Plastisol Ink

Definition and Overview

Plastisol ink is a paste-like printing ink containing pigment. After being screen printed onto fabric, it is heated to melt and cure the resin, forming a colored film on the surface. It differs from dye printing, which colors the fabric itself.

It is relatively less affected by fiber type or fabric color, and is a method that makes it easy to produce clear designs even on dark fabrics. It is generally used in screen printing, where ink is applied through a screen to the needed areas.

Features

Because the printed area after curing sits on the fabric surface, it offers good color development and opacity, but the larger the design, the more thickness, stiffness, and heaviness it may feel. Depending on the ink formulation, number of print passes, and underbase treatment, matte, gloss, and raised effects can be achieved.

If a flexible formulation is selected, it is easier to follow the stretch of knit fabrics, but it does not necessarily preserve the fabric's stretch completely. For thin fabrics, highly stretchable fabrics, and products that prioritize breathability, it is important to confirm the printed area and hand feel in advance.

• Suitable for white designs or vivid colors on dark fabrics.
• The printed area may become less breathable than the fabric itself.
• Layered printing can create color and dimensional effects.
• Insufficient curing or excessive heating affects durability and the fabric's appearance.

Main Applications

It is often used for logos, illustrations, and text designs on cut-and-sew products such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies. It may be chosen for print expression on casual clothing such as cotton, polyester blends, and French terry.

It can be used year-round, but for products with large printed areas, care is needed regarding stuffiness and skin feel when worn. For sports use and children's products, the ability to follow stretch, appearance changes due to friction, and the safety of the ink used are checked at the specification stage.

How to Choose and Handling Precautions

Depending on the fabric material, color, fabric weight, stretch, and whether it is brushed, the suitable underbase ink, ink formulation, and curing conditions will change. Before mass production, sample on actual fabric and check cracking, peeling, color transfer, color change, and appearance during stretching after washing.

When washing the fabric or product after printing, if the shrinkage of the printed film and the fabric differs, wrinkles or waviness in the design may become noticeable. For specifications that involve product washing, testing including the processing steps is necessary.

During sewing, if thickly layered printed areas fall on seam allowances or seams, needle penetration and feeding may become unstable. Consider design placement that avoids the stitch line, and if unavoidable, adjust the needle, thread, presser foot pressure, and feed conditions through trial sewing.

For home laundering, turning the item inside out and avoiding strong friction on the printed surface makes it easier to preserve the appearance. Whether ironing or machine drying is allowed depends on the ink and fabric specifications, so follow the care label for each product and the instructions of the processing partner.

Differences from Similar Terms

Rubber print is sometimes used as a general term for printing that applies a pattern to the surface with an ink that has rubber-like elasticity, and it may also refer to plastisol printing. However, it is not necessarily synonymous in terms of the resin or ink system used, so the specification sheet should clearly state the ink type and desired hand feel.

Pigment printing is a method in which pigment is fixed to the fabric together with a binder. Plastisol ink may also use pigment, but its defining feature is that it forms a resin film through heating. For both, the surface feel and wash durability of the fabric change depending on the formulation and processing conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions