# Printing Retail Quality



## printtheplanet (Feb 5, 2010)

Does anybody know how major brands in retail stores have such soft, velvet to the touch, matte prints even on dark garments?

Is it higher screen mesh?
Reducing ink very thin?
Special ink brand?
Special ink Additives?

Any help out there?


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

There are a variety of ways to accomplish that.

If Plastisol, one of our previous members used opaque ink (One Stroke) with 180 mesh, and print/flash/print. No underbase, as this opaque ink underbases itself. There are probably others who use some combination of the things you list ... but Plastisol isn't my cup of tea, so perhaps others can comment.

I print opaque water based on darks using 200 mesh and P/F/P. If it is water based, you will be able to see the ridges and valleys of the knit, as WB sinks into the fabric and conforms to its surface texture. Whereas Plastisol will obscure the knit and fill in the valleys.

Of course, regular WB ink on light colors has essentially no handfeel.

Discharge WB on darks also has no handfeel.


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## printtheplanet (Feb 5, 2010)

NoXid said:


> There are a variety of ways to accomplish that.
> 
> If Plastisol, one of our previous members used opaque ink (One Stroke) with 180 mesh, and print/flash/print. No underbase, as this opaque ink underbases itself. There are probably others who use some combination of the things you list ... but Plastisol isn't my cup of tea, so perhaps others can comment.
> 
> ...


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## printtheplanet (Feb 5, 2010)

printtheplanet said:


> Thanks for the info!
> It is definitely plastisol ink for this particular surf brand series I have seen in stores. The print feels really soft and has a slight smooth-velvet texture.
> I have tried adding suede puff base to create a matte print but still can't recreate those really nice retail prints.
> If I reduce my ink I find that after I flash/print the image has a shiny sheen to the print.
> ...


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## Xilliw (Jun 19, 2021)

printtheplanet said:


> Does anybody know how major brands in retail stores have such soft, velvet to the touch, matte prints even on dark garments?
> 
> Is it higher screen mesh?
> Reducing ink very thin?
> ...


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

printtheplanet said:


> Does anybody know how major brands in retail stores have such soft, velvet to the touch, matte prints even on dark garments?


It's like baking bread.
Anyone can do it, but each bakery has its own recipes and some bakeries have more variety than others.


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