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Discharge Ink Printing

Description:

Discharge ink is offered in both water based and plastisol varieties and works well both ways. Discharge inks work by removing the dye used to color the garment and replacing it with the pigmented ink color. These inks have gained popularity in recent years because they allow a printer to work on dark garments without the need for under basing. Important things to remember about discharge inks include:

  • Garment Selection - Discharge inks will only work on 100% cotton garments. Additionally, printers should always let their garment supplier know if they are going to be using the garments for discharge as some garments are over-dyed and may cause issues during printing.
  • Odor - Some discharge inks will put off a heavy odor and should be used only in a well-ventilated workspace.
  • Curing - Discharge inks are activated by the heat of the dryer and must be dried thoroughly in order to work properly.

As with any ink system, if you gather the proper information and do the proper testing, discharge inks can be a great addition to your print shop and may even save you time and money.

Discharge Ink Printing