# White ink becomes gray after heat press



## pindlife (Sep 23, 2020)

I'm looking for some tips on how to prevent a white design print not fade to grey after heat pressing. I am using Dupont white ink on a Colorsun A4 with Epson L1800 printer. I have tried hovering, reducing the time/pressure of the heat press --- each time the white grays out. I have even tried doing a double print of white to make it stand out but after heat press, dulls out.


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

Do the garments you are printing on have a significant Polyester content? Polyester dyes turn to gas (sublimate) and migrate at temps not much over 300 F.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

I'm not familiar with the Dupont ink; For screen printing you have to use low bleed inks made for polyester. Also, some shirt companies use catatonic dyes for polyester garments which are much more bleed resistant. The two I've used are SportTek posicharge and Team 365. I did a test on a red (biggest problem color it seems) Team 365 shirt with regular plastisol (not low bleed) and I deliberately overheated it to about 400 degrees. I still have the shirt and more than a year later the print looks fine.


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## pindlife (Sep 23, 2020)

NoXid said:


> Do the garments you are printing on have a significant Polyester content? Polyester dyes turn to gas (sublimate) and migrate at temps not much over 300 F.


I'm testing out on 100% cotton gildan t-shirts and sweatshirts.


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## pindlife (Sep 23, 2020)

Ripcord said:


> I'm not familiar with the Dupont ink; For screen printing you have to use low bleed inks made for polyester. Also, some shirt companies use catatonic dyes for polyester garments which are much more bleed resistant. The two I've used are SportTek posicharge and Team 365. I did a test on a red (biggest problem color it seems) Team 365 shirt with regular plastisol (not low bleed) and I deliberately overheated it to about 400 degrees. I still have the shirt and more than a year later the print looks fine.


Would the same principal apply to DTG printing?


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

pindlife said:


> Would the same principal apply to DTG printing?


I don't do DTG but I believe the ink is similar to Plastisol. Is DTG white ink low bleed? I don't know the answer but the ink manufacturer should be able to tell you.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

Use more pretreatment.


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## pindlife (Sep 23, 2020)

Thanks for all the help. I had to do several clean heads of the printer; push several prints through before the white came out bright as can be. Thanks for all the help.


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