Plastisol ink and it's toxicity or not???

[screenprintguy]

Hey guys, I've been constantly on the look out for the "greenest" plastisol out there. One day I'm told it's Wilflex Epic, next day QCM, next day, Rutland Claira, but then that it's not much different from the Wilflex Epic. I guess my question is, Is there any plastisol ink on the market that is not only Phthalate free, but free of PVC, mercury, and lead? These questions come up more and more with customers, small indi clothing lines and youth organizations. We just got started with the Wilflex Epic MX mix system, which I have to say is pretty awesome, very easy and accurate, and very very soft hand finish prints. But, when trying to figure out an answer for customers because in the end, liability lands on us, the printers, I can't understand what the heck any of this means. Below, for example is the Analytical Report Summary for Wilflex Epic series inks. You will see for example under heavy metals, Cadium, Chromium, Lead, Mercury listed, and then after them, : Non-Detected. Does this mean, that in testing Epic series inks, these heavy metals are not in the ink? This summary is pretty much the same on any of the other brands of Plastisol that we have either used or looked into. They all have a disclaimer at the end saying that they, " do not intentionally use" certain types of additives because they are already in what they may be supplied by a bulk vendor, which leaves a huge window open. I am assuming that ALL plastisols contain PVC as well, you rarely see a mention of that bad one in there. Another huge concern for us is inhaling the fumes and or smoke of this stuff in the shop while working. We are pretty well vented but, it doesn't take a huge amount of exposure to certain fumes to start some health issues, not to mention reclaiming, and the final wear that customers are buying. Anyone been on this quest for the "cleanest" plastisol as well? Below is that summary I mentioned.

Bureau Veritas (Consumer Product Services Germany GMbH-ecb ONLINE) Laboratory accreditation – qualified to ISO /IEC 17027, EN 45001. EU accréditation No AKS-P-21303 –EU. Review ecb ONLINE report for Epic ink test method and results.
Phthalates: DINP, DEHP, DNOP, DIDP, BBP, DBP: Non-detected. Heavy Metals: Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Mercury: Non-detected.
Organotin: Tributyl tin (TBT), Triphenyl tin (TPhT), Monobutyl tin (MBT), Dibutyl tin (DBT), Tetrabutyl tin (TeBT), Monooctyl tin (MOT), Dioctyl tin (DOT): Non-detected.
Formaldehyde: ISO 14184: Non-detected or below RSL quantity (Fluo’s only). EN71: Garments to be printed with Epic for children’s wear, which may be chewed or sucked complies with EN71 Part 3: 1988 Safety of Toys –Specification for Migration of Certain Elements. APEO’S (alkylphenol exthoxylates): PolyOne does not intentionally use nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE), octylphenol ethoxylates (OPE) or alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO) as a component in Wilflex inks. This statement is based upon information supplied to us by our suppliers and not actual product testing

[JBLUE]

Its coming very soon from Sericol according to my Sericol Rep. It is not going to be cheap in the beginning so unless you have customers with deep pockets it wont be for the average print shop.

[screenprintguy]

Its coming very soon from Sericol according to my Sericol Rep. It is not going to be cheap in the beginning so unless you have customers with deep pockets it wont be for the average print shop.

That's the hard part too!! When there are shops around us that put, "WHAT EVER" on a shirt and do it dirt cheap to snag a sale, it's tough to explain to a customer what poison they may be making their kids wear to save a buck. The hardest part is that if we are paying double, or triple the price for an ink that is so called eco friendly, and in the end as the disclaimer states is no better than the cheap loaded with it all ink, we are losing not only the sale, but paying out the tail for ink that may contain the same crap. I can see why some shops go all water based, but even that is a bit of a false advertisement, not that it's intentional by shops to false advertise, but just because the ink has water in it doesn't really make it any safer. If the ink has an agent in it that causes chemical reactions like discharge, you know that it's going to be harmful one way or another. The ink companies call it eco friendly because it's based with water, but, it still contains titanium dioxide and chemicals that do what they do to alter shirt colors ect. Not to mention, water based inks automatically have 10 times the waste as plastisols. Countless plastic containers buttoned up and tossed out, which are made of vinyl, or poly, not very eco friendly there, and the contents of the colors, from what I understand are almost the same as the contents of pigments used in plastisol. I guess in the end, there is no true non-toxic textile ink is there?

[cvreeland]

I think everything in the US has been lead-free since the late 80's at least.

It's a shame that lead's so toxic, because it makes a heckofa red. I miss the old leaded Union Maxopake Brite Red, but I bet my liver & kidneys don't.

[Shanarchy]

Excalibur has a line of PVC/pthylate free inks (evo 2). One Stroke has the enviromax, which is also PVC/pthylate free. One Stroke also has a soy based ink called Soymax. I've never sampled any of them, and they are all more expensive that QCM, Epic, Claria, etc.

[RICK STEFANICK]

Its coming very soon from Sericol according to my Sericol Rep. It is not going to be cheap in the beginning so unless you have customers with deep pockets it wont be for the average print shop.

I think mr. pepetone is going to be beta testing that product..

[brandon]

Both Rutland and Virus makes PVC free inks. Other companies as well. And they all have their own systems with pros and cons. Think of printing an ink that acts like water base but gives results like plastisol somewhat. There is a lot of hand to the prints. Somewhat of a "rubber" feel. In the end though yes, WB is PVC free and today's plastisols are Phthalate free but if you want both you are going to have a learn a new type of ink. But in regard to PVC I really don't understand - it is all around you. Your house, apartment, car, freaking everything. The water you drink comes in through pipes made of PVC. I really think this is more about large companies saving face (they make shoes and starts with a N) from horrible business practices by promoting how so called green they are. All the time using practical slave labor and dumping their crap all over the world.

[RICK STEFANICK]

Both Rutland and Virus makes PVC free inks. Other companies as well. And they all have their own systems with pros and cons. Think of printing an ink that acts like water base but gives results like plastisol somewhat. There is a lot of hand to the prints. Somewhat of a "rubber" feel. In the end though yes, WB is PVC free and today's plastisols are Phthalate free but if you want both you are going to have a learn a new type of ink. But in regard to PVC I really don't understand - it is all around you. Your house, apartment, car, freaking everything. The water you drink comes in through pipes made of PVC. I really think this is more about large companies saving face (they make shoes and starts with a N) from horrible business practices by promoting how so called green they are. All the time using practical slave labor and dumping their crap all over the world.

The ink doesnt have a plastisol hand though. but there is more compared to waterbase products. these inks are required if your a nike supplier and other large companys are also moving in that direction.  they work extremely well on tri blends and fuzzy garments as far as matting it down. the hand is still much much softer than a standard plastisol print

[brandon]

Yup, for sure a softer hand than plastisol and does well on those difficult substrates. And you nailed it - Nike.

[Rockers]

Its coming very soon from Sericol according to my Sericol Rep. It is not going to be cheap in the beginning so unless you have customers with deep pockets it wont be for the average print shop.

What's coming from Sericol soon? PVC free Inks?
They used to sell PVC free inks already in 2002. They have not been very good though.

[Sbrem]

As I recall it, Wilfex, our brand of choice in the 70's, removed the lead in the late 70's, as did the others. I can still see "lead free" on the labels in my mind's eye. As a matter of fact, there was considerable scrambling about to find replacements that actually work. The best we found at the time was from Triange Ink. A beautifully performing ink, a true one pass white, that was discontinued for some reason; I seem to remember something about someone passing on and taking the formula with them, which makes for good copy, but I don't really know how true it was. However, we had to find a replacement again. Finally, we made our own flash unit, like many others before they became available commercially, and that changed the way we printed white. The really big question for me is, can you find any evidence of anyone getting sick or having any problems relating back to a printed t-shirt? Or are we all being put under the screws for all the lead toys imported in a few years ago? A knee-jerk reaction of sorts...

Steve