You send in a design, and somewhere in the quote the shop asks, "plastisol or water-based?" It is a fair question, and the answer changes how your shirts feel, how bright they look and how long they last. Here is the plain-English version.
Plastisol: the workhorse
Plastisol is a PVC-based ink that sits on top of the fabric and only cures under heat. That is why it is the most common screen printing ink in the country. It is opaque, so bright colors pop even on black shirts, it holds fine detail, and it survives many washes. The trade-off is hand feel: you can feel the print, though a good printer keeps it thin and soft with the right mesh and a soft-hand additive.
Water-based: the soft one
Water-based ink soaks into the fibers instead of sitting on top. The result is a print you can barely feel, with a lived-in, vintage look. It works best on light, 100 percent cotton shirts. On dark garments it tends to look washed out, and it is less forgiving on screens, so it is a better fit for simple art and smaller color counts.
Discharge: soft ink for dark shirts
Discharge ink removes the dye from the shirt and replaces it with pigment, so the print becomes part of the fabric. You get a very soft feel on dark cotton, which is why it is popular with clothing brands. It only works on certain dyed cotton garments, and results can shift slightly with the shirt batch, so ask for a test before a big run.
Side by side
| Plastisol | Water-based | Discharge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel | Soft but sits on top of the fabric | Very soft, almost no feel | Very soft, part of the fabric |
| Opacity on dark shirts | Excellent, even with bright colors | Weak, best on light shirts | Good, on cotton only |
| Durability | Very durable, stretches well | Durable when cured properly | Durable, fades like the shirt |
| Best fabrics | Cotton, blends, poly, nylon | 100% cotton, light colors | 100% cotton, dark dyed shirts |
| Best for | Team, business and event orders | Soft vintage look on light tees | Retail-style soft hand on dark tees |
How to choose in 30 seconds
- Team, crew or event shirts in several colors: plastisol. It is the safe, durable pick.
- Light cotton tee with a simple, soft look: water-based.
- Dark cotton tee for a retail-style soft feel: discharge.
- Polyester or performance fabric: plastisol, or DTF if the art is full color. Water-based and discharge do not work on poly.
- Fewer than 24 pieces or photo-style art: skip screens and look at DTF or DTG instead.
What about price?
Ink type is one factor, but the bigger drivers are quantity, number of colors, garment and print locations. Screen printing is the best value at 24 pieces and up. You can read more on our screen printing page or check custom t-shirts with no minimum for smaller orders.
Questions we hear a lot
Will the print crack? Properly cured ink of any type should not crack in normal wear. Curing is the step that matters most.
Can I mix ink types on one shirt? Sometimes, but it adds steps. Tell us what look you want and we will say what is realistic.
We are a family shop in Garden Grove, CA, and we ship nationwide. You get a free digital mockup, and orders ship in 5-7 business days after mockup approval. More answers are in our FAQs.
Not sure which ink fits your shirt?
Send us your design and garment and we will recommend the right ink and print method.
Get an Instant Quote Request a Quote Call Now
