How Long Do Discharge Printed T-Shirts Usually Last?

Discharged printed t-shirt has been very popular amongst clothing line business, but how long will the prints last on the cloth materials. Let's find out!

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Ideally, printed t-shirts need to have design elements that never fade, crack, or peel off in anyways.

Unfortunately, it takes some degrees of professionality to master such printing techniques. Even if people have mastered the highest techniques to create state-of-the-art printed t-shirts, the buyers will often complain about the high prices.

Consequently, those buyers hunt for the cheapest-priced printed t-shirts. No wonder they worry a lot about how long will their printed tees last. There are many reasons why such worries exist. First, inexperienced printers dominate the populations that work on the low-priced printed tees. Second, those reasons could stem anywhere from the false methods to the heavy and weird printing inks.

Screen printings are often becoming the solution for such worries. There are many kinds of screen printings, and the discharge printing techniques are some of them. In general, the discharge printing techniques use the same equipment and procedures as other screen printing techniques. Even so, the types of inks and the ways the printers set up the screens are different.

In terms of the discharge printed t-shirts, people often apply such techniques to natural fabrics. Any cotton types are the most well-known fabrics for discharge printed t-shirts. At some points, the t-shirt printers can even use the discharge techniques to polyblends or other blended materials for t-shirts.

In this article, we will answer the most crucial question about how long will our discharge tees last. Before we answer the most crucial question, let us look at the possible special features that these printed t-shirts have.

Will Discharge Printing Crack Or Peel?

No - Any clothing products with discharge printing techniques won't crack or peel. The discharge printed t-shirts are no exception.

The regularly printed t-shirts usually have cracks or peels on some of the designs' layers. It is predominantly because of the improper heating or drying processes of the printing.

T-shirt printers typically use some plastisol inks to design or decorate t-shirts. Such plastic-based inks need thorough processes of curing. Failing to do so can make t-shirt designs crack. After all, plastisol inks are thick.

The same thing doesn't apply to discharge inks. Inks for discharge printed t-shirts won't crack because they are not thick. Their layers are also not separated from other inks and the t-shirt's surfaces. 

The discharge inks work by changing the colors of your t-shirt's fabrics. Unlike other types of t-shirt, you won't feel the designs on the discharge printed t-shirts. In other words, you shouldn't expect any emboss designs from your discharge tees.

In such ways, the discharge inks become one with the t-shirt. So, since your discharge printed t-shirts can't crack, your discharge decorations won't experience cracking, too.

Furthermore, the designs in the discharge printed t-shirts won't peel off. Even though you may not be able to feel the paints of your discharge tees, it is the discharge agent in your printed t-shirts that make the final printing products feel soft and smooth on your skin.

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Will Discharge Printing Fade?

No. The designs of any printed t-shirts that use the discharge printing technique won't fade. In particular, such things will happen if you print the discharge tees the accurate ways.

Most of the time, people use discharge inks for darker-colored printed t-shirts. It is because the discharge inks will produce much brighter colors on lighter-colored printed t-shirts. The same thing will be more intense if the tee's fabrics are lightweight.

Even though discharge inks and bleaches are entirely different things, discharge inks work like bleaches when you apply them on your t-shirt's surfaces. It means that the discharge inks are great for soft, light colors that are closer to the white colorings that bleaches have.

The lesser color pigments you add for your discharge printed t-shirts, the more reliable the holding powers of the discharge inks. With the proper color matching formulas and scaling systems, the designs on your discharge tees won't fade away.

No matter what and how many premixed pigments you will use, make sure the colors match the base of the printed t-shirts. You can use any software to speed up the color matching formulas for your discharge printed t-shirts.

The color matching software will also guide you to the appropriate percentages for scaling your discharge printed t-shirts. At some points, the same software will let you know how big or small your printed tee's designs should be.

Such actions will prevent the printers from experiencing oversaturations on their discharge tees. 

The balanced saturations on the discharge tees will make the discharge prints permanent. Even though overwashing can sometimes cause us to feel some textures on our discharge tees, such things won't make the designs fade away.

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Will The Feel Of Discharge Printing On The Shirt Change?

No. You can't even feel the prints on your discharge tees. Even if you've washed them several times, there are times that you won't feel the designs on your discharge tees.

The more discharge inks you use for your discharge printed t-shirts, the more color consistencies you will get. The more balanced and consistent the color combinations are, the softer and delicate the discharge inks feel on your printed t-shirts.

Always doing a couple of test prints help in making sure that the feels of your discharge printed t-shirts don't change. Other than ensuring that your printed t-shirts have the appropriate designs, test prints also help to reassure you about the possible lifetimes of your printed t-shirts.

As soon as you wear your discharge tees, you will no longer feel the "false feelings" that you feel when you wash your discharge tees. Even if you only wear them once, the "no-feelings"-type of feelings on your t-shirts won't fade.

It happens because discharge inks for printing the t-shirts don't contain PVC, a toxic agent that can make the inks feel heavy. No matter how many times you wear, wash, or iron your printed t-shirts, the discharge agents on the inks will render anyone incapable of feeling the designs of your printed t-shirts.

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How Long Do Discharge Printed T-Shirts Last?

Most people believe discharge tees can last indefinitely. Such beliefs happen because discharge inks become one with the printed t-shirts when the printer applies them.

One person started a discharge printed t-shirt company in 2007. That person tends to wear the same discharge t-shirt for years. The colors and decorations are not only maintaining the original ones. Instead, these two elements also make no difference from when he was buying the t-shirt for the first time.

He has washed his printed t-shirts many times. After all, he bought the t-shirt in 2007, which is more than a decade ago. Since he has washed the t-shirt countless times, we have no ideas what kinds of bleaching, detergent, or other cleaning agents he used.

Yet, it's not only the t-shirt's colors and decorations that don't change. The patterns don't crack or peel, and the shirts still fit with the sizes.

His t-shirt is not the only witness to the lengthy lifespans of such t-shirts. Like every other screen printer, his company has many printed t-shirts that become his portfolio.

Almost all of his clients who own the discharge tees experience the same thing as he does. Those clients typically wear the same t-shirt for more than a year. Most of them post on how proud are they of their discharge tees' quality.

Due to the persistent nature that the inks have, such types of t-shirt won't lose the colors or other design elements that they have. Even though there are no curing processes for the t-shirt, their reliability makes them have longer lifespans than the other types of t-shirts.

When we compare the discharge tees with t-shirts with plastisol inks as the dominant painting tools, we'll find that the former has more durability than the latter.

Plastisol t-shirts won't last for more than five years. So, after five years have passed, the designs' cracks will worsen. The more years pass, and the less you treat the plastisol t-shirts, the more likely they will destroy your appearance.

In contrast, the discharge printed t-shirt remains the same even after a decade (or more) has passed. The more you apply the inks for the printed t-shirts, the more likely they will last longer.

For example, the discharge inks are magnificent for dark-colored clothes, cotton fabrics, or some types of shirt styles. So, when your shirts fall into even one of those categories, the crucial elements will make your shirts last longer than other printed t-shirts.

The closer your printed t-shirts are to the black colors, the more likely they will last for more than a decade. The more kinds of cotton in your printed shirts' fabrics, the more likely the inks "absorb" the fabrics' nets. As a result, the durability of your t-shirts will last longer than ten years.

Some printed t-shirts don't go particularly well with the discharge inks. If your t-shirt colors are royal blue, purple, or the combination between these two colors, your printed t-shirts will last shorter. 

Perhaps not as short as other printed t-shirts with plastisol inks. Yet, we can say that 10-15 years are fantastic enough for royal blue or purple-colored discharge tees to sustain.

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How Long Will The Discharge Inks Last? (+How To Lengthen The Lifespan?)

Now that we know how long will our printed t-shirts last, another follow-up question that we should answer is, "How long will the discharge inks last?"

In typical situations, these types of inks last for around eight hours once you activate the inks. The discharge activators will make the inks work for any types of painting jobs that require using the inks. They come in different packaging depending on their weights.

You'll need to stir in 3-6% of the activators. Then, the heavier the activators' weights, the more percentages of stirs that you should do. Mix them well with some portions of heat cured.

For your information, acrylic resins are the dominant portions of every heat cured. These sturdy substances' percentages are even higher than other cured substances, such as the self-cured. The acrylic resins are so hard that dentists frequently use them for false teeth models.

Since acrylic resins dominate the heat-cured substances, you shouldn't need too much heat cured. After all, softness, moisture, and delicacy are three characteristics that any discharge print should have.

Then, use large conveyor dryers to dry the paints. If you feel concerned about the possibility of some chemical leftovers, you can use a couple of forced-air flash dryers.

Always use the large conveyor dryers first before the forced air flash dryers. Do this action because the forced air flash dryers function better when you use the dryers to eliminate the chemical residues after the drying processes.

If you only produce the t-shirts in minimum amounts, replace the large conveyor dryers with the ones with a much more manageable size. Even so, the drying results will be no better than when you use the large conveyor dryers. As a result, the discharge inks will last even shorter.

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Do Discharge Printed T-Shirts Need Special Care?

Yes. Even though discharge tees are more durable than other types of printed t-shirts, you still need proper washing and caring methods if you want your shirts to appear shinier.

As with other t-shirts, you need to turn your discharge tees inside out at every time. Do this action not only when you want to wash your tees. Instead, this action is also beneficial when you dry and (finally) iron your tees.

By turning your t-shirts inside out, you will prevent the tees from receiving damages from other fashion items. Such things can happen when you wash along with the t-shirts. 

If such things are not enough, you can always purchase a couple of laundry bags. Then, you can separate your printed tees from other clothing items in different laundry bags. After that, plunge the laundry bags into the washing machine.

Wash your tees with either a bucket of cold or warm water. If there are any buttons or some forms of setups on your washing machines, be sure to apply the ones that permit gentle washes.

Even though adding some extra spins can be a tempting action to take, you should refrain from doing so. Unless there are some challenging stains on your tees, you should limit the spins to only two or three times at a maximum.

Always choose to air-dry your tees and not tumble-drying them. If you tumble-dry your printed tees, there are chances that the shakes from the tumble-drying processes will damage your shirts. 

At least, your fabrics will get impacts from those actions. So, air-dry your tees using either one of a washing line or a drying rack. On typical days, your tees will dry after at least one day.

Finally, don't forget to turn your t-shirts inside out to iron them. Don't be afraid to iron the paints because the paints are together with the whole printed t-shirts. 

Be sure not to apply too much heat. After all, cotton, which is the most well-known fabric type for printed tees, is one of the fabrics that are most subject to damages due to overheating.

There are no other specific care actions that you need to take for your tees other than following those instructions. After all, the elements in the inks for printing the t-shirts are not harmful, even for children's skin.

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Final Words 

The tees are some of the most durable shirts you can choose for your everyday life. If you're a t-shirt printer, printing these types of t-shirt adds to your confidence in printing t-shirt products with printing techniques that last longer than other cheaper techniques.

If you're getting bored with the plastic inks on everyday clothes, printing the tees is a productive activity that you can try. The demands of such tee types have increased for at least five years, making it possible for you to create a lucrative stream of income.

Pieces of cotton are the most frequent fabrics for these types of t-shirts. So, if creating something out of any type of cotton is an activity that you enjoy, printing these durable t-shirts is also for you. 

You can use either 100% cotton or 80:20 on cotton versus polyester as your t-shirt's base. Those formulas are the most magnificent ones for your shirts.

Due to the activators and the elements they have, the inks for those tees work best for dark clothes. While you don't have to go all black for your t-shirt products, the inks will provide more softness when you apply them to your dark-colored printed tees.

The lighter the colors of your t-shirts, the less likely the elements will support your t-shirts' appearances. So, if you're working on a white t-shirt, you should use other types of inks. In such cases, the regular water-based inks are your best friends.

Finally, don't hesitate to use this article to refer to the ages of your discharge printed t-shirts. Don't be afraid to share this article when you need to do so, too.