customer complaint help

[INKedApparel]

Need expert opinion here ? I'm a small shop and have printed over 18000 shirts this year so far. This order consisted of 40 shirts, and of course I get the only customer complaint on this small order. I am very meticulous as to the dry time and temp on all of my apparel, I check all of the initial shirts every order to ensure proper cure. I get an email with this picture stating the ink is washing out, To me this looks like a burn mark of some sort, possibly dryer ?

print size is 4" wide x 1.7" tall -

[Doug S]

Have you asked them if this is the only shirt with the problem or is with all of them?  It doesn't look consistent all over which is what I would think if it were an undercure.  Just my opinion though.

[Mr Tees!!]

That looks like some sort of abrasion mark, with some carbon as well. This is very similar to what a shirt might look like if it gets hung up in your dryer somehow for a bit too long.

[INKedApparel]

Have you asked them if this is the only shirt with the problem or is with all of them?  It doesn't look consistent all over which is what I would think if it were an undercure.  Just my opinion though.

The order was delivered few days ago, not sure how many they have washed. Sounds like this is the only one.

[INKedApparel]

That looks like some sort of abrasion mark, with some carbon as well. This is very similar to what a shirt might look like if it gets hung up in your dryer somehow for a bit too long.

Agreed, my first thought was a burn of some kind due to the melted appearance.

[Colin]

It could have also been hit with an aggressive solvent... similar to  - Gasoline...

We have seen shirts where someone was using industrial solvent type cleaners and got it on their shirt - then blamed us for a bad print

[brandon]

It could have also been hit with an aggressive solvent... similar to  - Gasoline...

We have seen shirts where someone was using industrial solvent type cleaners and got it on their shirt - then blamed us for a bad print

Yes I have actually seen that in person. That does happen..

[brandon]

And they are a restoration company? A lot of people short on time and money use gasoline for "cleaning" a job site. You would be surprised.

[screenxpress]

Here's a novel idea. 

Take one of the 'test' shirts and rub with gasoline or some abrasive chemical to see if a similar result can be obtained.

[Homer]

yeah but what's going on on the top of the "V" and "O", looks like they leaned up against something hot, like a muffler....

[stitches4815]

Those are burns that probably occurred after the shirts were picked up.  We had a similar problem last fall with a traveling softball team.  They ordered a shitload of "spirit wear" and out of all the crap we printed only one, now count it.... one, family had burn marks on the print.  I had printed close to 150 items and just 4 items had burns.  That tells me something.  I know, I know, I need to do a better job with quality control.

[INKedApparel]

My thoughts weren't too far off, theres a wealth of information and knowledge on here. Thank you everyone for the replies.

[kingscreen]

The E looks like it was hit with something hot like an iron.  Were these heat pressed after they were printed?
I've seen dark lines like that if you heat press a print with the shirt wrinkled underneath it.

[Prince Art]

Agreed that it looks like a burn or other heat-related damage to the print, not ink washing out. Is it possible the shirt was up too high & scraped your dryer at some point as it was entering, moving through, or exiting? I've messed up a few shirts that way before. But it is also possible the customer has done something dumb to the shirt. (Ironing was the first thing to cross my mind when I saw it.) I'd just be sure it it didn't leave your shop that way before putting the blame on them.

[Frog]

In the end it comes down to, blame aside, what you will do about it. How much do you want to please/keep the customer?
Is it something that you could refund for the shirts rather than set up and re-run?