# Pigment versus regular printer ink



## DollyDiva (Apr 28, 2015)

I make doll size tshirts. I have been doing embroidered tshirts for years but I wanted to make a true graphic tshirt and expand into doll and girl sizes. 
I am making heat transfers with pigment ink. They are coming out really well so I am proud of my progress in switching gears. 

The doll clothes world is a small community and wow I had no idea of how NOT supportive they can be. The women are insisting they can make the same sort of thing with regular ink and so on. I actually tested the regular ink on the same press on the same shirt with the same paper and it did not come out at all. I have heard people having success with this so maybe it needs to be pressed longer? I dont know. 

Here is my question my understanding is that the regular ink is water based and will fade. So that leads me to believe it would fade onto a cloth bodied doll. I can just hear the mad women in my head who's doll tshirt faded onto their $120 doll. Am I mistaken in this thought process?

Two they tell me I can print onto vinyl using a regular printer and put it on a cotton tshirt. Everything I am reading says you need very specific ink and printer for this. I would love for this to be true but I can not find the truth in it anywhere. Ok if this is possible does it hold up to the wash or fade. (whole $120 doll problem again)

Thanks for any help


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I've had great luck with pigment on lights and darks. Pigment seems to be preferred by most people here on TSF. Let those people make their own crappy shirts if they know everything. I envy you, cuz doll clothes don't have to get washes as often as people shirts.


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## DollyDiva (Apr 28, 2015)

Printor said:


> I've had great luck with pigment on lights and darks. Pigment seems to be preferred by most people here on TSF. Let those people make their own crappy shirts if they know everything. I envy you, cuz doll clothes don't have to get washes as often as people shirts.


Yes they should not be washed so often  So that is helpful but still I have always supported and helped others in the doll community when I could. Maybe they are trying to be helpful but they are really being sort of know it all. I really can not pretend to know it all. I know very little which is why I am on here asking questions. Everything I have read anywhere makes me think using regular printer ink on a doll shirt is a bad idea.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Oh I forgot, your question about printing on vinyl, Try Jetpro 3G jet opaque transfer paper for darks with your printer your running pigment through, it should work great.


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## DollyDiva (Apr 28, 2015)

Printor said:


> Oh I forgot, your question about printing on vinyl, Try Jetpro 3G jet opaque transfer paper for darks with your printer your running pigment through, it should work great.


Thank you. Yes I have that and have made a few with that with good results. They seem to think you can do it without having a background on the image. But I just can not see how it would make sense at all to try to do single letters in dolls size to make that work! That would be an insane amount of work so ok I have that to its best then! LOL as I am so not sitting down and working out each little bitty letter on to a doll shirt. I do not have a cutter yet. I am holding off on that purchase to buy a larger one as not to limit myself to just doll size.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

When your ready, check out UScutter.com sometimes they have 30''ers for $300-400.


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## kokgi (Jun 3, 2008)

Yes US cutter have very good prices.Have question for PRINTOR. What kind of printer works good for to print vinyl.( not too expensive ) and from where to buy ink and paper.Is this works for to print on t shirts also?that can heat press. Please post.
thanks


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## kokgi (Jun 3, 2008)

Yes US cutter have very good prices.Have question for PRINTOR. What kind of printer works good for to print vinyl.( not too expensive ) and from where to buy ink and paper.Is this works for to print on t shirts also?that can heat press. Please post.
thanks


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## DollyDiva (Apr 28, 2015)

Printor said:


> When your ready, check out UScutter.com sometimes they have 30''ers for $300-400.


Thanks Yes I almost bought one from them last night but I am still holding off for abit. As of right now I am only making doll shirts and in that scale I do not need it right away... I think its smarter to have earned my small investment I have into the tshirt world first .


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