Ink types?
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Yes, you screenprint with it.
It's basically an agent that you add to a plastisol or waterbased base (the latter making more sense if you want to get the full benefit) that discharges the dye in the shirt.
The effect is essentially like bleach, without the nasty side effects (in other words it removes the dye from the fabric, without eating away at the fabric itself -- although from what I understand the dye isn't technically removed... but it certainly looks that way).
If you print without added dyes (i.e. just discharge in base) then you can basically 'bleach' your print into the shirt fabric. If you add dyes, it makes for a normal print with a very soft hand.
It's particularly useful if you want to get a waterbased print on dark fabric.
It's basically an agent that you add to a plastisol or waterbased base (the latter making more sense if you want to get the full benefit) that discharges the dye in the shirt.
The effect is essentially like bleach, without the nasty side effects (in other words it removes the dye from the fabric, without eating away at the fabric itself -- although from what I understand the dye isn't technically removed... but it certainly looks that way).
If you print without added dyes (i.e. just discharge in base) then you can basically 'bleach' your print into the shirt fabric. If you add dyes, it makes for a normal print with a very soft hand.
It's particularly useful if you want to get a waterbased print on dark fabric.
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Oh so basically I can take WB ink, add the stuff to make it "discharge" or just buy it already mixed or whatever?
And then when it goes on the fabric, it takes the shirt color and replaces it with the ink color, like the shirt fabric was made that way?
And u can't feel it right?
Sent from my iPhone using TShirtForums
And then when it goes on the fabric, it takes the shirt color and replaces it with the ink color, like the shirt fabric was made that way?
And u can't feel it right?
Sent from my iPhone using TShirtForums
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12,270 Posts
Basically, yes. There are some other considerations: like your dryer needs to be good (important for curing ink anyway, but even more important for getting discharge to activate), and you should take even more OH&S precautions than usual (i.e. good ventilation is important). And it's not a dye (sorry, I should have said pigment initially - my mistake), so you might get some very slight feel to the print (maybe not, depends on the ink you use, how you print, etc.).
But... basically... yes.
But... basically... yes.
You have to use discharge base and add the activator to it shortly before beginning printing. It has about an 8 hour life but will last longer if it is kept cool.
You can add color dye to the base, but it will mix color wise with the original shirt color. Black shirts discharge to a tan color, so bright colored dyes will look more muted. I tried discharge on a medium blue shirt and it discharged to almost white. When you add dye to discharge or with plain discharge you can't feel it after it has been washed a couple of times.
Not all shirts discharge, they have to have a certain dye type that is dischargable. Many brands, such as Gildan ultra cotton, etc. probably most of the major ones, are discharable.
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Shirts typically discharge to the base colour of the cotton. Often with darker shirts that will mean a tan-like colour - that's unbleached cotton. Whereas lighter coloured shirts are dyed on bleached cotton (i.e. white shirts) to get the right colour.
The other problem with discharging black shirts is that it's not uncommon for manufacturers to re-dye overruns black. Got a green shirt that just isn't moving? Dye it black and sell it. Most of the time it would be impossible for anyone to know, but if you discharge print it sometimes it will create strange results (strange colours that is... other than that there are no side effects).
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