Why do some printed t shirts fade after few washes?

Ever wondered why the cool printed t shirt design you brought from the shop last week faded in the wash in the first time? Well in this article we explain why certain prints wade in the wash and while some design stay for year upon year with the same kind of finish and more or less look like the first time you purchased the item.

To understand why some printed design fade we need to take a step back and understand how the printing process works and the different kind of printing methods. The most common printing method which almost all professional t shirt printing companies use is screen printing or silk screen. Now the most common form of printing ink being used in the industry are classic plastisol ink from brands such as UNION INK, Rutland or Amex. Now plastisol ink is made from rubber and for the ink to set it requires a certain temperature to cure and solidify to the t shirt fabric. In most cases printing companies use large tunnel dryers which heat the wet ink as it comes off the machine and cures the ink. This is by far the most important step of the finished printed t shirt product. If the curing process is not done right then your stylish printed tee which you brought from the store will fade away after the first wash since the ink has not solidified onto the t shirt. Typically most plastisol inks must reach a temperature of 320 degrees to fully cure. The main reason why the ink do not cure property is primarily the dryer is not working properly, temperature of the electric or gas dryer is not set correctly or to thin the plastisol ink to much (non curable) reducer is added.

So how to know if a t shirt which I brought from the store will not fade?

Now here is a trade trick which we will share with you. If you buy any printed garment and you stretch the design and if the design rips then you should know that the design has not cured properly and will wash or fade over time.

If the design is cured properly and has solidified on to the garment then the print will not rip and your tee will last many washes.