Printing on Carhartt hoodies...

[Alchemink]

So I'm set to print a job on some Carhartt hoodies..

 https://workingperson.com/carhartt-mens-100615-001-paxton-black-hooded-sweatshirt.html

They are 75% cotton/25% poly

We use mainly waterbase and discharge and this is a 2 color discharge job. These have the "rain defender" stuff on em and of course, I have nothing to test this out on 

Have any suggestions?

[Alchemink]

found something...

https://www.reddit.com/r/SCREENPRINTING/comments/69545n/trouble_with_water_repellent_garments/

[mk162]

I would be willing to bet that a water resistant coating would repel waterbased inks and more importantly discharge.

Sometimes it's best to turn a job down.

[Frog]

Yep, the Reddit info is pretty meaningless for these particular shirts as it deals with adhering plastisol to the waterproofed surface. Way different than driving a waterbased ink (let alone a discharge ink) down into the fabric itself.

Add in the cost of these trendy shirts, and this is definitely a potential disaster.

[3Deep]

We've printed on some carhartt shirts, but turned away the jackets, as Frog stated potential disaster and I was not about to buy some jackets.

[whitewater]

We print and embroider for the carhartt store in this area. We would only embroider those.

[Sbrem]

We sell some Carhartt, and have printed a couple of 4 color images (simulating diamond plate) with good results. The ones we've printed on are smooth...

Steve

[Doug B]

  I have ONLY embroidered them and would not consider printing. They just cost too much to risk.

[RICK STEFANICK]

So I'm set to print a job on some Carhartt hoodies..

 https://workingperson.com/carhartt-mens-100615-001-paxton-black-hooded-sweatshirt.html

They are 75% cotton/25% poly

We use mainly waterbase and discharge and this is a 2 color discharge job. These have the "rain defender" stuff on em and of course, I have nothing to test this out on 

Have any suggestions?

If your going to print them. Plastisol is the only option

[Alchemink]

I'm thinking plastisol as well. We have what we need. I've got some 900 series Catalyst that i use with white plastisol to print on other things like bags and rolling coolers. Catalyst on the hoodies or nah (75cotton/25poly)?

Do you think I'll have to use isopropyl alcohol to combat the "rain defender" coating on the hoodies?

There's also one jacket that is half nylon and half spandex but its only one layer so I don't I'll think need the jacket hold-down pallet. (definitely catalyst)

I think the hoodies will be fine in the dryer but I don't know about the jacket. I could just give the catalyst a boost with the heat gun and let it air dry overnight.

I'm wondering if i should flash the hoodies for a second layer. Probably be best..

I'm thinkin' out loud guys. Thank you for your responses.

[Frog]

I'm thinking plastisol as well. We have what we need. I've got some 900 series Catalyst that i use with white plastisol to print on other things like bags and rolling coolers. Catalyst on the hoodies or nah (75cotton/25poly)?

Do you think I'll have to use isopropyl alcohol to combat the "rain defender" coating on the hoodies?

There's also one jacket that is half nylon and half spandex but its only one layer so I don't I'll think need the jacket hold-down pallet. (definitely catalyst)

I think the hoodies will be fine in the dryer but I don't know about the jacket. I could just give the catalyst a boost with the heat gun and let it air dry overnight.

I'm wondering if i should flash the hoodies for a second layer. Probably be best..

I'm thinkin' out loud guys. Thank you for your responses.

The Spandex in the jacket kinda' forces you into adding stretch to the ink.
As for using alcohol to remove waterproofing from a rain garment, that has always seemed a little crazy to me, at least without first warning the client.
The first time I ever used a catalyzed ink on Nylon was for umbrellas, and we certainly never considered removing the waterproofing. I think that also negates the main reason we are using the catalyst, that it is also an adhesive.

[RICK STEFANICK]

I'm thinking plastisol as well. We have what we need. I've got some 900 series Catalyst that i use with white plastisol to print on other things like bags and rolling coolers. Catalyst on the hoodies or nah (75cotton/25poly)?

Do you think I'll have to use isopropyl alcohol to combat the "rain defender" coating on the hoodies?

There's also one jacket that is half nylon and half spandex but its only one layer so I don't I'll think need the jacket hold-down pallet. (definitely catalyst)

I think the hoodies will be fine in the dryer but I don't know about the jacket. I could just give the catalyst a boost with the heat gun and let it air dry overnight.

I'm wondering if i should flash the hoodies for a second layer. Probably be best..

I'm thinkin' out loud guys. Thank you for your responses.

The Spandex in the jacket kinda' forces you into adding stretch to the ink.
As for using alcohol to remove waterproofing from a rain garment, that has always seemed a little crazy to me, at least without first warning the client.
The first time I ever used a catalyzed ink on Nylon was for umbrellas, and we certainly never considered removing the waterproofing. I think that also negates the main reason we are using the catalyst, that it is also an adhesive.

I think a poly white will give you a great result including the strechability

[Frog]

I'm thinking plastisol as well. We have what we need. I've got some 900 series Catalyst that i use with white plastisol to print on other things like bags and rolling coolers. Catalyst on the hoodies or nah (75cotton/25poly)?

Do you think I'll have to use isopropyl alcohol to combat the "rain defender" coating on the hoodies?

There's also one jacket that is half nylon and half spandex but its only one layer so I don't I'll think need the jacket hold-down pallet. (definitely catalyst)

I think the hoodies will be fine in the dryer but I don't know about the jacket. I could just give the catalyst a boost with the heat gun and let it air dry overnight.

I'm wondering if i should flash the hoodies for a second layer. Probably be best..

I'm thinkin' out loud guys. Thank you for your responses.

The Spandex in the jacket kinda' forces you into adding stretch to the ink.
As for using alcohol to remove waterproofing from a rain garment, that has always seemed a little crazy to me, at least without first warning the client.
The first time I ever used a catalyzed ink on Nylon was for umbrellas, and we certainly never considered removing the waterproofing. I think that also negates the main reason we are using the catalyst, that it is also an adhesive.

I think a poly white will give you a great result including the strechability

Poly with the catalyst/adhesive? Now if it's truly 50% spandex, I don't know if any ink will give that much stretchability. Most things I've seen top out at 10%

[Alchemink]

The jacket is 90% nylon and 10% spandex. I'm thinking of just adding catalyst to some white plastisol and calling it good. Only question is: should I PFP or just get a nice double stroke down?

Since the hoodies are 75cotton/25 poly, should I just PFP my Endurance Plus White (a poly white)? And say screw the "rain defender"?

The client gave us these garments and he's been warned about them so this really is just experimentation that may or may not work out.

Regardless, I will be posting my methods and results here so as to contribute to future inquiries. \m/

[Alchemink]

Since the hoodies are 75cotton/25 poly, should I just PFP my Endurance Plus White (a poly white)? And say screw the "rain defender"?

This worked swimmingly. Rain defender couldn't defend my PFP of Endurance Plus white (plastisol) . Dryer temp 340 for 2:15. (our dryer is YUGE and long because we have to cure full frontal prints of waterbase.)

Nylon jacket coming up....