What is water-based ink?
Water-based ink carries its pigment in water rather than PVC, so it soaks into cotton fibre instead of sitting on top. The print is soft, breathable and almost invisible to the touch. It is less opaque than plastisol, so it suits light garments best.
Why it matters
It is the finish premium fashion tees ask for by name — a print you cannot feel. On dark garments it needs discharge or an underbase to show.
On our floor
Our recommendation for premium blanks in white, natural and pastels. Priced as standard screen print.
Common questions
- Is water-based ink durable?
- Yes — cured correctly it lasts as long as plastisol, with a softer, slightly more vintage look as it washes.
- Does it work on dark garments?
- Poorly on its own. Discharge ink — which removes the garment dye — gives a soft finish on dark cotton.
- Does it work on polyester?
- No. It needs cotton fibre to sink into.
- Is it more expensive?
- Priced the same as standard screen print on our rate sheet.
Related terms
plastisol ink
Plastisol is the standard screen-printing ink: a PVC-based ink that sits on the fabric surface and cures under heat into a durable, opaque…
discharge printing
Discharge printing uses an ink that bleaches the garment's own dye out of the fabric where the design sits, then replaces it with pigment.…
screen printing
Screen printing pushes ink through a fine mesh screen stencilled with your artwork, one screen and one pass per colour. Setup is per…
ring-spun cotton
Ring-spun cotton is yarn made by continuously twisting and thinning the cotton fibres into a fine, strong, smooth thread. Compared with…
Where this applies
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