As many of you know, we recently introduced our 3707 Discharge Base and 3709 Discharge Activator during the ISS Show in Long Beach. We have had many requests since the show and are happy to announce that the Discharge system is now in stock and ready to ship!
Discharge is back in style. Hands down, we offer an excellent reactive dye discharge system. Use it as a stand alone system or as an underbase to achieve a softer hand. Our water base Discharge system has a high viscosity allowing for ease of printability, and quick and simple cleanup with water. Anti corrosion pigments (discharge-compatible pigments) can be added to achieve brilliant discharge colors. See examples below.
3707 Discharge Base and 3709 Discharge Activator are easy to use. They enable printers to create a wide variety of soft-hand or no-hand prints which are so popular in today’s fashion world. Printers may combine designs using discharge and plastisol or water-base inks for added special effects. Let your creativity soar! Click here to read our press release.
Read more about discharge applications from printing guru Charlie Taublieb below.
Charlie’s Corner
Industry expert Charlie Taublieb has considerable experience using discharge in his workshops. Here are his latest observations and printing tips:
Discharge ink has been around for over one hundred years, yet every few years it gets re-discovered as something new. This time around, there are some really different things being done with it. Before I get into what is being done, I think it’s important to get a general understanding of what it does and what has to be used in order for it to happen.
Discharge ink basically pulls the color of the dye out of a cotton garment and replaces it with the color of the pigments in the base. If there are no pigments in the base, then the finished discharge shows what the fabric looked like prior to being dyed which is called greige goods. The dye used on the greige goods has to be a reactive dye in order for the discharge to work. Sulphur dyes do not discharge.
The components and formula for making a printable discharge ink are:
Discharge Base
Activator (ZFS or a non formaldehyde agent)-3%-6%
Pigment-up to 10%
Once mixed, the shelf life is about 24 hours and then the strength dissipates. This may not be a problem for certain looks.
A water resistant emulsion has to be used and on long runs, a hardener would be a good idea. Use the same emulsion as a blockout and post expose the screen.
Mesh could be anywhere from 86 to 230 with good tension, somewhere in the 35 N/cm range. Most of the prints shown were done with 110 and a 70 durometer squeegee with multiple strokes for some of the prints.
“The Looks”-all of the garments shown below are printed with discharge base only and no pigments. Shirt colors, print techniques and manufacturers of the garments vary. This contributes to the variations in the looks.
When using water-base discharge ink as was used in the garment samples below, the print dries from the outside in. The effects are created by stopping the drying or letting it fully discharge. This can be done by sending the shirt through the dryer at various speeds or using a flash only. Have fun coming up with your own looks!
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Full Discharge |
Full Discharge Distressed Artwork |
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Full Discharge – Applied to inside of the shirt with pressure |
Same shirt - showing the inside of the shirt |
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Lightly Discharged |
Partial Discharge |
What About Special Effects?
Dye discharge can be used as a stand-alone, an underbase, or along with other inks to create some awesome special effects. Ed Branigan, our Print Applications Manager, has created some extraordinary special effects prints (below) with our new 3707 Discharge Base and 3709 Discharge Activator.
Combine your design with our 3811 Granite Base or various Metallic inks, or apply some foil for more “bling.” The combinations are endless.
Discharge gives you an additional tool for creating “hot” looks for fashion-forward garments and textile products. Order some today!
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Tinted Discharge applied after printing with our Granite Base ink for a “halo” effect |
Discharge pattern under, with Granite Base and metallic print over |
