Underbase Printing

Posted by Dustin Koch on 9/12/2017

What is Underbase Printing? 

This is a bottom layer of ink used to optimize the brilliance and quality of a print. The most common under base used is the main white ink that a shop is using, and it is most commonly used on darker garments in order to deliver the quality of colors the job needs. There are other ways to print an under base, but this lesson will be focusing on using white ink to achieve a quality print. 

Why use an underbase? 

Well, have you ever tried printing a red ink on a black shirt and wonder why it appeared to be "off looking" or "flat?" Most printers have gone through this as well. Under basing takes that "flat" look and turns into a "popping" look. This process enables you to give a better looking product to your customers that will have them coming back to you for future orders. Yes, an under base on a shirt will cause a thicker print on a garment, but the trade off is a much better print and much better satisfaction in your customers.  

What Inks Should I Use?

When using a white as an under base, choose a white that is smooth, soft, and high in opacity. This will allow for the best result while the other inks are being printing on top. As far as the other colors, using a medium opacity ink like the Texsource GEN Series would be ideal. Texsource Prime Time, Texsource White Dream, and Texsource Odyssey White are great for cotton and cotton/poly blend garments. Rutland Super Poly White and Triangle 1706 are great for Polyester garments.

Tips for Underbase Printing Printing:

Printing

A great under base will result in a great finished product, whereas, a bad under base will result in a bad finished product. The first layer of ink laid down will need to be smooth and consistent in order to be successful. This may require a double stroke on the white or a print, flash, print before moving onto the other colors. Each garment reacts different to a stroke of white causing for the printer to need to know his/her inks and his/her garments for the best results. 

Trap It! Choke It! 

It is very often that customers have issues registrating an image that requires an under base. The best way to resolve this issue is not necessarily on the press, but rather, in the artwork. There are two different methods that can be used to help registrate an image properly. Option one is to choke the under base by 1 point. Choking the under base simply causes it to be slightly smaller than the inks that print on top. This will allow for the white ink to "disappear" when the print is complete. The second option is to trap the ink on top by 1 point. This process causes the image on top to be slightly bigger than the under base causing it also to "disappear." 

Mesh Count 

The most common mesh counts for the under base white are a 110 and a 160. This allows for a solid and smooth image area for the other inks to print on. Higher mesh counts can result in a less desired look to the finished product because it will not allow a good base for the primary colors. Because printing on top of an under base is like printing on plastic, a higher mesh count will be needed for the colors going on top. Anywhere from a 200 to a 305 depending on the detail needed

Using Chem 8100 to Clean Screens and Squeegees

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/29/2017

In the video above, Texsource team member, Dwayne Collins, demonstrates how to expand your usage of the Texsource Chem 8100 Press Wash. Texsource Chem 8100 is a press wash designed for lightning fast screen reclaim. Not only can you clean up blocked image areas, Dwayne shows us how to clean up squeegees.

Squeegees, just like everything else in your shop, needs to be taken care of to ensure durability and a long squeegee life. You can always just wipe your squeegee off, but what about the hard to reach places? You know, those hard to reach nooks along the rubbers' edge. That's where Chem 8100 comes in handy. Spray it on and use your rag to wipe away the dissolved ink - even running your finger along the edges to make sure all the hard to get plastisol ink has been removed.

Another perk of the Chem 8100 is that it has no odor which makes working with it more pleasant than other washes. It also does not lock in photopolymer emulsions and films which allows for quick and easy reclaiming.

Once you are ready to start printing again, you don't have to worry about a long wait before re-taping your screens or changing colors. Chem 8100 dries in a matter of seconds meaning that you can get back to the funnest part of the job - printing!

Below is an outline of how to use Texsource Chem 8100 Press Wash:

Clean up excess ink from you screens using clean up cards. This is the best way to get as much ink off the screen as possible - and it saves you money! That ink can be placed right back into its original container for later use (recycling win).

It is easiest to use Chem 8100 in a spray bottle, but if you don't have a spray bottle you can apply the wash using a rag.

If you are using a spray bottle, simply spray the image area and use a shop rag or old shirt to wipe away the remaining ink.

If you are applying the wash by rag - agitate the ink with the wash rag and wipe away the dissolved ink.

An important thing to note about the rag you use is that you will need to continuously roll it to make sure you are picking up ink and not just smearing it around. Reapply Chem 8100 as needed and continue to follow up with a dry rag wiping both sides of the screen.

Your screen is ready for tape application and more printing within 10-15 seconds.

Matsui Inc. and Texsource Screen Printing Supply Announce Distribution Partnership

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/21/2017

Matsui International Company, Inc., a leading manufacturer of water based inks, announces a distribution partnership with Texsource Screen Printing Supply.

Matsui offers a comprehensive product line which includes water based pigments, bases, additives, and special effect products for a broad range of applications, including: textile, wallpaper, transfer, and specialty services. From exclusive products to a wide variety of industry standards, every product is manufactured with the finest quality and highest standard in reliability.

The Matsui mixing system allows printers to easily create their own custom colors. Combined with a variety of additives for effect and specialty printing, Matsui hopes to open new doors for print shops of all production levels.

There has been a significant growth in the demand for water based screen printing due to the inks’ vibrant colors, natural hand-feel and decreased environmental impact. For Texsource, this partnership means being the first fully stocked east coast location for Matsui Inks.

To kick off the partnership, Texsource held a water-based and discharge screen printing class that Matsui representatives, Jesse Martinez and Enrique Castillo, introduced attendees to the products and techniques unique to the process. With such a great interest and astounding attendance for the first class, Texsource will hold the class again December 1^st. There are plans to continue offering the class on a yearly basis to give customers the training they need to be successful in the industry.

Matsui and Texsource Screen Printing Supply are dedicated to ensuring customers are comfortable with the products they are purchasing. Texsource sales staff is to receive on-going training regarding Matsui products to ensure the most accurate information is shared.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Plastisol and Water Based Screen Printing

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 8/15/2017

There are two main types of ink that get used for textile printing – plastisol and water based. While plastisol is more widely known and used, the desire for a more eco-friendly shop has brought water based screen printing into the spotlight. What you will find is that both types of inks have their incredible advantages, but they also have a few drawbacks.

To get started, let’s discuss mesh. The mesh count you use is one of the most important factors to consider when printing (no matter what method you choose to print). Here is a short outline of the different mesh recommendations for inks:

• 24-40 mesh for Glitter inks
•  60-80 mesh for Shimmers and thick white underbases
•  86-110 mesh for Metallics
• 110 mesh most popular for light colors such as white ink
• 160 mesh most popular for black ink. It holds more detail than 110, but less ink will pass through the screen.
•  200-230 mesh holds high detail though the ink may need to be reduced. This mesh is great for water based inks.
• 230-305 mesh is mostly used for super fine detail half tones and CMYK process prints. This mesh is also great for water based inks.

Plastisol Ink

Plastisol is the most popular ink in the industry. It is easy to use and promoted as “user friendly”. Plastisol is not water soluble so you don’t have to worry about it drying in the screen. These inks are generally used right out of the container. No mixing needed. Plastisol is perfect for getting the opaque look on dark garments. It is formulated for printing on light and dark garments. Since plastisol does not dry in the screen, there is no worry about ruining a screen or wasting product. Plastisol does not “dry” when exposed to air. Plastisol has to be cured between 280-350F. The greatest advantage of this is being able to reuse the ink for multiple jobs. As long as the ink has not been contaminated by dirt, lint or other ink, the plastisol can be scooped off of the screen and placed back in its container.

Likewise, if you leave the ink container open for several days, the ink will be ready to use when you come back. You can also leave the ink in a screen for several days without worry of clogging or ruining the stencil. Plastisol also has the capability of wet-on-wet printing which means increased production times – saving your shop time and money.

It is generally recommended that you store plastisol at room temperature. This means keeping your shop temperature controlled. If the ink gets too hot (above 90F) there is a possibility it could start the curing process in its container. A big disadvantage of printing with plastisol is that has tends to have a greater hand-feel. This is a disadvantage because most t-shirt enthusiasts desire a vintage look and soft hand-feel to their shirts. Another thing to note about plastisol is that it should not be ironed. The iron could “re-melt” the plastisol and smear ink on your garment.

If you would like to dispose of any contaminated ink be aware that uncured plastisol is considered a hazardous waste and should be disposed of according to your community guidelines. When plastisol is cured, it is not considered a hazardous waste, but make sure you still properly dispose of it.

Water Based Ink

What plastisol can’t achieve is where water based ink steps in to play. Water based inks are great for achieving that vintage soft hand-feel that is desired by most. Water based inks soak into the fabric instead of standing on top. Water based inks are promoted as more “eco-friendly”, but it is important to keep in mind where you are getting this information from. Just because it is labeled as eco-friendly, does not mean that it isn’t free of “co-solvents” that could be petroleum based. The reason these co-solvents are used varies, but one of the reasons is meant to reduce the time and heat necessary to cure the ink on the fabric.

While water based gives most people the look and feel they want in their prints, there are a few factors that deter people from even trying it in the first place. Unlike plastisol which is ready to use right out of the container, water based ink requires a little bit of mixing math. Water based inks start out as two separate products – pigment and base. You have to add the right amount of pigment to the right amount of base to get the desired color. There are also several additives that you must consider for each type of print.

With a name like water based it is easy to assume that curing would be a simple process because in reality all you are doing is evaporating the water to cure. At a craft level, this might not be too bad. Water based inks can air dry, but not in enough time for high production jobs. For shops that are printing at an intermediate to high production level, the dryers that are required for water based inks are typically larger than the dryers used for plastisol. To help the ink cure faster, you can add what is called a “catalyst” to the ink. The catalyst allows for a fast dry time and ensures an even dry over the entire printed area. The disadvantage to using a catalyst is that it greatly reduces the life span of the ink. When you add a catalyst to water based ink the shelf life is limited to 4-12 hours.

Water based ink tends to dry in the screens if not tended to constantly. For this reason, it is important to keep a spray bottle full of water nearby to keep the ink wet. If the ink dries in the screen it will clog the mesh and ruin the screen. It is also important to consider the type of emulsion you are using. Water resistant emulsion is a MUST! Water based inks will melt or eat through any other type of emulsion. This will end up destroying your stencil and setting your print job back.

Choosing the Right Inks for Shirt Materials

posted by Melissa Crawford - Texsource - 5/20/2017

I have a shirt made out of Exotic Space Martian Silk - what is the best ink to use for this?

While this isn't exactly a question we get every day here at Texsource, it does help illustrate the point that many people (especially those who may be new to the screen printing process) have questions about exactly which type of ink to use for a certain type of shirt material (or 'substrate').  I am going to attempt to clear the smoke from the subject and bring things into focus!

COTTON
Ah, the granddaddy of them all, cotton is by far the most common material for tshirts.  It is a light, durable, soft, and economical fabric that is versatile to printing / coloring.  There are also sub-settings for cotton such as combed cotton, organic cotton, pima/supima cotton, and slub cotton.  Most of these sub categories have to do with the length of the fibers or how the fabric is woven.  In the case of organic cotton, it is different mostly in how it is grown, harvested, and processed in a more environmentally aware method.  The difference in these can be felt by the hand as either softer or more textured than other types.  Combed cotton uses a process in manufacturing that causes it to have a smoother feel than other types.

INKS TO USE
Most any general purpose ink will work well with any cotton fabric.  This would be the Texsource GEN Series inks, the Union Maxopake inks, the International Coatings 700 series inks, or the Triangle 1100 Multipurpose series inks.

LINEN
Like cotton, linen is grown and processed, in this case from the flax plant.  It is lightweight, moisture wicking, and has a textured weave feel.  Linen is durable, but gets softer with multiple washings.  It is an easy fabric to print, but can wrinkle more easily which may require more frequent ironing.


INKS TO USE
Same as cotton, most general purpose inks will work well with linen fabrics.  Mesh counts may need to be adjusted and some detail may be lost as linen has a tendency to be woven more 'loosely' than cotton.

POLYESTER
An entire series of articles could be written just on printing polyester shirts.  In short, polyester is a synthetic material that many still associate with the flamboyant disco fashions of the 70s.  It gained popularity as a material that could be washed, pulled, worn, and generally could take all kinds of abuse yet still maintain a smooth, wrinkle-free appearance.  It does not mold or mildew and is resistant to shrinking or stretching.  It is often seen in athletic apparel.  Polyester is often a trouble fabric for many screen printers because polyester must be sublimated or dyed to have any color.  That is, a green polyester shirt has been 'dyed' green in a heating or dyeing process.  When screen printing, the temperature that you need to cure your ink in the dryer is often higher than the material can hold its dye at.  Such a temperature will cause the polyester to 'release' the dye, which can cause a problem known as dye migration.  This is when the color of the shirt 'bleeds' into the color you printed.  To prevent this, you can use a 'blocker'-type ink as an underbase (a light grey is usually the best choice, but others use simply white).  You can then more safely print your colors without the fear of such dye migration issues.

More recently a relatively new type of ink, silicone ink, has been introduced that specifically combats this problem.  Silicone inks can typically cure fully at a much lower temperature than standard plastisol (around 260-270 degrees rather than 300-320).  This is often lower than the dye release point on most quality polyester materials thus eliminating dye migration issues.  Silicone ink has a very soft feel (called 'hand') and is extremely flexible, virtually eliminating cracking.  It is becoming a very in-demand ink for athletic uniforms.

INKS TO USE
Use a good underbase such as International Coatings Guardian Gray or Blocker Gray.  For ink, consider Texsource Poly inks, Union Poly inks, International Coatings 7100 series inks, or Triangle 1700 Low Bleed series inks.  If considering some of the new silicone ink products, try Rutland Silextreme inks.

LYCRA / SPANDEX
It may have seen its heyday among the slew of 80s heavy metal rockers, but lycra (spandex) has seen new life more recently as athletic wear such as yoga pants and tops, swimwear, and even casual shirts / tops.  It has found a home in athletic wear mainly due to its ability to easily stretch greatly while being resistant to wrinkles.  As lycra has great stretchability, a stretch additive is recommended.


INKS TO USE
General purpose inks will serve you well on most lycra/spandex substrates, but you will need a stretch ink additive such as the Union Unistretch 9160.  When printing a white color on pure black lycra, you may get better results using a poly white ink such as the Rutland Super Poly White ink or International Coatings 7113 Athletic White ink.

RAYON
Rayon is made from purified cellulose, mainly from wood pulp.  Because it is chemically converted into a compound, it is considered a semi-synthetic fiber.  It is well known as a popular replacement for silk.  When woven or knitted it is a silky, breathable fabric common in athletic wear.  Rayon does not hold up as well to prolonged wear and can more easily wrinkle.

INKS TO USE
Because Rayon is a semi-synthetic material, you may find some testing is necessary for best printing.  Much will depend on the percentage of rayon in the material.  If adhesion is an issue, you may want to add a catalyst such as Union Nylobond or International Coatings Nylon Bonding Agent.  On materials that use less rayon, you may use most general purpose plastisol inks.  Like lycra, you may want to test using poly inks when printing on darker colors.

NYLON
Nylon is a fully synthetic material that has found many uses in other applications including plastics, flooring, automotive, films, and more.  It is popular in shirt material for its excellent resistance to heat, is lightweight, and wrinkle resistant.  It also blends well with other materials.  Nylon is more prone to shrinking and is not as stain tolerant as other materials.  When using inks to print on nylon materials, a 'catalyst' should be mixed with the ink.  A catalyst works as a adhesive agent, particularly for extremely smooth surfaces.  When mixed properly, your ink / catalyst mixture will cure as normal and will be very resistant to peeling.


INKS TO USE
For a catalyst, use the International Coatings Nylon Bonding Agent, or the Union Nylobond catalyst as described in the inks for rayon shirts.  General purpose inks can be used on most colors, but light colors on dark fabrics may benefit from using low bleed poly inks.

BLENDS
Many shirts today are blended fabrics, sometimes with two, three, or four fabric types.   The most common you are likely to see as a screen printer would be the cotton polyester blend fabric.  Here is where some testing may be required as blends may be 50/50 or any other ratio.  Typically, general purpose inks may do well for most color fabrics, but as with 100% polyester shirts some dye migration or bleeding may occur, at which point you may want to consider a blocker underbase and / or poly inks.


INKS TO USE
Test using a combination of blocker inks such as International Coatings Guardian Gray or Blocker Gray.  Your general purpose inks such as Texsource GEN inks, the Union Maxopake inks, the International Coatings 700 series inks, or the Triangle 1100 Multipurpose series inks.  For poly ink, consider Texsource Poly inks, Union Poly inks, International Coatings 7100 series inks, or Triangle 1700 Low Bleed series.

CONCLUSION
While this certainly isn't a complete listing of available materials that you might see in your screen printing shop, it is a list of the more common types you may encounter.  As always, testing is the key; get the first shirt right and approved before you begin your batch.  Taking shortcuts in the screen printing process can lead to lost customers and lost profits.  Experimentation can often lead to creative and valuable results, and this guide should serve as a great base from which to start your screen printing journey.  If you are looking for where to find some of these great screen printing inks and more, look no further than the Ink section on the Texsource website - all the screen printing supplies you need and every product mentioned in this article can be found right there, in stock, ready to go!  #printlife

How to Make the Most of the Athleisure Trend

Posted by Mary Yaeger - 5/12/2017

Defined; Athleisure is a fashion trend in which athletic clothes are worn in settings outside of the gym - work, school, or social occasions for example. There are a couple of theories to why Athleisure has become so popular, but most people describe the style as convenient. Instead of having to change for the gym, change to go to work, change to see your friend for lunch and change again to go to that party later Friday night; now you can be in style for multiple occasions without breaking a sweat (literally).

As with anything in the fashion industry, once a style starts trending, it’s up to everybody to keep up to make sure that their brands stay relevant. Athleisure is no different. So what does this mean for the screen printing industry? It means that we have to adapt to the style with the inks and techniques that we use.

According to Vogue Magazine, there are a few “golden rules” for the Athleisure trend. These rules must be paid attention to if your business is going to keep up with this newly evolving style. The two biggest ones that are especially important to note for screen printers are this:

Number 1: It has to be Seasonal

Remember when you started working out and you went to look for workout clothes, but the only color that was available was black? Not anymore. The Athleisure trend demands that styles be seasonal. This means that the wilder the pattern, brighter the color and color blocks are the go to for this trend.

Number 2: It has to Combine Function and Fashion

Athleisure combines two must-haves that continue to dominate casual clothing - durability and comfort. With the Athleisure trend, many of the clothes we would consider strictly “gym wear” are now work approved. Materials like spandex, polyester, and blended materials like 50/50 cotton and polyester have risen to the top of the comfort charts.

Athletic Materials

As mentioned above there are a variety of athletic materials; all of which can be tricky to print on. Keith Stevens from International Coatings shared a couple of tips to help you master athletic prints:

1. Plastisol inks are usually stretchy by nature, but adding a little bit of stretch additive can greatly improve the stretchability, especially for performance and athletic fabrics, which often contain a high percentage of Lycra spandex. Adding excessive amounts of a stretch additive, however, could reduce the opacity of the ink, so it is important to add only about 1%-5%.
2. There also are new inks on the market, such as International Coatings’ 7100 Performance Pro, which have been specifically formulated for these next-generation performance fabrics. These inks have great stretchability and allow for lower curing temperatures (275°F). The ability to cure at lower temperatures helps to control any potential dye migration issues.

Athletic Inks

Today's athletic inks far out shine the original “athletic” inks that were dull and difficult to work with. With as many materials there are to print on, there are just as many types of inks to choose from. For example:

• High opacity ink. These inks provide good bleed resistance and brilliant colors when printed in a lower mesh range, and used over a low-bleed white. These inks are made to increase the overall opacity and contain a high pigment load over general inks.
• Low-bleed plastisols. These inks are press-ready plastisol meant for printing on polyester and poly/cotton blends. These inks stand out on dark garments.
• Low-cure additives. Low Cure Additives effectively lower curing temperatures of most plastisol inks to less than 300° F (149° C). You can use this additive when printing heat-sensitive materials such as 100% polyester or non-woven polypropylene bags. It is ideal for printing athletic and synthetic fabrics that are prone to dye migration.
• Silicone inks. These inks print well on light and dark cotton, cotton/polyester blends, and 100% polyester. Unlike other types of inks, silicone inks can be ironed without re-melting the ink film. They create a very nice, supple print with the ability to stretch and regain its original shape.      

The truth is that there is no perfect ink for all athletic prints, but it is important to have a good understanding of the inks you have at your disposal when printing on athletic materials. It is also important to understand how the inks vary in printability, flashing characteristics, and opacity to name a few.

Some of these materials and material colors may require you to print an underbase for your athletic graphics. When printing vibrant colors on black or dark garments it is often necessary to print a white underbase first. This is due to the fact that many plastisol inks do not have the opacity to cover well on dark garments. White is printed first to provide a base for the colored ink to rest on. The under base is flash cured before the remaining colors are printed.

It is kind of like using a primer before adding the new color to your kitchen walls. The primer seals the surface which makes it nicer to paint on. Just as important as the ink itself, you also have to select the right screen. Selecting the right mesh for your screen can be just as tricky, but this article should help clear the air.

Choosing the right Artwork

When printing, remember to make your graphics as printer friendly as possible. This goes for all of your prints, not just athletic! And in addition to ink characteristics, you also need to be aware of the fabric type, required cure temperature, and (as always) your clients’ expectations.

In many cases, you will find athletic prints with excessive ink thicknesses on the garment. This is typically the result of overcompensation in fear of the dreaded dye migration.

When printing athletic graphics (as with any of your screen printing projects), the ultimate goal is to consistently reproduce a quality print.

Now that you know a little more about athletic materials and athletic inks, we hope that you are ready and motivated to get out there and tackle this exciting active wear trend!