Screen Printing Info One: Type of Dyes

Plastisol – the most common plastisol based print used in garment decoration. Good colour opacity onto dark garments, clear graphic detail, with as the name suggests, a more plasticized texture. This print can be made softer with special additives or heavier by adding extra layers of ink.

Water Based inks – these penetrate the fabric more than the plastisol inks and create a much softer feel. Ideal for printing darker inks onto lighter coloured garments. Also useful for larger area prints where texture is important.

Discharge inks – used to print lighter colours onto dark background fabrics, they work by removing the dye in the garment – this means they leave a much softer texture. They are less graphic in nature than plastisol inks, and exact colours are difficult to control, but especially good for distressed and vintage prints.

Foil - is what you would imagine. A glue is printed onto the fabric and then foils applied for a mirror finish. Due to the gold or silver foil used, minimum quantity of 100 applies.

Glitter/Shimmer – silver flakes are suspended in a plastisol ink to create this sparkle effect. Usually available in gold or silver but can be mixed to make most colours.

Metallic – similar to glitter, but smaller particles suspended in the ink. 

Expanding ink (puff) – an additive to plastisol inks which raises the print off the garment, creating a 3D feel.

Caviar beads – again a glue is printed in the shape of the design, to which small plastic beads are then applied – works well with solid block areas creating an interesting tactile surface. Minimum quantity of 100 applies.

Four colour process – artwork is created using dots (CMYK) which combine to create the full spectrum of colours needed for photographic prints – this means an infinite number of colours can be printed using only 4 screens, making the set-up costs viable. The inks are required to blend and are more translucent, meaning a compromise with vibrancy of colour.

Gloss - a clear base laid over plastisol inks to create a shiny finish.

Nylobond – a special ink additive for printing onto technical or waterproof fabrics.

Mirrored Silver – Another solvent based ink but you can almost see your face in it.