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Each ink family behaves differently on press and in the dryer. Know how yours cures, follow its tech data sheet, and test on the actual garment.

Updated October 20268 short topics~7 min to read it all32 sources

In short

  1. Plastisol sits on top and won’t dry in the screen. It cures with heat; follow the TDS.
  2. Water-based soaks in for a soft hand, but needs more dryer time and a water-resistant stencil.
  3. Polyester can bleed dye into the ink. Sources put the risk anywhere from about 260°F to 340°F, so cure low, block, and test.

In this guide

  1. 01Plastisol
  2. 02Water-based
  3. 03Discharge
  4. 04Silicone
  5. 05Specialty inks
  6. 06Ink comparison
  7. 07Polyester and dye migration
  8. 08Garments and substrates
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.