Discharge ink is the water-based ink for dark garments. It is considerably softer than any plastisol print requiring an underbase. Discharge ink utilizes an activator that bleaches the dye out of the t-shirt and deposits the pigment of the ink.
The curing time is slower and the ink has a tendency to dry at the edges of the stencils. More manpower is needed on press to maintain consistency in print. Expect a higher rate of spoilage. Rich colors such as red, turquoise, purple, and royal discharge very unpredictably. The inks are often contaminated by the dye in the shirt. Black garments also discharge very unpredictably.
Since it is a water-base ink, avoid designing with detail and fine halftones.
Discharge colors can appear quite vibrant, although this ink has a look that differs from plastisol. Be sure to discuss the variables that affect the final print with your customer service rep.
The number of variables that affect the ink deters us from being able to guarantee pantone matching with discharge inks. Discharge colors tend to print 1-2 shades lighter than the called out pms color.
