I get emails and discuss this all day every day(forums/blogs) and wanted to see what everyone here says. Why does everyone want that NO HAND to their prints?
Also I wanted to clarify as I see posts all the time yet they never mention Plasticols.
Plasticol Inks can yield a Soft to no hand print like waterbased and discharge inks. There are some limitations usually when it comes to dark prints yet you get this with waterbased inks as well.
With the right inks, modifications, equipment and screens a plasticol print can feel as soft as a baby's rear.
I understand the soft hand is hitting the market pretty big time yet normal plasticols as well as specialty ink prints are still huge and don't seem to be fading away. Many shirts I see int he Malls are regular plasticols just modified with reducers or some sort of fashion soft base.
How can a printer offer a large white print on a black or navy T without it having some sort of hand to the print? - Anyone..... Anyone.... Bueller?
Please be descriptive in your response so as to help others when reading this thread.
Why does everyone want that NO HAND to their prints?
I don't think it's everyone, but I think those who want it associate it with high fashion t-shirt brands that they want to emulate.
They usually think that the heavy ink that they normally associate with screen printing can't also do the lighter coverage or no hand that they see happening in stores.
I like the soft hand because it seems to wear better in hot climates. A heavy ink print in the sun just adds to the sweat factor, whereas a lighter coverage or a water based ink print breathes better.
I think the look of a soft feel print makes it seem "classier" than the bumpier heavier coverage prints you might see on most t-shirt designs.
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How can a printer offer a large white print on a black or navy T without it having some sort of hand to the print? - Anyone..... Anyone.... Bueller?
I have this t-shirt from oddica (white ink on navy american apparel) and there is zero feel on the shirt. They say it's done with water based inks, but I've read here that water based inks don't do well on dark garments.
I also have this thermal from oddica and it has zero hand (also said to be printed with water based inks).
It feels like wearing shirts like that because they aren't as heavy, and if you pull the printed garment, you can see the threads breathe (if that makes sense).
I don't know if this helps any, but I've also found it interesting how the demand for "soft feel" designs has grown.
It's not everywhere (I still like a nice puff ink, high density, suede now and then), but the people that want it seem pretty adamant about it
Why does everyone want that NO HAND to their prints?
Because it breathes better, wears better, is lighter, and feels nicer against the skin.
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Originally Posted by Fluid
How can a printer offer a large white print on a black or navy T without it having some sort of hand to the print? - Anyone..... Anyone.... Bueller?
News to no-one is that you pretty much can't (to my knowledge anyway). Discharge is a good option, but won't necessarily give you the brilliant smooth white you're after.
I'll agree, you can get a nice soft feel with plastisols. However, I no matter how much I play with reducers, chino, etc, I can't COMPLETELY mimic the feel of WB inks. But it's a little nicer to work with, especially if your phone rings a lot and you're the only one around to answer.
As far as lights on darks, WB will still have a hand. The shirt you show Rodney doesn't have a lot of ink coverage, that could be why it seems to have a slight feel.
And Discharge is the best way to achieve a very soft feel on darks. We're actually going to start experimenting with discharge under bases and reduced plastisol on top. I think a lot of prints in department stores on darks are printed this way.
Honestly, I think there are a lot of misconceptions about water based inks too. I get requests everyday for water based inks. And they're always prefaced with the question "Are these safe for the environment?" For some reason, the general populous thinks that just because it's water soluble, it's completely safe. Maybe it's a bit better than plastisols, but it's still printing! And printing is going to have SOME impact on the environment no matter what.
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I don't think it's everyone, but I think those who want it associate it with high fashion t-shirt brands that they want to emulate.
My main issue is 75% of the requests are coming form the guys and gals with saying prints. One liner text deals where that "soft hand" I do not see being an issue at all. Especially when the print is 12x4 maybe 6. Not a lot of ink deposit.
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We're actually going to start experimenting with discharge under bases and reduced plastisol on top. I think a lot of prints in department stores on darks are printed this way.
We are doing this. Just printed a 8 color on darks with discharge white pigment added as the underbase. Not bad at all.
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Honestly, I think there are a lot of misconceptions about water based inks too. I get requests everyday for water based inks. And they're always prefaced with the question "Are these safe for the environment?" For some reason, the general populous thinks that just because it's water soluble, it's completely safe. Maybe it's a bit better than plastisols, but it's still printing! And printing is going to have SOME impact on the environment no matter what.
Agree 100%
The actual ink may be better yet the whole process and chemicals needed to complete the process still harm the environment as plasticol ink printing. Thus the ones using waterbased inks cannot really state they are environmentally friendly unless their chemicals are truly environmentally friendly
The actual ink may be better yet the whole process and chemicals needed to complete the process still harm the environment as plasticol ink printing. Thus the ones using waterbased inks cannot really state they are environmentally friendly unless their chemicals are truly environmentally friendly
I'm not even so sure that the inks are environmentally friendly. Better than plastisols? Yeah, probably. But 'environmentally friendly' or 'safe for the environment' isn't accurate, I don't think. The only way to make an ink that was completely environmentally friendly would be to make it from water and organic substances. And by organic I mean coming from once living materials. ( Not free range, fair trade, tree hugging products. )
As far as I know, there is no commercially available ink that is completely safe for the environment. I know that there is a company printing with vegetable based inks, but they don't sell them.
Enough babbling, I need to go print something.
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My main issue is 75% of the requests are coming form the guys and gals with saying prints. One liner text deals where that "soft hand" I do not see being an issue at all.
I agree w/Rodney as to reasons why a lot of folks are asking for it.
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it breathes better, wears better, is lighter, and feels nicer against the skin.
- short and simple Lewis.
But now I also know that softhand plastisol, done right, can give great results. (Richard turned me into a believer I'm wearing one of ur shirts right now and it feels great)
I'd highly recommend those seeking "no hand/water based ONLY" guys to at least try soft hand plastisol. I have a feeling that many who ask about the nohand feel are just entering the market and don't know a lot about industry or screenprinting craft. We just see the whole thing done as black and white only - black is traditional plastisol printing, heavy feel, rubbery texture, looks cheap etc; white is the soft to no hand printing, must be expensive, high end, fashionable, latest trend and hot etc. So we don't know that theres is also that grey area that consists of several different methods of printing and that it can yield some great results.
Soft hand plasstisol is not waterbased or discharge, but honestly that's what's great about it. If you think about it - you have one additional method/texture to work with and I think it's great because it only opens up more possibilities to add to your existing line of products. I know that from now on I'll be creating designs specifically for this type of print.
My main issue is 75% of the requests are coming form the guys and gals with saying prints. One liner text deals where that "soft hand" I do not see being an issue at all. Especially when the print is 12x4 maybe 6. Not a lot of ink deposit.
Yeah, that doesn't make too much sense to me. I wouldn't worry too much about a saying print being too heavy.
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Originally Posted by Annushka
I have a feeling that many who ask about the nohand feel are just entering the market and don't know a lot about industry or screenprinting craft. We just see the whole thing done as black and white only - black is traditional plastisol printing, heavy feel, rubbery texture, looks cheap etc; white is the soft to no hand printing, must be expensive, high end, fashionable, latest trend and hot etc. So we don't know that theres is also that grey area that consists of several different methods of printing and that it can yield some great results.
I really want that soft hand, please help me get it!
Hi everyone. I'm new to this industry as I have just recently begun my own t-shirt business.
I'm looking for this "soft hand / no hand" print on my shirts, but my print supplier only gets it right on white shirts with water based inks. I want to be able to print my designs on a Navy blue shirt with white ink with a soft hand / no hand feel to it, but it just isn't happening.
I'm from a small country and don't have many choices for a print supplier, so what do you suggest I should do? What printing method / ink type / other variables I don't know of should I recommend / demand from my supplier?
ronny, if you are working with 100% cotton, than for dark shirts you might look into discharge printing. if your shirts have other sintetic fibers in them like poliester or nylon, than i think you might need sublimation printing.
there is a lot of info on both of these methods in the forum. use the search feature with keywords "discharge" and "sublimation".
if you have trouble with the search feature, let us know
Thanks Annushka, my shirts are 100% cotton, so I will look for information on discharge printing.
I appreciate the help!
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Originally Posted by Annushka
ronny, if you are working with 100% cotton, than for dark shirts you might look into discharge printing. if your shirts have other sintetic fibers in them like poliester or nylon, than i think you might need sublimation printing.
there is a lot of info on both of these methods in the forum. use the search feature with keywords "discharge" and "sublimation".
if you have trouble with the search feature, let us know
This is a discussion about Why does everyone want the "soft feel"/ hand? that was posted in the General T-Shirt Selling Discussion section of the forums.
Why does everyone want the "soft feel"/ hand? 
I really want that soft hand, please help me get it! 
