Impressions - October/November 2023 - 22
Waste produced from discarded clothing
has reached gargantuan heights. Image
courtesy of International Coatings
that is used just once to make a fast-fashion
synthetic garment that is likely worn a few
times before being discarded.
Many brands and retailers have environmental
initiatives directed at the materials
used to decorate apparel. Materials must
conform to regulatory requirements and to
brand-specifi ed " green " choices. How much
greener are these choices? Let's focus in on a
smaller but important part of the industry-
apparel decoration and screen-printing inks.
Textile Screen
Print Inks
Today's apparel decoration market is dominated
by three types of inks: water based,
plastisol and acrysol. A common misconception
is that water-based inks are the most
environment-friendly (and benign) choice
since they are largely water and contain natural
ingredients. Not the case, as water-based
inks, like plastisols and acrysols, are plastic
based. Th ey traditionally consist of 20- to
70-percent solids that include binders (usually
an acrylic or urethane), pigments, fi llP.22
ers
and additives. Water-based inks rely on
solvents that evaporate off leaving the pigmented
binder compounds (the solids) on
the garments. Th ese solvents include water,
alcohols, glycols and acetates, as well as retarders
and mold inhibitors.
Plastisols and acrysols are considered 100
percent solids, which means they provide virtually
a 100 percent yield. Th ey contain plasticizers
that cross-link with the plastic resins
and become part of the ink fi lm. Plastisols
and acrysols don't evaporate, and they don't
cure until they are heated; therefore, they
don't dry on the screen and are easy to use.
So which ink is the most environment-friendly?
Hard to say without also
considering the printing, handling and disposal
processes involved with each of the inks.
Printing with water-based inks requires
more energy than with 100-percent solids
inks. Th e extra energy is needed to drive the
evaporation of solvent liquids and to vent the
moisture and fumes during curing. Energy
is also needed to power extra fl ashes (usually
after each color) and drive larger print
machines (to accommodate the extra fl ash
stations). Water-based printing usually reImpressionsMagazine.com
Oct./Nov. 2023
http://www.ImpressionsMagazine.com
Impressions - October/November 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - October/November 2023
Impressions - October/November 2023 - CT1
Impressions - October/November 2023 - CT2
Impressions - October/November 2023 - Cover1
Impressions - October/November 2023 - Cover2
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 1
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 2
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 3
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 4
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 5
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 6
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 7
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 8
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 9
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 10
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 11
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 12
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 13
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 14
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 15
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 16
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 17
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 18
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 19
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 20
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 21
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 22
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 23
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 24
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 25
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 26
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 27
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 28
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 29
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 30
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 31
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 32
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 33
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 34
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 35
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 36
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 37
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 38
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 39
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 40
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 41
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 42
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 43
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Impressions - October/November 2023 - 45
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 46
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 47
Impressions - October/November 2023 - 48
Impressions - October/November 2023 - Cover3
Impressions - October/November 2023 - Cover4
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https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/impressions/202112
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https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/impressions/DigitalDecorator_2021
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https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/impressions/teamactivewear_2021
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20210102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202012
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nxtbook_bhtest/impwessons
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20201011
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202003
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/dd_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamactive_2019fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201908
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201905
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamactive_2019spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/dd_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2018fall
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201806
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2018spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201709
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2017fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20170607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2017spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20160607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2016spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/digitaldecorator_2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20150607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/digitaldecorator_2015summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_201506
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2015spring
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201501
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201408
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_teamspirit_2013spring
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_20121011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_teamspirit_2012fall
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_teamspirit_2012spring
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