Plastisol vs. Water-Based Screen Printing Textile Ink

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Jessica Temming

There are several factors to take into consideration when choosing between Plastisol and Water-Based Textile Inks for screen printing. Water-Based Inks are harder to work with in general. However, it depends on the color and material of the apparel/fabric being printed on, as well as the design. When it comes to screen-printing, some designs do better with one method over another.

Water-Based Ink is a mixture of water with dye that sinks into the fibers of the substrate creating good ink penetration, essentially becoming part of the fabric, desirable with towels and other high nap fabrics, while still having a soft hand and even coverage. Water-Based Ink is breathable and more comfortable to wear since it becomes a part of the fabric, opposed to another layer that lays on top of the fabric. It is also more environmentally-friendly since it does not contain PVC and can be cleaned up with water opposed to toxic chemicals. It also prints over seams better because the ink seeps into the fabric. It is great for printing faded/vintage/distressed looking designs. It can also layer over Plastisol Ink without problems.

The cons of Water-Based Ink is that it is more expensive, it doesn’t work well (at all) on dark colored garments because of its lack of opacity. Also, layering causes problems because you can see through the colors. It is also harder to Pantone Color Match, it fades after being washed, the colors are duller/less crisp, and it can dry in screens and clog them (increasing screen fees). It is also more time consuming.

Plastisol Ink is PVC-based. It is thicker and heavier than water-based ink. The colors are bright and crisp. It is good for printing on dark or light colored garments (t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, tote bags). Plastisol comes in different strengths- transparent to very opaque. The higher opacities are better for printing on dark garments. Plastisol Ink is the best choice for Pantone Color Matching and is resistant to fading. It layers easily over other colors without bleeding and is cheaper than water-based ink. It doesn’t require a running water source and won’t clog the screen because it won’t dry until it is cured at 350 degrees.

The cons of Plastisol Ink is that since it is thermoplastic, it will re-melt if it comes in contact with anything hot enough, causing the ink to smear. It has a thick hand and it chips and peels over time since it does not penetrate into the fibers, but rather lays on top of the fabric. It is not good for creating distressed/faded vintage looking designs. It can bunch around the seams and it is not environmentally-friendly since it’s PVC-based and requires toxic chemical for clean up. Check out our full line of Textile-Printing Inks.

The Diamond-Jet/DTG Direct-to-Garment Printer Continues to Impress!

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Jessica Temming

The Lawson Diamond-Jet/DTG Direct-to-Garment Printer leaves another customer very satisfied with these vibrant stunning prints. Whether you are printing on grey, white, or black shirts, the Diamond-Jet/DTG prints fast, has the best resolution in the industry and allows for the most creativity with its unlimited gamut!

The Direct-to-Garment printer is perfect for printing photographs and multiple color images flawlessly on t-shirts. Files are simple and easy to transport and communicate, giving you the ability to send digital files anywhere in the world within seconds.

If you are interested in expanding your current customer-base, offering small-run production capability, enhanced print resolution, increased print speed, a small physical footprint, and state-of-the-art technology – you have found the right printer.

How to Apply Pro-Tac Platen Adhesive

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Jessica Temming

This week our Sales Manager, Brian demonstrates how to apply Pro-Tac Platen Adhesive by Lawson, a water-based, pressure sensitive adhesive designed for adhering textiles to pallets in the screen printing process. A single application may hold hundreds of garments before it is necessary to reapply; 1 gallon is equal to 4-5 cases of aerosol sprays. Lawson Pro-Tac can be easily removed from the pallet with warm water. No more chemical usage on your platens. This product works best when using a flash unit. The great advantage of using the Lawson Pro-Tac is there is no over spray that goes all over your shop and it is eco-friendly!

Guaranteed to Save-You-Money
Keep Your Shop Clean
Environmentally Friendly
Long-Lasting – Can Remain Tacky All Day
Good for Both Standard and Flashing Applications
Guaranteed to Save-You-Money

Applying Pro-Tac is very simple and easy. Here are some tips…There are two ways you can apply Pro-Tac, directly to your pallet or by covering your pallet with pallet tape first. Then you apply a thin layer of Pro-Tac by using a squeegee card, paint brush, or spray bottle. A thicker layer of Pro-Tac may be needed for heavier material items.

Spring is in the Air…or is It?

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Jessica Temming

Screen Printing in Spring Time Spring is in the air…or is it? It’s mid April here at Lawson Screen Products in St. Louis. The Dogwoods are in full bloom and the grass is green…but there is still a chill in the air with temperatures struggling to climb out of the 30s and 40s!

With warmer air right around the corner it’s time for many of our customers to increase the production of screen printed t-shirts and capitalize on the many celebrations that Spring brings such as the baseball season, Mother’s day, Memorial day, and Earth Day.

Be sure to stock up on all the screen printing supplies you’ll need for production to keep up with the demand. We have all of the supplies you’ll need such as plastisol inks, press washes, emulsions, squeegees, frames, spray adhesives…you name it we got it. It’s easy to do business with us and we’re always just a click or call away with a friendly and knowledgeable customer service team. We also ship the same day when your order is placed by 3pm to ensure speedy delivery.

Over 60 Years of Excellence in the Screen Printing Industry

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Jessica Temming

Awards_with DBL
As a relatively new Lawson Associate, I decided to look around and do a little research on the history of the Company and my bosses (David and Ben). I was pleasantly surprised to find just how important these guy have been, in addition to their father, Gene.

So this week , I decided to gather together many of the various awards that lay around everywhere, and put them all together. The result is very impressive. So I’m taking a moment to share a bit of this proud history of Lawson…since 1949.

I found out that Co-Presidents, David and Ben Landesman have been heavily involved in the screen and imaging industry ever since they were boys. They used to work on Saturday’s, school breaks and during the summers too. David said, “What could be more fun than building stuff? Why sit at home doing nothing all summer?”

As young adults, David and Ben have served on numerous SGIA committees, participated in countless Association studies, spoke at many industry events and have been attending the SGIA convention since the early 60′s, as young children. David currently serves on the SGIA Board of Directors.

David and Ben’s involvement in the industry have made them the perfect duo for many industry awards (shown above). These include the Parmele Award, Magnus Award, Award of Excellence, The Fellows Award, Outstanding Service Award, and many others.

I was pleased to learn that Lawson has truly promoted forward thinking/printing technologies and processes while contributing to the Specialty Imaging industry’s overall growth. Perhaps the most important thing is that after decades of pioneering the automated press, developing energy-efficient drying systems, and delivering screen printing materials and supplies, they are still around to serve our longtime customers, and are stronger than ever.

As a new Associate, I quickly found that Lawson is a company of people who care, both about it’s staff and their customers! It’s great to be part of the team.

Multi-Tech Introduces WOW, A New Plastisol Ink Series

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Jessica Temming

Mult-Tech has just released a new plastisol ink series, the WOW (wet-on-wet) Series designed for production wet-on-wet printing. You can print with it either on a manual or automatic screen printing press. It’s a soft-hand formulation specifically designed to provide cleaner and brighter inks with a more brilliant color, an ultra soft-hand feel, and a smooth finish. It is ready-for-use right out of the bucket. In addition it is easy to intermix colors, has super elongation and has an exceptionally long shelf life. Click here to view all of our standard WOW Ink Colors.

Lawson Celebrates John Saxton’s 70th Birthday

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Jessica Temming

We are pleased to celebrate with John Saxton, his 70th birthday. John has been with Lawson for nearly his entire career…starting back in 1965.

John has been a member of the Lawson Team for 48 years, and is still going strong. John is the head of our Research and Development Team and is as sharp and energetic today as he ever was. John has a career for life at Lawson and we are honored to work with him. Congratulations John!

Brian Lang: Lawson’s New Digital and Screen Printing Equipment and Supplies Sales Manager

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Nick Hartsog

Lawson's new screen printing equipment and supplies sales manager David Landesman, Co-President of Lawson Screen & Digital Products, is pleased to announce the installation of Brian Lang as its new Sales Manager. Landesman says, “Brian brings to Lawson extensive textile screen printing experience, innovation and a strong customer-focused orientation.” Brian will be responsible for the entire Lawson sales team and will supervise the direction and growth of its digital printing and screen printing equipment and supplies sales. Brian will also be responsible for internal training, new consumable product selection and to supply customer service.

Brian has spent the past 15 years as owner of Blue Duck Screen Printing. Prior to that Brian was an owner/partner in Brimar Printing, a screen print, embroidery and ad specialty supplier. Brian states, “I am thrilled to apply my printing and managerial experience, and years serving the textile printing industry, to my new position at Lawson Screen & Digital Products.”

Brian, a St. Louis native, makes his home here with his wife and two children. Brian is an avid St. Louis sports fan and is a volunteer little-league baseball coach.

PANTONE Color Matching System Names Color of the Year for 2013

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Jessica Temming

PANTONE Color Matching System names Emerald Green as the color of the year for 2013 based on designer polls and popular trends. PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald Green wins for 2013. This seems to be an appropriate choice for the state of society as green represents growth, renewal, prosperity, healing, and unity. Emerald is vivid and verdant…promoting balance and harmony. Color is back!

This is a great opportunity for those in the screen printing t-shirt and the Decorated Apparel and Accessories Industry to capitalize on. Multi-Tech offers a variety of plastisol screen printing ink and is an authorized PANTONE ink company. Multi-Tech also offers PANTONE Color Mixing Inks, and will even color match for you at a reasonable price…including the 2013 Color of the Year Emerald Green PANTONE17-5641. Order a quart, gallon, or 5-Gallon drum and we will ship in 2-5 days. Multi-Tech also has a couple of standard plastisol ink colors that are very good representations of Emerald Green: MMC-120 and MMC-800.

The Inventors of Computer-to-Screen and Direct-to-Garment Unite at ISS Long Beach

Posted on January 25, 2013 by David Landesman

Matt Rhome and Geoff McCue, the inventors of computer-to-screen and direct-to-garment, unite at the recent Imprinted Sportswear Show in Long Beach, CA.

Matt Rhome and Geoff McCue are true pioneers in the imaging industry, each making major industry contributions. Geoff invented the first computer-to-screen imaging device in 1987, and sold his invention to Gerber Scientific in 1988. Matt first invented, patented and demonstrated his direct-to-garment printer at the ISS Orlando Show in 1996 and printed full color!

These two inventors have significantly impacted the screen printing and digital imaging industry, and changed the way we all do business.

Lawson appreciates Matt’s and Geoff’s incredible creativity and pioneering spirit they both display in their professional and everyday life. Their friends at Lawson are thankful they remain pillars in the imaging industry.