Screen Printed Tshirts: The Effects Washing and Drying

The Effects of Washing and Drying Screen Printed Tshirts
by: Mark Visser

If you have ever purchased a printed t-shirt, you have probably experienced fading from the print after it has been washed several times. You should expect a quality printed t-shirt to resist fading at least through 36 washes. The best thing you can do to protect you print from wear is to turn your garment inside out when you wash and dry it. The process of washing and drying creates a rubbing action against the print and causes it to fade.

Sometimes printed t-shirts do not last like they should. You may notice that the ink on your shirt is washed out and you will most likely be stumped about the particular cause. If, upon closer examination, the ink appears washed out in certain areas only, in a random and spotty fashion across a design, the cause is undercured ink, known as ink washout. Curing is a printing process that allows the ink to adhere to the shirt. If the print is insufficiently cured, these random spots may occur and occasionally the ink will peel from the fabric altogether. If you experience ink peeling from your garments, ask the manufacturer to redo your order. If you have more minor ink washout problems, ask the printing company if they will give you a discount on your next order with them. If you do not trust the same company with your next order, consider switching printers.

If the ink color on your garment looks somewhat washed out or faded in an even manner over the entire print, you are most likely experiencing fibrillation. Fibrillation is a condition that occurs when fibers break loose from the ink film during to washing. The contrast between the ink and the fibers poking through causes the print to have a faded, “hairy” appearance. On the part of the screenprinter, there are a lot of variables that contribute to this faded appearance. The cause could stem from the type of ink used, the application process, or the fabric used. As a consumer, your best recourse to preventing or decreasing fibrillation is to turn your garments inside out while washing and drying. Fibrillation is a common problem that is becoming an even bigger problem due to contemporary clothing trends. Softer fabrics and thinner ink application, make garments more prone to fibrillation. If you feel the amount of fibrillation is more than it should be, discuss the problem with the screen printer and consider asking for a discount on your next order.

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