Water-based inks

Water-based inks are nothing new in the screen printing industry, but for many years were very diffcult to work with, giving them a bad reputation as being unmanagable and non cost-effective when used in the context of a high output operation. All of this has changed in recent years with the advancement of water-based inks which offer a similar usability and quick cure time of the industry standard plastisol inks, without the dangerous compounds found in plastisols which pose a threat to the environment.

Plastisols have been the go-to inks of the screen printing industry for most of its lifetime, due in large part to their ease of use and long shelf life. However, these inks contain phthalates and liquefied polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which in addition to being an environmental hazard, have been linked to hormonal problems in children amongst other medical disorders. While phthalates are slowly being phased out in the European Union and United States, the business world has already taken the initiative with water-based inks leading the charge in the screen printing industry.

The latest water-based inks, developed by companies such as Matsui (Japan) and Colourmaker (Australia), have proven to be a saving grace for an industry in need, not only bringing with them ease of use, but also sustainability in that they contain no phthalates, PVC or heavy metals as well as being free from ozone-depleting chemicals which can be released into the air during the printing process. These new inks can be printed on anything from T-shirts to totes and are safe for all printables including underwear, swimwear and infant clothing.


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The water-based revolution has only just begunUp until a few years ago, water-based inks had a pretty bad reputation in the screen printing industry due to their tendency to quickly dry in screens, branding them unusable for most applications. It is only recently, and with great strides made by companies like Matsui and Colourmaker, that these inks have finally found their time to shine.

To be, or not to be.. Organic! Not just any old cotton ball can label itself organic. Certification is
a lengthy process varying by country, which includes the history of the land as well as the practices and substances used while farming. While the USDA has the final word on who can issue organic certifications in the United States, there are many other organizations worldwide which analyze and issue their country's organic stamps.

Eco-friendly chemicals?The harsh chemicals required for production with mainstream plastisol inks become a thing of the past once water-based inks enter the equation. Aerosol screen openers are replaced with a bucket of water and a rag, and the mineral spirits and other chemicals used for cleanup move aside as water once again handles the job with ease. In addition, all chemicals utilized in the production process at Squeegee Science are 100% biodegradable and made from either soy or corn.