Choosing the Right Ink for Long Island’s Humid Summers and Cold Winters: A Complete Guide to Water-Based vs Plastisol Printing
Long Island’s unique climate presents specific challenges for custom apparel printing that many business owners and event organizers don’t consider until it’s too late. With warm, humid summers and very cold, snowy winters, choosing between water-based and plastisol inks can significantly impact both the printing process and the longevity of your custom apparel.
Understanding Long Island’s Climate Impact on Printing
Long Island experiences a humid subtropical climate, with chilly, wet winters and warm, humid summers. Humidity levels are consistent, contributing to the muggy feel in summer and the damp cold in winter. These conditions directly affect how different inks behave during the printing process and how they cure.
For example, if you live in a place that gets quite hot, it might be easier working with plastisol inks as the temperature keeps it in an ideal and manageable state. On the other hand, if you live in a freezer for the majority of the year, avoid plastisol as the viscosity increases (does not flow well) – making it difficult to print manually. Similarly, printing in a dry climate on high elevation might be problematic for water-based inks because of how fast it dries. To top it off, high humidity levels will also affect the ink’s performance (alters ink consistency), curing time (garments take longer to cure) and can even contribute to how well or how bad emulsion works.
Water-Based Inks: The Comfort Choice
Water-based ink will leave your shirt with an incredibly soft and much more breathable print than any other ink type. Since the ink dyes the shirt’s fabric, you cannot even feel the ink on the t-shirt. This makes water-based inks particularly appealing for Long Island’s humid summer months when comfort and breathability are paramount.
Water-based inks are recognised in textile printing for their soft hand leading to better wearing experience, environmental benefits and ease of clean up. However, water-based inks require a longer curing process, as they first evaporate water, then cross-link with heat. This extended curing time might require additional floor space for drying tunnels.
The challenge with water-based inks in Long Island’s climate is that with water-based inks, curing is a little more tricky. First, you need to evaporate all the water. If you don’t evaporate all the water, you cannot cure the ink. Long Island’s high humidity can complicate this process, requiring more precise environmental controls during production.
Plastisol Inks: The Reliable Workhorse
It is a cheaper ink that has long been the industry standard for screen printing. Plastisol ink lays directly on top of the t-shirt fabric, covering the top with a layer of ink. For Long Island businesses looking for consistent results regardless of seasonal weather variations, plastisol offers distinct advantages.
Plastisol is the dominant ink of choice because it is user friendly. It doesn’t evaporate. You can leave the ink on the screen overnight and continue printing the next morning with no issues. This stability makes plastisol particularly valuable during Long Island’s variable spring and fall seasons when temperature and humidity can fluctuate dramatically.
Plastisol is easy to cure. Heat from the bottom to the top of the ink layer, reaching fusion temperature (anywhere from 260-320℉, depending on the ink). This consistent curing process isn’t as affected by Long Island’s humidity levels as water-based alternatives.
Durability in Long Island’s Weather Extremes
Long Island’s climate puts printed apparel through significant stress. Long Island boasts a temperate climate with significant seasonal variations, influencing everything from daily wear to home maintenance needs. Expect warm and humid summers, cold and snowy winters, and a year-round chance of rainfall.
Plastisol ink prints do eventually break down. After a handful of washes, plastisol prints tend to crack, peel, or flake off. However, The print is softer, more breathable, and more durable than its competitor, yielding a better overall t-shirt that people are going to love wearing again and again. when referring to water-based inks.
Making the Right Choice for Your Long Island Business
For businesses offering Custom Apparel Printing Long Island, the choice between water-based and plastisol inks should consider both the immediate printing environment and the end-user experience. Water-based inks offer a softer feel, better breathability and a reduced environmental footprint, while plastisol inks provide durability. Ultimately, the choice you make should reflect both your artistic vision and your values.
If you have light-colored cotton shirts and you’re printing a detailed design with muted colors, water-based is the way to go. If you have dark-colored shirts and you’re printing a not-so-detailed design with bright colors, then Plastisol is your best bet.
Environmental Considerations
As more people are becoming environmentally conscious, the question often arises: which of these two types of ink is the more eco-friendly option? We break down the differences between plastisol and water-based ink, focusing on their environmental impacts to help you make an informed decision.
Considered more environmentally friendly due to its water-based solvent, water-based ink generally has a lower environmental impact compared to other inks. However, it may still contain plastics and co-solvents. Advances in formulations continue to improve its sustainability profile.
For Long Island businesses prioritizing sustainability while dealing with the region’s challenging climate conditions, water-based inks represent the more environmentally conscious choice, though they require more careful handling during the humid summer months and precise climate control during the curing process. The investment in proper equipment and environmental controls often pays off through superior customer satisfaction and brand alignment with environmental values that are increasingly important to Long Island consumers.