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Inks · 2 of 8 · 1 min read

Water-based

Water-based ink is pigment in a water and binder system. It soaks into the fiber for a soft, thin, matte hand, and it hides stray fibers on light shirts. Coverage on dark or even medium shades is weaker than plastisol (Lawson). It can dry in the screen, so keep the screen flooded, and use a water-resistant emulsion.

Cure: first all the water has to evaporate, then the ink has to reach cure temperature and hold there. ScreenPrinting.com’s help center says hold at cure temperature for at least 20 seconds, about 1:30–2:00 in a forced-air conveyor at least 6 ft long. Avient’s dryer guide treats 90 seconds or more of dwell as typical. Flashes and small conveyors without forced air struggle; ScreenPrinting.com suggests a chemical low-cure additive in that case, and you still wash-test. Check your ink’s tech data sheet.

Cleanup and waste: water or a water-based cleaner, promptly. Davis warns that water-based inks “aren’t water,” may contain solvents, and shouldn’t go down a sink, onto the ground or into the trash. See Curing.

Sources for this guide (32)
  1. Davis International, FAQs
  2. Davis International, Common issues
  3. Davis International, 7600 Series product bulletin (PDF)
  4. Wilflex (Avient), Ink curing tips (2020, PDF)
  5. Wilflex (Avient), Product selection guide (PDF)
  6. International Coatings, Low-cure additive 3804
  7. International Coatings, Catalyst 900 (nylon)
  8. Avient, Wilflex Epic Rio color mixing system
  9. ScreenPrinting.com Help, How do you cure water-based ink?
  10. Avient, Mapping your conveyor dryer (PDF)
  11. SPSI, Aquarius Activator ZF
  12. CCI, T-Charge tech sheet (PDF)
  13. ScreenPrinting.com, High contrast with discharge inks
  14. Lancer Group, NX6135 high density additive
  15. Impressions, The challenges of screen printing on caps
  16. ScreenPrinting.com, Printing with plastisol vs. water-based ink
  17. ScreenPrinting.com Help, Water-based vs. plastisol
  18. ScreenPrinting.com Help, Curing water-based ink without forced air
  19. Lawson Screen & Digital, Plastisol ink FAQ
  20. Lawson Screen & Digital, Low-cure screen printing ink
  21. Lawson Screen & Digital, Eliminating fibrillation
  22. Lawson Screen & Digital, Testing polyester for dye migration
  23. ScreenPrinting.com, What is dye migration?
  24. ScreenPrinting.com, Decoding poly white and dye blocker inks
  25. PIA/SPTF, Textile plastisol curing troubleshooting (PDF)
  26. Lancer Group, STI direct print silicone ink system (PDF)
  27. Northwest Graphic, Silextreme silicone ink
  28. Graphics Pro, Silicone simplified
  29. Avient, Print technique guide, 2023 (PDF)
  30. Avient, PAGEJ100 Crystalina tech data sheet
  31. International Coatings, Puff additive
  32. ScreenPrinting.com, 4 curing methods

Ranges are starting points from these sources. When a source and your ink’s tech data sheet disagree, follow the tech data sheet.