Take your creativity to the next level by trying something new with regular plastisol ink! Learn how to easily achieve a print that has both the brightness of opaque ink and the soft feel of discharge ink.
There is a discharge base on the market, called Plasticharge, that can be mixed into plastisol inks. This base transforms the ink into a discharge style of ink — or a plastisol/discharge hybrid. As a result, screen printers get results that are both vibrant in color and soft to the touch.
Using this Plasticharge additive thins the ink, so be sure to start the process with a thick ink. Opaque ink is recommended due to its higher pigment concentration, and it which looks brighter once discharged.
1. Combine your plastisol ink with the additive at a 50/50 ratio. This ratio is important because that is what makes the ink dischargeable.
2. Mix the combination thoroughly for maximum consistency.
3. Add the discharge agent to activate. Be sure and check with the ink’s manufacturer for proper amount needed.
4. For proper activation be sure to mix aggressively as the discharge agent must completely dissolve into the ink for accurate results.
5. Print on a 156-230 mesh screen to achieve a soft-hand feel. A 110 mesh is too low, as it would over-saturate the garment and be too hard to cure. A mesh higher than 230 will not allow enough ink through to penetrate the garment.
Ryan Moor is President and CEO at Ryonet Corp. Heather Ashlock is Editor. For more information or to comment on this article, email Heather at [email protected].
