Water-based and discharge screen printing
If you want a shirt that feels blank with a print on it, this is the method. Water-based ink soaks into cotton fiber; discharge ink removes the shirt's dye and replaces it with color. Battle Born Clothing runs both in-house. The per-piece rate is the same as plastisol; the shirt choice is what changes.
Rates
| Job | Print per piece | Screens (one-time) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 color, 1 location, light shirt | $4.34 | $20 |
| 1 color, 1 location, dark shirt (adds a flash) | $4.59 | $20 |
| 1 color front + 1 color back, light shirt | $8.68 | $40 |
| 1 color front + 1 color back, dark shirt | $9.18 | $40 |
Water-based
Best on white and light 100% cotton. The ink dyes the fiber, so the print is thin and breathable and ages with the shirt. On dark shirts it needs a discharge underbase or it disappears. Pastel and earth tones look right; neon and metallic do not exist in water-based.
Discharge
Discharge pulls the reactive dye out of a dark cotton shirt where the ink lands and leaves the ink color in its place. The result is a soft print on black, navy or maroon. It only works on 100% cotton with dischargeable dye. Blends, polyester, most heathers and some pigment-dyed shirts will not discharge. A faint ring around the print on the first wash is normal and goes away.
Shirts that work
| Shirt | Water-based (light) | Discharge (dark) |
|---|---|---|
| Port & Company PC61 | Yes | Yes on most solid darks |
| Gildan 64000 | Yes | Yes on solid darks; no on heathers |
| Next Level 3600 | Yes | Yes |
| Comfort Colors 1717 | Yes | Varies; we test |
| PC55 blend, hoodies | No | No (plastisol) |
Who orders it in Reno
Breweries, coffee roasters, bands, Midtown shops and anyone selling the shirt rather than handing it out. If the shirt is a giveaway or a crew uniform, plastisol is cheaper to get right and lasts longer in a work wash.
Questions
Is discharge more expensive?
No. Same per-piece rate and screen charge. The difference is in which shirts it works on.
Can you discharge a heather shirt?
Usually not. Heathers are blends and the polyester will not discharge. We print plastisol on heathers.