# EcoFriendly/Organic Printing



## fresh! (Nov 27, 2006)

HI,
Im really interested in going green. I have a question in regards to printing. I would really like to produce a shirt that is organic from the material to the inks used. Is water based screen printing the best for this? I currently use heat transfers but not sure how to make this work for me for organic prints as I use durabrite inks with my printer. I know plastisol is definitely out, but is there a close alternative that produces a good quality printing. I think i read somewhere you can produce 'plastisol' using water based inks??Any suggestions/ideas most welcome.


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## Greg Hamrick (Jan 25, 2007)

Not really sure about water-based ink being the safest, but it is not nearly as harsh as plastisol. I do believe that there are some eco-types of inks, just keep looking. Also, have you looked into the eco-friendly solvents, screen reclaimers and screen washes like "BeanieDo"? There are others out there, just search the products of the suppliers. Most are very easy to find.
And, good luck going green.



.


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## fresh! (Nov 27, 2006)

thanks will check these out.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

fresh! said:


> I think i read somewhere you can produce 'plastisol' using water based inks??


It sounds like you have a lot of different things confused. When used in screenprinting plastisol is an ink (PVC, generally oil based). Water based is another type of ink. One can't be made into the other.

Not sure where the inkjet inks come in. Is that just what you _were_ using and not part of the question/message? Or...?


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## fresh! (Nov 27, 2006)

Solmu said:


> It sounds like you have a lot of different things confused.


Sorry for confusing you. I know they are two different types of ink. i just basically wanted to know about printing organically.I have organic tees in different colours and at first was gonna print using heat transfers but i read somewhere about water based inks being better for the environment (although they do contain some chemicals) and that is is possible to make heat transfers using waterbased inks( i saw this somewhere on the site). I want good quality prints which plastisol is recommended but is out of the question.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

fresh! said:


> Sorry for confusing you. I know they are two different types of ink.


So what was the 'making plastisol from waterbased' about? That would be alchemy (i.e. like making gold from lead).


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## fresh! (Nov 27, 2006)

im wishing i never posted now! you come across very rude and i am just seeking some info. im new to this and still researching lots of avenues. either you can help/advise or you cant.


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## mrad (Dec 23, 2006)

Don't be sorry you posted! 
I can't be of too much help except:
There are posts regarding waterbased printing & I believe that there were discussions re: waterbased ink transfers. I'm not sure where they are, sorry, you'll have to check.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> i read somewhere about water based inks being better for the environment (although they do contain some chemicals) and that is is possible to make heat transfers using waterbased inks( i saw this somewhere on the site). I want good quality prints which plastisol is recommended but is out of the question.


I think I posted the question a while back about using water based ink for screen printed transfers, but so far there haven't been any places found that actually do that type of transfer printing. You might be able to contact "Fizz" in that thread. He's in the UK and might be able to point you to someone that can do it (he seemed to know more about it).



> im wishing i never posted now! you come across very rude and i am just seeking some info. im new to this and still researching lots of avenues. either you can help/advise or you cant.


Don't be sorry about posting. We're all here to help  I think Solmu was just trying to get clarification on what exactly you were looking for, since some of the terms seemed to be conflicting.


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## instrumental (Dec 28, 2006)

waterbased inks have an oil base in them, they are not as green as people claim, 

there are plastisol inks that have now been introduced that are pvc and pthalate free, i have yet to print with these yet


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## tdeals (Dec 13, 2006)

Hello Fresh!

I'm on a similar mission as yourself to find the most eco-friendly printing process available. It has also lead me to seeking out screenprinters with water-based inks. I love that you can't feel or smell the ink at all with printing in this manner.

If I didn't want to use organic, eco-friendly apparel, it wouldn't matter and I would print with plastisol inks. I have a shirt myself that was printed with plastisol and though it's one of my favs (Hanes 50/50 Black Tee), the ink stinks the worse out of all screenprinted shirts I own and I still smell it after 7 years. 

Keep your search going, I know I am. 

AB


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## instrumental (Dec 28, 2006)

i have been trying to work on this myself, but ive been experimenting with printing plant based dyes on t-shirts, you can use a seaweed thickener to make the dyes thicker so they are not so watery but its far from perfect but it is natural, but can onl;y be done on white or light natural shirts. if you want to read more about this type of stuff, research traditional garment and block printing from indi and asia, i have read lots about it and its real interesting, unfortunately i haven been able to focus enough time on it, i do suggest reading up on it.

and i once again want to stress that waterbased ink is not eco friendly like everyone suggests


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> and i once again want to stress that waterbased ink is not eco friendly like everyone suggests


Is that true for ALL water based ink screen printing?


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

this is a little off topic but there is some experimenting going on where you engrave/emboss the t-shirt fabrick with designs. No inks no nothing used at all. That seams ECO friendly.

...sorry for the detour.


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## instrumental (Dec 28, 2006)

i have yet to come across a waterbase ink for garment printing that does not have an oil base in it to help it bind to the shirt. i would love to be wrong



Rodney said:


> Is that true for ALL water based ink screen printing?


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## instrumental (Dec 28, 2006)

can transfer be printed using soy inks or corn oil like they do for some types of printing?


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## HeathenPeddler (Nov 30, 2006)

Is there any way to make inks for screenprinting from all-natural materials? I'm part of a permaculture group that is going to be making natural dyes but none of us know if you can make an ink that can be screened.

Obviously results would vary, it isn't going to be pantone colours for example  but I would love to be able to do this. Any ideas?


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## instrumental (Dec 28, 2006)

if you can try and find this article and read it: *Phytochromography: Screen Printing with Plants: Research into Alternative Ink Technology* 
Phil Shaw


i only have a print out but its an interesting read


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## instrumental (Dec 28, 2006)

HeathenPeddler said:


> Is there any way to make inks for screenprinting from all-natural materials? I'm part of a permaculture group that is going to be making natural dyes but none of us know if you can make an ink that can be screened.
> 
> Obviously results would vary, it isn't going to be pantone colours for example  but I would love to be able to do this. Any ideas?


 
glad to hear it! i am trying to do the same, you can print with plant inks but only on light colors. a friend has been teaching me about natural plant dyes cause she uses them for printing and painting on silk and theoretically there is no reason why you couldnt bring it over to screen printing, but it needs to be tweaked, like adding a seeweed mix to thicken up the inks so they dont run all over like water. 

i have a listing of what plants yeild what colors when boiled, i will dig it up tonite and try and post it tomorrow.

maybe we can trade some ideas


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## HeathenPeddler (Nov 30, 2006)

Growing Your Own Ink- Introduction

This looks like it's by the same guy


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

fresh! said:


> im wishing i never posted now!


No need to wish that.



fresh! said:


> you come across very rude and i am just seeking some info.


I'm trying to clarify. If we don't know what you're asking (and trying to do) we can't help you.

There are three different threads running through your original message. The one being discussed here is screenprinting inks with increased eco-friendliness - is that the information you were after? Or is there another way we could better help you?


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

AdriaticBlue said:


> I love that you can't feel or smell the ink at all with printing in this manner.


You can smell waterbased ink - it's actually one of the easiest ways to tell transparent ink from opaque ink (even for me, and I have practically no sense of smell).

Or do you mean cured on the shirt... does plastisol smell? I'd never noticed (like I said... not much of a sense of smell).


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

instrumental said:


> and i once again want to stress that waterbased ink is not eco friendly like everyone suggests


Not "everyone suggests" waterbased ink is eco friendly. I think it puts a horrible burden on the environment. It's just better than using plastisol in that regard (which I think is what most people are actually suggesting). Better does not necessarily equal good.

Clothing is just bad for the environment. Cotton (organic or not) uses a lot of water. Screenprinting uses a lot of water. There is no eco friendly process, so it's just a matter of finding one that is better than another.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

T-BOT said:


> this is a little off topic but there is some experimenting going on where you engrave/emboss the t-shirt fabrick with designs. No inks no nothing used at all. That seams ECO friendly.


You mean devore? I don't know much about what's used to do it, but it's essentially an acid. I doubt the fumes are pleasant. Hmm, that wouldn't really work on t-shirts though so it sounds like this might be a new process.


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## HeathenPeddler (Nov 30, 2006)

I'm helping out at a local permaculture site and they are interested in producing natural dyes and inks. So it looks like by the end of the growing season this year I'll have had quite a few experiments done. As I get the results through I'll let you know what happens


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## instrumental (Dec 28, 2006)

here is a listing of what plants can produse what natural color. i will be beginning my own experiments with this in a few weeks when the weather is slightly warmer. let me know how things turn out with you


Crafts - Making Natural Dyes From Plants - Pioneer Thinking


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

instrumental said:


> here is a listing of what plants can produse what natural color. i will be beginning my own experiments with this in a few weeks when the weather is slightly warmer. let me know how things turn out with you
> 
> 
> Crafts - Making Natural Dyes From Plants - Pioneer Thinking


that's a nice resource/info.


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## tshirtsforcats (Sep 1, 2009)

I'd be interested in learning more about the embossing/engraving techniques for images on t-shirts. Any links or referrals for examples?
Thanks,
Val


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Natural colors for screen printing

natural dyes has been with us for centuries. how feasible it is for screen printing(on both financial and production aspect) is another matter. Hope there are new developments in this area.


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