Triblend Shirt and Imprint Shrinkage

[2020 Print]

Hey Everyone,

Has anyone run into issues with Triblend garments shrinking and the imprint shrinking or skewing? I am typically losing .25-.5" on an imprint.

I tried using a Poly ink so I could turn down the dryer. It helped but didn't completely fix the issue.

Does anyone have any helpful suggestions?

[Colin]

Is your shirt shrinking on press or in the dryer?

[2020 Print]

Dryer.

[Frog]

Pre-shrink 'em? Send 'em on an early journey down the belt.

[2020 Print]

I tried that and it still seemed to shrink.

I measured the length and width of the shirt, ran it through the dryer, lost about .25".

Printed the shirt, Ran it through the dryer again to cure the ink, and the imprint still shrank .25".

[sqslabs]

What type/size of dryer and settings are you using?

[2020 Print]

Adelco EcoTex Gas Dryer and roughly 5' x 16'

[jsheridan]

sounds like youre overcuring.

whats your temp and belt speed and do you have a donut probe or good quality heat gun to check your curing temp.

[2020 Print]

Belt speed is 33 seconds and temp is 280 degrees.

Tried to go lower but the ink wouldn't cure.

The ink were are using is the international coating 7100 Performance Pro.

[jsheridan]

ok, thats not hot at all

anyone else got anything?

[Colin]

Redundancy question:  Are you certain the internal temp is whats on your dryers readout?

Brand of tri-blend?

Have you talked with your supplier?

Sounds like a bad batch of garments....... But I know I have not measured the tri-blends we print before and after cure, so....

[2020 Print]

I used a temp gun and it seems to be accurate. I do have the vendor that sold us the dryer coming to check it out next week.

The triblends we use regularly are Next Level, American Apparel and Bella & Canvas.

I have not reach out to the supplier because the issue has been so consistent between the 3 brands listed and their varying styles.

[Frog]

If this is consistent, and the run is nothing but tri-blend, I'd compensate in the size of the image in the first place as well as including a disclaimer  stating something like "Tri-Blend has a tendency to shrink, and though all care is given in the design, printing, and curing of garments, some shrinkage of the design may still occur."

[mimosatexas]

Is 1/4" that big of a deal honestly?  The shirt is going to stretch and skew when you put it on a person no matter what.  No clue about a "fix", but I know if I wash and dry a shirt, or jeans, or any other piece of clothing, it is tighter than at the end of the day after wearing it.  Heat tends to shrink fabric a bit.