One of the least discussed aspects of clothing customization concerns ink types. The entire digital printing industry seems to be moving toward the use of water-based inks. Let's take a closer look at what they are and their advantages.
What Are Water-Based Inks?
First of all, it's important to highlight an important point: there is no strict or universal definition of water-based ink . This terminology is commonly used to refer to all those inks that use water as the main component of the solvent in which the pigments are dissolved .
From here, we can then deduce what are the three main elements that make up these inks:
- The colored pigment
- Water as the main component of the solvent
- The solvent in which the colored pigment is dissolved
The fact that the solvent is water-based and not based on chemical materials like PVC or other plastic resins has important consequences. Unlike other types of inks, water-based inks don't stop at the surface of the garment, but can penetrate deeper into the fibers.
Once the water has evaporated, the colored pigment will remain fixed to the fibers of the fabric.
Solid Materials in Water-Based Inks
Solids are an important component of inks used for printing on fabrics and other substrates. They represent the amount of material in the ink that is non-volatile and therefore remains on the printed substrate after the water has evaporated.
They are generally composed of pigments, resins, additives and other elements that give the ink specific characteristics , such as water resistance, durability and the ability to fix to the fabric.
As a general rule, we can say that inks with high percentages of solids have two important consequences:
- Greater durability of the print over time
- Greater color emphasis
When referring to water-based inks, it should be noted that the percentage of solids they contain can vary, and even significantly, from ink to ink . It is commonly, and erroneously, believed that water-based inks have lower percentages of solids than inks based on chemical solvents. In reality, depending on the type and quality of water-based ink used , percentages can range from 10% to over 50%.
Types of Inks and Printing Techniques
You're not always completely free to choose which type of ink to use. This is because the printing technique itself often dictates the use of a specific type of ink , whether water-based or solvent-based, such as Plastisol.
For example, if you choose to customize a T-shirt via DTG or DTF printing , you're heavily dependent on the printer's specifications. And the ink used will almost certainly be water-based.
Screen printing, on the other hand, can provide greater freedom of action and contemplate the use of both water-based and chemical solvent-based inks.
Advantages of Water-Based Inks
There are a whole series of reasons why the entire digital printing industry is increasingly tending to prefer the use of this particular type of inks.
- Non-toxicity. This is an important consequence of the water-based solvent used. Compared to other types of inks that rely more heavily on chemicals, they have a reduced environmental impact but also a reduced risk of poisoning for those who handle them on a daily basis.
- Greater workplace safety . These inks, in addition to their extremely low toxicity, also have low volatility: this means that the risk of fire is practically zero.
- Print durability . The fact that the solvent used is water allows the ink to penetrate the fabric fibers better, unlike, for example, Plastisol.
- Better feel . Unlike inks like Plastisol, which form what feels like a plastic film, water-based inks offer a much more natural feel.
Sustainability of Water-Based Inks
Among all the advantages that can be considered, the reduced environmental impact of these inks stands out so much that it deserves an entire paragraph of its own.
Water-based inks are constantly touted as environmentally friendly , but in what sense? How does the water used as a solvent base minimize the ink's environmental impact?
To understand this, we need to consider so-called Volatile Organic Compounds (also known by their English acronym VOCs). VOCs are carbon-based substances (which can also be hazardous to health) that evaporate during the printing process, dispersing into the atmosphere . This is the group of substances that in the past contributed to the formation and widening of the infamous hole in the ozone layer.
VOCs are abundant in chemicals. Consequently , water, and inks that use it as a solvent base, virtually completely minimize the dispersion of these substances into the atmosphere , thus reducing the impact on the environment and human health.
It's no coincidence that the use of water-based inks to personalize clothing fits perfectly with the corporate policies of companies like Stanley Stella, which has made environmental awareness a cornerstone of its brand identity.
Are there any disadvantages?
As with all things, there are both positive and negative aspects. When it comes to water-based inks, two significant disadvantages cannot be ignored:
- The higher cost , compared to other resin or plastic-based solutions
- Greater difficulty in making colors stand out on dark garments . This disadvantage arises from the very way in which water-based inks bind to the fabric. Obviously, this does not mean that printing techniques that use these inks, such as DTG or DTF printing , are unable to provide quality printing on dark fabrics.
There are two general approaches to printing with water-based inks on dark garments. One is to use white as a "base" for the remaining colors . Another is to use so-called "discharge" inks , which "whiten" the fabric fibers so that the colored pigment can truly shine through.
