your printer about ink accreditations, 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 modifications, small batch sizes, and the need for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has actually become the default, however water based screen printing can fit POD if you organize catalog strategy. For designs that are high volume even at little day-to-day amounts, 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 numerous DTG outputs. It works best when you keep art to one or two colors and select 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. Use it where cotton convenience and breathability are the selling points. Clients who appreciate touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and communicating value

When clients ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a standard plastisol task, I describe what they are buying. They get the soft hand that retail consumers relate with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for sensitive buyers. On a per-shirt basis, the difference for a basic three-color front hit may be modest, often a little uplift that can be reduced the effects of by choosing a somewhat more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t t-shirts going into stores or e-commerce at premium price points, the improvement in viewed value more than covers the change.

For customized t-shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, choices matter. Deal a base cost 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. Meeting both lets you serve a larger market without diluting your craft.

Care guidelines that customers actually follow

Care labels typically read like legal disclaimers. Keep it basic and practical so the shirt survives real life. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower dryer heat, but they will sustain regular laundering if correctly cured. I suggest phrasing care pointers in human terms on product pages: wash cold with comparable colors, topple dry low, prevent material conditioners if you desire colors to stay crisp. The last note matters due to the fact that some softeners can deposit movies on fibers, dulling the visual contrast of great lines.

I have actually evaluated these instructions in-house: two similar t-shirts, one cleaned cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee showed somewhat faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked good. That tolerance originates from right remedy, not from babying the garment.

All over print concepts that do not battle the limitations

All over print catches attention, but printing flood coats on put together garments with water based inks can be unforgiving. Instead of fighting seams, design for them. Use 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 stitch. Brands that sell limited runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the design necessitates it. The completed garments read as custom from a range, which is the goal.

A quick anecdote from a busy season

One spring we ran a series for a regional music festival. The customer desired soft black DTG t-shirt printing tees with a sunburst print that seemed like it lived in the fabric. We tested on three blacks from 2 mills. Batch one raised cleanly with discharge, batch two stayed 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 response. The result: consistent tees throughout 2,400 units, each with a soft, breathable print that offered out by day two.

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

Common pitfalls 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 ever hit the required temp for the right duration. Utilize a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to determine real ink movie temperature, not just clothes dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a consistent speed on press, flood between prints, and control shop humidity.

A 3rd pitfall is overlooking material irregularity. If you switch blanks mid-run since a size is out of stock, you may see shifts in color. Develop contingency into your buying. For brand names preparing ahead, picking a basic blank and locking it with your provider minimizes surprises.

Final assistance for choosing your path

If your concern is soft, breathable customized apparel that customers keep wearing, water based inks are worth the knowing curve. Use standard water based on light garments for clean information and matte color. Move to discharge on 100 percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark t-shirts. Accept and plan for small color variance with discharge, specifically across dye lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical sampling on the actual blanks you will utilize, then record your settings and keep back a reference shirt for quality control.

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

Custom t t-shirts are evaluated in the hands, not just on screens. When a consumer rubs their thumb throughout a print and feels absolutely nothing however fiber, you have actually won. That's the moment water based and discharge provide, and why they should have 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.