Your Expert Guide to the Best Printing and Decorating Results

Even if you have experience printing/decorating on synthetic garments (polyester, nylon, spandex etc.), always run a pre-production test for dye migration.

• Measure the width and the length of the garments before and after printing.
• Never switch from cotton to polyester without reconfiguring your press, ink, dryer, and other equipment. 

Adjust the temperature, height, and dwell time of your flash cure unit and dryer.

• A temperature of 240-250 F for the flash cure unit is recommended and a temperature of 270-300 F for the dryer is recommended.
• A shorter dwell time is also recommended. You may need to slow down the belt for thicker ink deposits.
• Under-curing may result in poor wash fastness and can cause dye migration.
• Monitor printer temperature several times during the course of printing polyester as overheating the fabric may also result in dye migration.

Print using a fine mesh screen

• Printing on fine mesh count screens is recommended for our polyester garments, especially for dark colors.
• This count will give you a nice, thick appearance as well as an ink film strength that will last longer.
• The use of lower mesh count screens will offset higher viscosity of poly white inks.

The use of poly ink is recommended

Polyinks are 100% polyester plastisol inks, and have a lower curing temperature than standard plastisolinks, making them great for printing on 100% polyester garments to avoid dye migration

Always apply a good base white made for polyester

Constantly monitor the temperature

• High or sudden surges in temperature may cause the polyester to compress/condense.
• Consider the thickness of the ink and the print coverage in order to apply the proper temperature and dwell time.

Settings

• Mesh - 180 Mesh
• Squeegee Durometer – 70 Durometer
• Squeegee Pressure – 50 psi
• Squeegee Angle – 20 degrees
• Print Speed – Fast 
• Flood Angle –  0 degrees
• Flood Height – Just above stencil 
• Flood Speed – Medium to Medium Slow 
• Quartz Flash – Set to 2 seconds when printing on Cold Pallets 

Considerations

• Once pallets are warmed up in production run, or if preheated prior to run, the time can be shortened.
• Flash temperature for this ink is approximately 180F-220F 
• This is final flash for tack only and may be shortened to 1 second or less, over-flash may cause color shift.

If color is too light (over-printing a base):

• Increase squeegee angle
• Increase print speed
• Decrease squeegee Shore A durometer
• Increase  pressure
• Decrease screen mesh count

If color is too dark (over-printing a base)

• Decrease squeegee angle
• Decrease print speed
• Increase squeegee Shore A durometer
• Decrease Pressure
• Increase screen mesh count

The above information is only to be used as a guideline. It is not binding in any way or form. We do not accept responsibility for its content, application, or processing methods. You must reconfigure your press, inks, dryer, and other equipment in order to successfully print and decorate performance apparel.

We are absolutely not responsible after the garments are embellished, decorated, printed, changed or processed from their original form. We do not accept returns of decorated or washed garments under any circumstances.