Ink Bleeding Question

[Logoman]

I printed 100 or so shirts a couple of weeks ago. The previous job we did with the same print was fine but then a few weeks later the Ink had bled from the crest of the shirt onto the back of the shirt print. (we stacked them in dozens so the back of the shirt is laying on top of the crest) so the image on the crest had transferred or bled onto the back of the shirt. We checked this when we had them at the shop after they had cooled but don't know why it would show up later. Anyone have any ideas?

[Gilligan]

Crocking?

[Prosperi-Tees]

Could this be a case of ghosting? Using a low bleed ink on 100% cotton?

[DannyGruninger]

What type of blank? If I understand what your saying we experienced this for the first time this past week as well. We printed a multi color design in the shape of a fish on a gray shirt. Shirts were folded in dozens at the end of the dryer like usual then boxed. Client got the shirts a few days later and noticed the back of every shirt had what looked like a really faint bleach looking stain on all the shirts except every shirt that was on the bottom of each folded dozen. They sent the shirts back and they look like to me the ink did actually bleach each shirt this light faint purple color and it happened in the same shape/location as the printed design. If I'm understanding you might have ran into the same problem and I'm thinking it's the ink or garment dye. I think it was the actual shirt though as we printed this same design on multiple garment colors the same day and only had the issue show up on one color shirt but I'm a bit unsure what it is. Anyone else seen this?

[Frog]

"Ghosting" is unusual, but here's a fairly detailed explanation from International Coatings.

I've never seen it or heard about it with ink other than white.

[Printficient]

Quick reply.  Too much heat.  Let the shirts cool at the end of the dryer before stacking or set dryer for proper heat.

[Frog]

The missing link!

http://www.iccink.com/screenprint/howto_fabricdiscoloration.htm

[alan802]

When doing jobs like this we have a big table that we use 5-6 stacks and alternate stacks for each shirt so they don't get near as hot.  We shake them and try to cool them off as much as we can before stacking.  We've had sublimation/bleeding on stacking hot garments but only on poly and blends.  Be careful with these because sublimation doesn't have to be coming from underneath the ink to the top, it can come from another garment subbing into the ink if stacked on top.

[tonypep]

Some silver metallics and shimmers exhibit this characteristic

[ZooCity]

Colin mentioned it was the peroxides in low bleed inks that block dye migration but can also bleach out shirts where the ink contacts them.

Never stack hot and high is the rule of thumb around here.

[blue moon]

http://theinkkitchen.com/2011/08/mysteries-and-ghosts/

[Grape Ape]

Could be several things like mentioned in other posts. Ghosting is real and sucks. Some of the silver metalics like Tony said will transfer and not cure all the way, ask the individual ink company about their metalics. The other one that was not mentioned is that your print might have not cured all the way and you are getting ink transfer. Check your dryer and make sure all is good with heat source.

[Frog]

Logoman could help his cause by giving us details of the ink used, and perhaps a pic to see if we have ink transfer, or the mysterious ghosting.