For those people who love t-shirts and can’t help but wonder how all the different prints and designs are made, you will love learning about the discharge printing method for t-shirts for sure. This is the kind of printing method that yields truly gorgeous results that leave people wondering where you got your shirt. Also, it is a very popular t-shirt printing method so even if you are not familiar with this printing method, chances are high that you have seen people wearing shirts that were printed using the discharge method.
What is the Discharge Printing Method?
It might sound all brand new and high tech but what you need to know is that discharge printing has been around for quite a long time. Like all other printing methods, its popularity waxes and wanes but it just so happens that these days, its popularity is on a very steep incline as it garners more fans every time someone sees the mind-blowing results.
There is no denying that the prints look good when this method is used but what truly amazes people about this printing method is that it leaves a very soft feel to the shirt. See, the inks used for discharge printing are usually waster-based so when you touch the fabric, it feels all soft and comfortable to the touch. Customers really love the soft feel that the method gives t-shirts because it gives their t-shirts an added level of comfort.
What is the Discharge Process?
You may be wondering how in the world the discharge process is accomplished and truth be told, this is one process that you might not be able to handle on your own. See, the process starts by bleaching all the color from a t-shirt or fabric in the design area. That area is then prepared so that it can be printed on once again with the use of water-based inks. What you will notice here is that the water-based inks dye the design into the fabric which is totally different to what happens when Plastisol inks are used. If you were to touch the area where the fabric and the Plastisol print starts, you can actually feel where one ends and where the other begins.
What are Some Considerations for Discharge Printing?
For those who are considering having custom shirts made using this method, there are some considerations that you need to adhere to. For instance, you will want to choose shirts that are made from 100% cotton because some fabrics that contain polyester do not react well to the process. Also, you ought to choose thin ring spun tees because the inks used penetrate the fabric better and so the process takes effect much more quickly. Pantone matching is often tricky when this process is used because the colors tend to vary depending on the original color of the shirts—this is especially obvious in purples and greens. That said, would you still want to go for shirts printed using the discharge printing method?