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How to preserve screen-printed t-shirts so they last longer

You should know that screen-printed garments last longer than digitally dyed garments (this technique is more expensive but faster). In order to increase its useful life, follow the guidelines that I describe below.

Where do you want to stamp? Cotton or polyester? Is it important that it is 100% cotton? To begin with, it cannot be printed on any fabric. The best fabric -and the most used- in printing is cotton fabric. It is a fabric that is characterized by being very absorbent and ensuring the quality of the print, especially if we do it with an intense color.

On synthetic fabrics such as polyester or nylon, the ink does not set well and gradually comes off the garment. The more mixtures of fabrics a garment has, the worse the ink will adhere to it. A correct impression cannot be guaranteed on them, so this technique is usually discarded.

Garment Preparation

Before printing the garment, it is important that you put a piece of paper under the area to be printed so that it absorbs the excess ink and does not stain the other side of the garment. If you’re just starting out, you may use more ink than necessary or use more force than necessary, so until you get the hang of it, it’s a good resource. If you’re not sure you can do it yourself, visiting printsrus.com is highly recommended.

Cleanliness and quality of the fabric

The fabric must be clean. If you are going to make a large print run, it will be easier for you to print on garments that are previously cleaned and ironed. Better perform this task before you get into trouble. If the garment is very wrinkled, it may harm you in the final result.

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The ideal would be to have a thermal iron that serves both to iron the garment and to fix the ink by means of heat.

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Although it may seem silly, stamping on the typical little balls of fabric -and unattractive- that appear on garments is a nuisance and, furthermore, it is a symptom that the quality of the fabric is inadequate or that they have come from simple rubbing and wear and tear from long-term storage in any way.

Use of water-based textile inks

Ink is one of the most important elements of screen printing. Make sure that the textile inks you are going to use are specific for textiles and water-based. The water-based ink is specifically designed to adhere to the material. These inks are: aqueous, they have good resistance to washing, the color finish is professional, they do not contain toxic ingredients or solvents and they are thermal fixation, the ink adheres by applying heat.

Within the water-based textile inks for screen printing, two are distinguished depending on the color of the background of the garment to be printed:

 lacquers. Used in printing on white and/or black backgrounds.

    Acramines. Used in printing on light backgrounds.

If you have acrylic inks at home, you can convert them into textile inks by mixing the medium with the acrylic in a 1:1 ratio. A syringe will make it easier for you to make this mixture.

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I remind you of the importance of always doing a print test before printing on garments. You can use a scrap of similar characteristics and tone.

After stamping

Always look at the labels and recommendations provided by the manufacturer. Sometimes, due to their composition, they have a specific recommendation and it is advisable to read it carefully when purchasing a product.

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Drying

As you probably don’t have a drying tunnel, let the clothes dry outside for 24-48 hours before ironing. Take special care to leave the garment stretched so that it does not fold on itself. In some studies, they perform or lighten the drying with a domestic hair dryer, this resource is only used when it is really necessary and you are in a hurry.

Ironing

Water-based inks are thermal fixation (as I have already mentioned). Proceed to the ironing before washing to fix the print and that the design does not go away. That is, it is necessary to apply heat with the iron to be able to fix the heat and that it adheres definitively. This fixation allows the fabrics to be washed without fading.

Use a domestic iron avoiding direct contact with the print. Put a silicone paper under the piece of fabric to be printed to protect the drawing. Heat the iron to a temperature of 160 degrees and iron without steam for one minute, passing the iron evenly over the entire print, taking care not to leave the iron static so that you don’t burn the garment.

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