I have a picture from a customer that shows the ink coming off the hoodie and she also states she has a couple t-shirts doing it also. I delivered the big order last Wednesday. They say it has not even been washed yet. What am I doing wrong? This order was over 450 pieces.
Sounds like they have been under cured. There is a difference between the ink being 'dry' and it being properly cured.
I would get the order back and re pass the garments through the drier before the customer starts washing them. Any that have been washed you will need to reprint.
Plastisol needs to reach 300 - 330f, depending on the brand, to cure properly. Is your drier thermostat working accurately? Go and get a laser thermometer to check.
Always take a random sample from a large batch and take it home for a wash test before you release the garments.
Ink coming off shirts is a sure sign that the ink is under-cured. What type of dryer do you have? How long were they cured? and what temp do you run the dryer at?
Most plastisol needs to reach over 300 degrees internal temp. This means all layers of the ink need to reach this temp, not just the top layer.
There are low cure additives that can be put into the ink to force the ink to cure at a lower temperature.
It all depends on how its printed and properly dried or not. Better you get your order returned and dry it again properly and test it properly before you deliver the garments in bulk. There is a low cure additives available so that the ink can be forced to cure it at low temperature. Additional to that it also depends on the printing methods so work on it properly and you will get your best out of it.
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