[closerest]

I have a design that uses lots of dots and I would like them to be raised, or puffy, but would prefer if they were hard - almost like plastic dots on fabric. Is there a type of ink that gives that effect? Thanks for any tips.

Kim

 

[Twinge]

You might try using vinyl with heat transfer. You might also try just doing several coat of ink, but I have no idea how effective that one would be since I don't screen print.

 

[Rodney]

there is a "puff" additive that can be added to most ink colors that makes the design "raised".

The feel of it is not hard like a plastic CD case, I think it's stiff, but more rubbery.

 

[triplej]

I have a design that uses lots of dots and I would like them to be raised, or puffy, but would prefer if they were hard - almost like plastic dots on fabric. Is there a type of ink that gives that effect? Thanks for any tips.

Kim

Hi Kim Nice to meet you.

Like Rodney mentioned Puff ink is a possibility and probably the least expensive way to achieve the look you are looking for. Puff is a rubbery, plastic-based ink (plastisol), which has been modified by adding a special heat reactive foaming agent. As the garment printed with puff ink, passes through the drying oven, the foaming agent starts to expand, which creates tiny air pockets within the ink. These tiny air pockets cause the ink to expand in all directions. The final resulting ink deposit may be as much as twenty times higher than the initial printed ink deposit. The drawback to puff ink, is what makes puff ink so unique. Because the resulting print is mostly air, the durability is mediocre. Additionally, because the ink expands in all directions, fine detail and sharp edges are impossible to maintain.

Another option is called High Density. It's pretty expensive and has to be scheduled differently in my shop because of the time involved. High Density is a very thick, rubbery ink that is printed by stacking multiple layers of ink on top of one another, to “build up” the desired height / 3-D effect. What makes this ink different from puff ink, is that because the design does not puff (expand), you are able to maintain raised 3-D images with sharp edge definition. The durability is good.

 

[closerest]

Thanks for the info, that is very helpful. So when you say puffy ink durability is not good how many washings/drying do you think it can take?

 

[Rodney]

Thanks for the info, that is very helpful. So when you say puffy ink durability is not good how many washings/drying do you think it can take?

I've sold a lot of t-shirts with puff ink and I have quite a few in my collection as well.

I've washed mine 30-40 times with no problems and I haven't had one complaint about a puff shirt I've sold in over 5 years of selling them.

The puff may flatten out a bit over time (the air inside the ink gets squeezed out with years of normal wear and tear). Maybe that's what Jamie meant by not as durable?

 

[triplej]

Thanks for the info, that is very helpful. So when you say puffy ink durability is not good how many washings/drying do you think it can take?

Exactly what Rodney said I didn't meant to scare you away from puff. In fact it's what we use more often than High Density.