# Waterbased Ink on 50/50 Cotton/Poly Blend



## Haha Press (Jun 16, 2008)

What would be your advice about printing a water based ink on a 50/50 blend T-shirt? I am interested in International Coatings Gen IV, however, I still favor the feel of a blended shirts vs. a 100% cotton shirt.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Most waterbased inks are good from 100% poly to 100% cotton. 50/50's should be fine. Check the Gen IV instructions, and do wash tests.


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## staned (Feb 25, 2007)

welcome haha, unless your printing these shirts to wear yourself you might want take in to consideration what the customer wants to wear. i live in california and you can't give away anything less than 100% cotton. stan


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## studog79 (Jul 13, 2006)

Same her in Ohio. 99% want the feel of cotton.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

studog79 said:


> 99% want the feel of cotton.


I think most of the time they want the sight of 100% cotton on the label, rather than the feel of the fabric on the skin. Plenty of customers couldn't tell the difference, and in a blind test plenty more I'm sure would incorrectly identify the blend as 100% cotton (it's often softer). 50/50 blends are unfairly maligned because when people think of polyester they think of 70s clothes. Fabric technology has progressed in the last thirty years though.

Sometimes the only easy way to tell them apart (other than scientific testing) is to burn them. If you can't tell what the fabric is until you burn it, in practical terms how different is it really?

It's true that a lot of markets will demand 100% cotton and if that's what they demand that's what you'll need to give them. But it's worth knowing they're not necessarily right.


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## neato (Mar 21, 2006)

Don't forget though Lewis, 50/50s don't print nearly as well as cotton. That's why we steer our customers away from them. The colors always look dull from the dyes bleeding.


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## staned (Feb 25, 2007)

when it's 113 degrees outside i can tell the difference by the way it wicks sweat. any body that works in the heat can tell you they wear cotton because it works, not because it's trendy. a 50/50 will make you stink more too(true). stan


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## knifemaker3 (Sep 8, 2006)

staned said:


> when it's 113 degrees outside i can tell the difference by the way it wicks sweat. any body that works in the heat can tell you they wear cotton because it works, not because it's trendy. a 50/50 will make you stink more too(true). stan


 
What you are saying is very true. However, at least for me, 100% cotton fits tighter and will shrink where 50/50 just doesn't seem too. I have lots of customers ask, "How much will it shrink?" I tell them 50/50 doesn't shrink nearly as bad and they will buy based on that.

I am just starting to learn how to screen print so my experience for screening shouldn't be taken without a grain of salt. But, for transfers and vinyl, I have always had better luck selling blends because of customers wanting a shirt that won't shrink.


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

staned said:


> when it's 113 degrees outside i can tell the difference by the way it wicks sweat. any body that works in the heat can tell you they wear cotton because it works, not because it's trendy. a 50/50 will make you stink more too(true). stan


I work outside everyday in the Houston Texas heat and can tell a difference. If you compare two white shirts in the sun with humidity, cotton tees generally breath better. The 50/50s are ok because they seem thinner but cotton is cooler.

This is were performance tees kinda lose me. When I played soccer before all this wicking gear was around our uniforms were poly and they were horribly hot. I dont think I have ever recovered from those poly team shirts.

I did sample the vapor regular tee and it is wearable but is much thinner than a 6.1 oz heavyweight cotton tee.

That said, this summer I am offering 50/50 blends primarily for heat transfer vinyl and ink jet transfers. I think the shirts will pucker less with the blended fabric which has always bothered me with vinyl and 100% cotton.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

wow. i bumped an old thread for the first time.

i'm asking the original thread starter's same question to my ink distributor today and he basically said the same thing, do a print and wash test. he also said that some color might wash out which would give it a sort of grunge look, which my customer wants (i think).

i wonder how many of you have changed your minds about the poly blend shirts. my customer only wants these shirts since he is soooo 'fashion forward', i mean the guy looks like an american apparel model. you know the type: long gaunt and wears glassless glasses. HA!


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## Chewie12 (Oct 24, 2019)

Still helpful. I will be getting my first order in 2 weeks for a 50/50 shirt and planned on using black WB ink I have around. This is more of a hobby and hope for orders occasionally.


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## easyrider1340 (Jan 16, 2007)

I can’t stand 100% poly “dry fit”. ...not sure how “dry fit” became a thing. Cotton is king! 



Terry
http://www.AllegiantGraphics.com
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