[ShirtPrinter87]

What do you consider to be the best screen printing ink overall? Have been using same company for years now and ok with them but wondering your opinions on the best out there in terms of type or brand or both.. thanks

 

[aldenski]

I once did an article for a magazine where we took a job and sent it to 4 different shops around the country. When they came back, each shop had used a different ink, some used different meshes, etc. Point is, find what works best for you. Asking isn't out of line, but testing is the rule. Look how many white inks there are! Union, Rutland, Wilflex all make fine inks. I don't keep just one brand in my shop though. I like Union Maxopaques through fine meshes, we have Rutland's M3 mixing system, and Wilflex puff and special effects inks. I have other brands too but the point is, we tested them on our mesh, on our press, on our shirts and chose what we liked best. Many ink manufacturers will send you samples to try to take advantage of it and find your best stuff.

 

[zoiko]

I once did an article for a magazine where we took a job and sent it to 4 different shops around the country. When they came back, each shop had used a different ink, some used different meshes, etc. Point is, find what works best for you. Asking isn't out of line, but testing is the rule. Look how many white inks there are! Union, Rutland, Wilflex all make fine inks. I don't keep just one brand in my shop though. I like Union Maxopaques through fine meshes, we have Rutland's M3 mixing system, and Wilflex puff and special effects inks. I have other brands too but the point is, we tested them on our mesh, on our press, on our shirts and chose what we liked best. Many ink manufacturers will send you samples to try to take advantage of it and find your best stuff.

Well said...

 

[JakPrintsAPInks]

i agree with what aldenski said. i personally looked at at multiple written literature about inks and ink systems decided what i would like to test. at our shop which i have complete control of the ink room i can tell you inks are always coming and going. i'm always testing and finding inks that work better for what we do here. here were using pigments and bases and i'm able to use modifiers and reducers. r&d is were it is.

 

[Massimo]

The best textile priniting ink range has:
*** two white, one soft and smooth, the other very opaque and bright, you can keep seprately or mixing both together as you prefer
*** phtahaletes free, as the phataletes are harmfull for the printers too (or mainly)
*** all the colours for wet on wet printing too too
*** all the colours and the white very opaque and MATT finish, not glossy
*** soft feel with water based look alike
*** pantone matching with 12 colours, no need too many colours, not colour matcning with fluorescent colours as the are not stable and too tricky to mix

The best plastisol inks are in Italy, studied for fashion printers, according to any international norms and very very good.

 

[kriscad]

Wilflex
Union
One Stroke

 

[CNClark]

I have been mainly all Wilflex with a a few Maxo Union inks. I am getting ready to order some QCM inks and see how they print...their discharge white looks like a game changer.

You need to test, test, test, and find what suits you and your crew.

 

[S.BLACK1]

I have to agree with what has already been said. The real deal is that there are many inks out there and many screen printers continue to have preference for certain brands with certain jobs. We have a great turn around with our Rutland, Union, Triangle, our private label and International Coatings Inks so it's hard to say if there is a favorite out there.

 

[Dwaynec]

look at brands that have been around for years like union ,international coatings,and rutland