October 18, 2025

Beyond Standard Tees: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Water-Based Inks and Discharge Printing for Customized T‑Shirts

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


Prints R Us

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

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

What does Prints R Us do?

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

Where is Prints R Us located?

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

What services does Prints R Us provide?

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

Which industries does Prints R Us serve?

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

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

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

Does Prints R Us use high-quality materials?

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

What awards has Prints R Us won?

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

How can I contact Prints R Us?

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

Walk into any print shop that takes its craft seriously, and you will see 2 things in consistent stress: the push for softer, more breathable prints that individuals actually take pleasure in wearing, and the need to produce at scale without compromising the environment or the bottom line. That stress has actually formed how I select inks, pretreatments, and fabrics for custom apparel tasks. Over the years, I have actually discovered that water based inks and discharge printing are not just buzzwords, they are useful tools that produce beautiful outcomes and real comfort, specifically for T t-shirt printing that needs to withstand day-to-day wear.

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

What water based ink really 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 film, water based inks soak up into the fibers. That single particular explains the majority of the advantages and trade-offs. Prints feel soft since 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 t-shirt itself. For customized t t-shirts designed for comfort, this is the course to the "retail feel" customers ask for.

There are 2 main 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 require a much heavier print or you change to release. Release printing utilizes an activator that raises the dye from the fabric during treating, basically bleaching the shirt's color in the printed areas, then changes it with your pigment. Completion outcome is the softest possible print on dark cotton, often 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 typically consist of fewer unpredictable natural substances than solvent-heavy options and avoid PVC completely. Lots of are certified with rigorous requirements like Oeko-Tex or fulfill retail testing programs that ban certain phthalates and heavy metals. If you sell custom garments into business health cares, 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 store practices: purification on your washout cubicle, reclaim chemistry, energy use on your dryer, and even fabric sourcing. Discharge requires an activator, normally based upon zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate or comparable compounds, which has its own handling and ventilation requirements. In a well-run shop, exposure is managed and waste is caught. If you're using print as needed with a partner, ask how they handle discharge effluent and whether they have air exchange and curing controls called 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 purchase it due to the fact that the garment looks great, feels excellent, and keeps that character after repeated washing. Water based inks, including discharge, give you that broken-in convenience from day one. On an one hundred Heat press vs screen printing percent ring-spun cotton blank, a water based print is breathable and versatile. You will not hear the crackle you in some cases get from heavy plastisol when you stretch across the chest.

I keep a shelf of contrast t-shirts in the studio. One from a browse brand name, one from a brewery, both printed with discharge on midweight cotton. After 30 to 40 home washes, the prints softened much more, the colors mellowed a little, and the shirts kept moving. A plastisol sample with the very same art looks glossier and still pops more under severe light, which some streetwear customers choose, however the user feedback corresponds: water based feels like a premium garment.

Color, protection, and how expectations form results

Color precision with water based inks is a matter of control, humidity, and the fabric's own color. On white or heather light shirts, basic water based ink can strike tight Pantones with a measured ink mix and a tidy mesh. On darker cotton, discharge adds variables. Different dye lots discharge in a different way, even within the same brand name and color. Black 3001 blanks from one batch might lift to a warm charcoal, while the next batch clears to a cooler grey. The pigment you include guides the final color, but you're still dealing custom t shirt printing 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 name demands laser-precise color recreation for business logos, either order test prints on the specific batch you plan to utilize or consider a water based underbase or hybrid approach where required. For wholesale t shirts that will be distributed nationally, put swatch approvals into your procedure 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 wonderfully. 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, but discharge just lifts the cotton part. That implies your color fills the cotton while the polyester and rayon stay as-is, often yielding a heathered or speckled print that looks deliberate if you style for it. If your goal is flat, vibrant color on a poly blend, traditional 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 introduces joints, folds, and inconsistent pressure that appear as blank micro-gaps. If you need to print on finished garments, anticipate little spaces along seams, which some customers like as part of the garment's character.

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

Water based inks act in a different way on press. They dry much faster in the screen, which works 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. Establish with a misting bottle or a dedicated 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 see how rapidly a basic water based ink clears the screen compared to a heavy plastisol. Vehicle presses, with flood bars and consistent speed, reduce clogging.

Curing is where lots of newbies fizzle. Water based inks require both heat and time for the water to vaporize, then for the binders to cross-link. A dryer tunnel with adequate airflow makes the distinction. You desire even heat across the belt and adequate dwell to reach the producer's cure temperature level throughout the ink layer, not just at the surface. Shirts leaving the tunnel needs to be dry to the touch without any cool areas. For discharge, the chemical reaction takes place throughout this remedy, and you will smell the activator. Excellent ventilation is non-negotiable.

Durability and wash testing

Durability depends upon correct cure and fiber engagement. A well-cured water based print on cotton can outlast the t-shirt. I determine resilience by standardized wash tests, 10 to 20 cycles at warm, topple dry medium, then visual assessment for fading and breaking. Water based prints reveal progressive softening and a gentle fade in the very same way denim unwinds. Plastisol's failure mode is different, typically cracking if the ink layer is too thick or under-cured. For individualized shirts that require to look proficient at a household reunion and still remain in rotation next summer, water based holds up when produced correctly.

Cost, throughput, and when to choose which method

Costs differ regionally, but the economics fall under familiar patterns. Water based ink itself is frequently equivalent to plastisol at the gallon level, but you invest more in store environment and drying capability. On press, water based can be slightly slower at setup due to the fact that you pay closer attention to mesh, squeegee durometer, and off-contact. As soon as tuned, vehicles run at comparable speeds. Where it truly pays off is in viewed worth. A soft print on a mid-tier blank often feels premium without leaping to the highest-cost t-shirt. Brand names can price accordingly.

For bulk t t-shirt orders above a couple of hundred pieces where the art suits the medium, discharge on 100 percent cotton is a workhorse. For print on demand that requires over night turnaround and art modifications constantly, direct-to-garment or DTF may be much better operationally, though both have their own ecological and feel compromises. When you take on wholesale t shirts with multiple colorways and must keep inventory versatile, a flexible water based combination on light garments is effective, because 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 begins with the material color and ends with curing. On light shirts, lean into information: thin lines, halftones, hand-drawn textures. Standard 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. Very thin knockouts inside heavy flood locations can fill in with discharge, specifically on high-absorbency cotton. If you need razor unfavorable space, separate the art to print negative shapes as positive strokes with a clear schedule for squeegee pressure and flashes. Ask your printer for a proof on the real garment rather than trusting a digital mockup. A mockup can not record fiber interplay and color lift.

When you should state no to discharge

There are times I recommend versus discharge. Polyester-rich garments are leading of the list. The activator can trigger color migration, specifically with sublimated or cationic-dyed efficiency shirts, causing 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 customer is sensitive to small odor throughout curing, discharge days in the store are obvious. Well-managed airflow mitigates this, but it becomes part of the process.

If a customer needs metallics, puff, or specialty textures, plastisol or hybrid systems still own that area. Water based metallics exist, but the particles frequently sink, and the result is more satin than real metal. For high-opacity neons on dark shirts that should be billboard-bright, you may 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, set up a workflow that removes guesswork. An easy technique keeps surprises at bay and assists you struck deadlines for launches and events.

  • Decide on fabric first, then ink: select 100 percent ringspun cotton for discharge, or light, high-quality cotton for standard water based. Avoid high poly unless the heathered result is desired.
  • Request test prints on the exact blanks: one t-shirt per colorway is typically enough to lock approvals, particularly for bulk t shirt orders where consistency matters.
  • Clarify color expectations in context: provide Pantone targets for light garments and explain appropriate 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 verify your treatment times so clean durability matches the tag guidance.
  • Confirm environmental standards: ask your printer about ink accreditations, ventilation, and waste capture, especially if your brand name messaging leans into eco friendly inks.

How water based fits with print on demand

Print as needed has its own restraints: quick art modifications, little batch sizes, and the requirement for a broad color gamut. Direct-to-garment has become the default, but water based screen printing can fit POD if you arrange catalog method. For designs that are high volume even at small day-to-day quantities, 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. It works finest when you keep art to one or two colors and choose light garments.

If your POD design 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 convenience and breathability are the selling points. Clients who appreciate touch will notice.

Pricing, margins, and interacting value

When customers ask why a water based or discharge print costs more than a basic plastisol job, I discuss what they are purchasing. They get the soft hand that retail consumers correspond with quality, enhanced breathability, and compliance for delicate purchasers. On a per-shirt basis, the distinction for a standard three-color front hit may be modest, typically a small uplift that can be reduced the effects of by selecting a slightly more economical blank. If the program is for wholesale t shirts entering into shops or e-commerce at exceptional cost points, the enhancement in perceived worth more than covers the change.

For personalized shirts, such as charity runs or college clubs, choices matter. Offer a base rate with plastisol on midweight cotton, then a "convenience upgrade" that consists of a ringspun blank with water based ink. You will see a clear split: some customers enhance for expense, others for feel. Satisfying both lets you serve a broader market without diluting your craft.

Care guidelines that customers in fact follow

Care labels often check out like legal disclaimers. Keep it easy and sensible so the t-shirt makes it through reality. Water based and discharge prints prefer cooler washes and lower clothes dryer heat, however they will endure typical laundering if effectively treated. I recommend phrasing care pointers in human terms on product pages: wash cold with comparable colors, topple dry low, prevent fabric conditioners if you desire colors to stay crisp. The last note matters since some softeners can deposit films on fibers, dulling the visual minimum order quantity contrast of great lines.

I've checked these instructions in-house: 2 similar t-shirts, one washed cold and dried low, the other washed warm and dried high. After 15 cycles, the warm/high tee showed slightly faster fading of mid-tones, yet still looked excellent. That tolerance comes from right treatment, 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 joints, style for them. Use tone-on-tone patterns that fade naturally at seams, or apply a ghosted grid that looks deliberate when it breaks at hems. Alternatively, run panel printing and stitch. Brands that sell limited runs can validate cut-and-sew for 100 to 300 pieces if the style requires it. The ended up garments read as custom-made from a distance, which is the goal.

A short anecdote from a hectic season

One spring we ran a series for a local music festival. The customer wanted soft black tees with a sunburst print that felt like it lived in the material. We sampled on 3 blacks from two mills. Batch one raised cleanly with discharge, batch 2 remained stubbornly dark in the mid-rays of the artwork. We logged color lot numbers, pivoted the ink mix by including a touch more white pigment to compensate, and adjusted dwell time by 10 to 15 seconds to finish the reaction. The result: consistent tees throughout 2,400 systems, each with a soft, breathable print that sold 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 mistakes and how to avoid them

Most problems I see trace back to procedure, 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 temp for the right duration. Use a donut probe or an ingrained thermochromic strip to measure real ink movie temperature, not just dryer setpoints. Screen lockup is the second. Keep a constant pace on press, flood in between prints, and control store humidity.

A third pitfall is overlooking material irregularity. If you switch blanks mid-run since a size is rush t shirt printing out of stock, you may see shifts in color. Build contingency into your purchasing. For brands preparing ahead, picking a basic blank and locking it with your provider reduces surprises.

Final guidance for choosing your path

If your priority is soft, breathable custom apparel that clients keep using, water based inks deserve the knowing curve. Usage standard water based on light garments for tidy information and matte color. Transfer to discharge on one hundred percent cotton when you desire the softest prints on dark shirts. Accept and prepare for minor color variance with discharge, specifically throughout color lots. For bulk t t-shirt orders, integrate in a single round of physical tasting on the actual blanks you will Bulk t-shirt printing use, then record your settings and keep back a referral shirt for quality control.

If you run a print on demand brochure, carve out a water based pill of finest sellers on light t-shirts. Market the distinction: eco friendly inks, breathable feel, and retail-quality hand. Keep your specialty effects and neon stunners in plastisol or hybrid systems where they belong.

Custom t t-shirts are evaluated in the hands, not just on screens. When a client rubs their thumb across a print and feels nothing but fiber, you've won. That's the moment water based and discharge deliver, and why they should have a place in any severe store 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.