Water-based ink uses water as its primary carrier. When the ink dries, the water evaporates and leaves the pigment and binder on the substrate. The result is a printed film that contains no organic solvent, which reduces VOC emissions and makes the ink easier to handle in the print shop. But water-based ink is not…
Printing ink types divide along three lines: the printing process they serve, the way they dry or cure, and the application they are formulated for. Each classification answers a different question. The process tells you what equipment the ink runs on. The drying method tells you what energy or time the ink needs. The application…
Screen printing ink is the material that transfers through a stencil to form the printed image. Unlike offset or digital printing, screen printing uses a thick ink layer that sits on top of the substrate or penetrates into it, depending on the ink chemistry. The ink’s composition determines how it flows, how it cures, and…
Printing ink carries color onto a surface. It moves an image or pattern from a plate, screen, or digital head onto paper, fabric, plastic, or metal. How the ink flows, how it dries, and how the final print holds up all depend on what the ink is made of. This article breaks down the composition…
Screen printing materials determine what a print shop can produce and how consistently it can produce it. The ink affects adhesion and color. The mesh controls how much ink passes through the screen and how fine the detail can be. The emulsion determines how long the stencil lasts. The squeegee decides how evenly the ink…
An ink adhesion test answers a simple question: will the print stay on the material after the shoe is worn, the bag is handled, or the garment is washed? For footwear and leather goods manufacturers, that question decides whether a production run ships or gets rejected. Adhesion failures rarely show up on the printing line….