How to Start Water-Based Printing

Water-based ink is becoming more and more popular. With more shops turning to greener methods, printing with water-based ink can be nicer on the environment and your health. Many printers believe that water-based printing is more challenging than printing with plastisol. If you step into it the right way, water-based printing can actually be easier and save you time and money. 

Photo by Symmetree

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

Before plastisol ink came along, there was only old-school water-based ink for printing on fabric. It dried fast. It was thin and not opaque. Frankly, it was a pain to print with. When plastisol came around, it solved all of those problems. But plastisol ink is essentially liquid plastic, and never quite could achieve that soft hand feel that water-based ink can.

Since the plastisol revolution, newer forms of water-based inks, aka HSA (High Solids Acrylic) ink, have caught up with the user-friendly nature of plastisol inks. These new water-based inks are more opaque but still soft, last longer in the screen, and are printable on a much wider variety of garments than the traditional water-based printing allowed. HSA ink gives the shirt more of a plastisol look, helps hold its boldness longer, and still feels nice and soft.

RELATED: IS WATER-BASED PRINTING RIGHT FOR YOU?

Still nervous? Here’s how to start water based printing without drowning.

START WITH THE SIMPLE STUFF

A good way to start water-based printing is to print water-based ink only on your light colored garments, using darker ink colors.

Stepping into water-based printing this way is fairly easy. Since water-based ink is thinner than plastisol, it’s recommended to use a higher screen mesh and print wet on wet instead of flashing in-between. Since the ink is thinner, it penetrates the garment more than plastisol does and doesn’t pick up as much on the back of the screen. 

To print a one-color water based print, you’ll need HSA water-based ink like Green Galaxy, a water-resistant emulsion, screens with a mesh count between 150 and 230, and a forced air flash dryer or forced air conveyor dryer. If you don’t have a forced air flash or conveyor, pick up some Warp Drive. It’ll chemically cure your prints over time without the need for a dryer.

Once you’ve got the materials, you just need to get printing. Here are some tips and considerations to get the most out of your water-based prints. 

BEST PRACTICES FOR PRINTING WITH WATER-BASED INK

Trying something new always takes a little bit of guesswork. There’s always something to watch out for, and tips to help you along the way. 

SCREEN BREAKDOWN

One aspect of water-based printing that often worries screen printers is the quick breakdown of screens. This isn’t necessarily confined to water-based printing. Every time your squeegee runs across the screen, it wears your emulsion down a tiny bit. Water-based ink does break down emulsion faster than plastisol ink, but the rate at which it breaks down depends on how well your screen was created. 

Prepping your screen correctly is vital to the success of your stencil. Make sure you’re using the correct mesh count for your design and ink type. For water-based printing, use a higher mesh count, in the 150-230 range. Use a degreaser to ensure that your screen is as clean as possible before coating. 

To print a one-color water based print, you’ll need HSA water-based ink like Green Galaxy, a water-resistant emulsion, screens with a mesh count between 150 and 230, and a forced air flash dryer or forced air conveyor dryer. If you don’t have a forced air flash or conveyor, pick up some Warp Drive. It’ll chemically cure your prints over time without the need for a dryer.

Once you’ve got the materials, you just need to get printing. Here are some tips and considerations to get the most out of your water-based prints. 

Using proper coating techniques will guarantee the best screen possible. 

When coating your screen, make sure you use a water-resistant emulsion, like Baselayr Long Lasting or Baselayr Complete. Give the screen a lighter coat: for water-based ink, a 1x1 or 2x1 coat is best. The screens will hold up well in long print jobs as long as the emulsion is exposed properly. 

RELATED: A GUIDE TO GETTING THE MOST OUT OF BASELAYR LONG LASTING EMULSION

INK DRYING IN THE SCREEN

Water-based ink dries out quicker than plastisol ink. After all, plastisol ink doesn’t dry at all. You may think that you can’t do a long print run with water-based ink. There’s a few tricks to making your ink last longer. 

Since water-based ink contains water, it evaporates in the air, drying out the ink. To minimize this, increase the humidity in your print room. If you live in a humid area, open a window. You can also pick up a humidifier if you live in a drier climate. Keep a spray bottle of water close by to mist the ink and keep it from drying out. 

You can take other steps to increase your water-based ink’s time clock. Always flood your screen in between prints, so the ink doesn’t dry in the print area. Keep heat from a flash dryer or conveyor dryer away from the screens as much as possible. If you need to, you can add an open time additive to the ink. Be careful with the additive, though: too much, and you’ll damage the ink. 

RELATED: PRINTING WITH PLASTISOL VS. WATER BASED INK

COLOR PURITY

Most newer water-based formulas, specifically HSA like Green Galaxy™ Water-Based ink, have a much higher pigment ratio and thicker body than water-based inks of the past. Thanks to advancements in ink technology, your water-based prints can be just as colorful as the next plastisol print. Add in the possibility of printing on top of a white base or discharge underbase, and you get the softest feeling print with the vibrancy of a rainbow.

Need to mix custom colors? No problem. With the Green Galaxy™ Fusion Mixing System, you can print any Pantone color your client asks for. 

Photo by Salt & Pine Co. 

Printing with water-based ink doesn’t have to be intimidating. With the right tools and know-how, you’ll be able to print professional-level designs without worry.