I'm trying to leaarn as I go but as winter approaches here in Chicago, I'm wondering if anyone knows the best way to screen print on thermal long sleeve tees. What's the best ink Plastisol, water-based? I need as much brain juice as anyone can spare!
For plastisol inks I would recommend not trying to print dark thermals. The white plastisol will not give a nice soft print. If you go wikth a light color or white you can use a Wilflex base such as Nova Base or Fasion Soft Base. They will give a soft print that will sink into the garment and will get into the texture. If you want a dark tone on tone effect, you can reduce your white with Nova base and print. It will give a lighter tone on tone effect.
You can pigment Fashion Soft Base and Nova Base with finished inks. I have attached the tech sheets.
Erin is right on target in recommending a high saturation base for textured garments like thermals and ribbed weaves.
It allows for even ink penetration so that the ink layer doesn't tend to "pool" in the low areas and "skim" the high points of the weave pattern.
Alongside Wilflex, Rutland also makes an excellent base called "Chino" (MA-0250) as an additive for finished inks orfor the addition of color boosters if desired:
It also imparts a surface smoothness meant to somewhat mimic some of the characteristics of waterbased inks, and is also good for "tone-on-tone" effects.
They also make a specialized base that was originally part of their "carpet soft" series that is superior for acheiving the highest degree of even saturation called "Primer Clear" (MS-0000):
The transfer would likely crack when stretched too far. Depends on the size of the print and the artwork. An Athletic plastisol with stretch additive would be my first choice, if nylon or cotton, but if it's mostly polyester it may have a bleeding problem if cured higher than 330 degrees. ( black, navy and maroon are the worst polyster bleeders) You would need low bleed inks which will bleed anyway if too much stretch additive is added to the light color inks...no problem in darker colored inks.
Ok so lets just say plastisol isnt a great candidate for dark garment would dicharge or water base be a good idea?
Because Ive seen lots of clothing companies with dark long sleeve thermals
remember my heat transfer question would that work for regualr dark tees because no matter how much I try white just doesnt look nice on black I use "white phoenix triangle ink".
One of those companies printing on dark thermals is here in Phoenix, AZ,
catering to the sand-rail race circuit with lots of images of white skulls, etc.
on black thermal, textured goods (dust masks, too).
Be aware that although the Triangle Phoenix White is a good formula,
the puff additive present in it will somewhat increase the tendency to not be the most flexible and potentially crack.
Not to give away our customers techniques, let's say that Bry is correct in suggesting use of an "combined" plastisol ink forumula;
which could also be a 40/60 mix of a poly white and premixed stretch white.
Once those addtional "tools" are available to your kit, it's just a matter of testing to get satisfactory results.
if your prinitng on light color thermals use waterbase ink if printing on dark color thermals use discharge ink just make sure the thermals are dischargable. Stay away from plasitol by all means it is to chunky for the matieral and most likely will crack very easily
Brite Discharge Base with WB White (301M) did not meet this clients criteria on aftermarket durability and washfastness.
As well, the WB stretch additive didn't impart enough stretch into the white needed to cover the natural cotton fiber color after dye discharge.
Print technique with modified Plastisol ended up being their choice.
Brite Discharge Base with WB White (301M) did not meet this clients criteria on aftermarket durability and washfastness.
As well, the WB stretch additive didn't impart enough stretch into the white needed to cover the natural cotton fiber color after dye discharge.
Print technique with modified Plastisol ended up being their choice.
.....sorry for the misdirection.
Happy trails!
Actually I was talking about that type of thermal except it doesnt have fleece lining, so I would say that you were on the money with your assumption....
My dilemma is If I discharge it, would the waffle texture of the material get in the way of the waterbase ink lining up with the first dishcharge?
As long as the shirt is 100% cotton and the dyes are dischargable you should have good results. I would test with one shirt to see if it will be up to your standards.
Attached is pdf of Wilflex Oasis Plascharge, Wilflex Oasis Discharge Base, and Wilflex Oasis Activator.
printing on thermal long sleeve tees 
Joshua Perez
