Best way to print white waterbase inks on white tees?

[humblymadebrand]

Hey guys new to the forum and I need some help. I've been printing for a few years and have a good amount of experience, but as you all know we learn something new everyday and I have a lot to learn. 

Anyhow I have a client asking about printing white ink on white tees using waterbase. I can't say I've tested this, but everything in my gut tells me this will not show up at all. I've done black on black with plastisol and it works, but it's plastisol. I've since switched to all waterbase inks.

Is there a way to print white waterbase ink on white tees to give it a just enough contrast to show up? They want them subtile, but not invisible:)

My only thought is to either get slightly off white tees, or tint the white ink just a bit for contrast. Any other thoughts?   

[Frog]

I would have initially said that tinting the ink is really the only thing in your control. Then I remembered that we are finding some T's "whiter" than others as well.
So, whatever you do, you need to:
1. get an idea from your custy how subtle they want it
2. pick a particular shirt and mix the ink accordingly. (a pinch of blue will make it appear brighter if that's the direction of difference you decide upon)

[humblymadebrand]

Frog:
Thanks for the tip about the blue, that would have escaped me. Probably would have just added a touch of black but then I would have gotten a light grey. Blue makes so much more since. Thank you friend.

[Frog]

I think that one obvious thing here is to experiment a bit.
Then if possible, and you come up with a few choices, have the custy make the ultimate decision.

[humblymadebrand]

That's my plan for sure, I'm ordering a few tees to test out a few things. I just wanted to get any thoughts out there before I get to printing. Thanks for the tips man:)

[ScreenFoo]

Yeah, try it stock, you might be surprised.  I have decent vision but can easily tell when there's a white test print on a white shirt, even from across the room.  Of course, seeing a design and it being recognizable are two different things as well.

As Frog says, the custy's opinion is the one that matters, although some take common sense advice more appreciatively than others... 

[brandon]

As everyone has said its really up to the client and also the nature of the design. Here is a picture of a band tee we did that if just black on white without the white screen it would not look as good.

[humblymadebrand]

brandon:
thanks for posting, I think with the black also printed it helps that white stand out more too. Thanks for posting.

[humblymadebrand]

ScreenFoo:
Yeah I'm just gonna experiment with some different blanks and send samples to the client. I would post the design if I had it, but I know it will be a simple text based graphic across the chest.

[Prince Art]

Haven't done WB, but white plastisol on white tees is pretty easy to see. One thing I usually do for tone-on-[same]-tone is put down the ink a little thicker than usual, to make sure there's a strong coat with a sheen different from the fabric. (Again, that's plastisol experience, so I don't know how far it translates.) It can still be tricky, though- we just did black on smoke shirts (ie, almost black). First used a matte black that was so hard to see straight on that it was hard to believe. Had to switch inks to get a richer black with more shine, and that worked. So, yeah- experiment.

[humblymadebrand]

Prince Art:
Thanks for the comment. I would feel more confident with plastisol inks, being how much thicker and how it sits on top of the shirt. With the WB I'm not sure what I'll get. Ordered up some samples per everyone's suggestion to do some experimenting. Thanks all!

[RICK STEFANICK]

You could also add some discharge agent to the white. This will change the tint.

[Prince Art]

Random thought - again, we don't do WB here - but is it an option to mix some amount of pearlescent additive into the ink, to bump of the shine on the ink, so you get more contrast between print & fabric? Is that a thing? Could it work?

[humblymadebrand]

Prince Art:
We do have some additives like that and I may experiment with them to see. I believe it would work, I just don't want to make it to sparkly depending on the additive. Great thought, it is defiantly a thing for WB as well.

[tonypep]

Make sure its pearl flake additive for WB!