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My Journey to Screen Printing with Water Based Inks

The first time I ever laid my hands on a squeegee I was using water-based screen printing ink at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design. We used a combination of “Speedball” brand ink and a type of ink we made ourselves composed of fibre reactive dyes and a substance called “Manutex”– which turned into a jelly consistency once blended. This ink was highly pigmented and absorbed really nicely into fabrics made from natural fibres like cotton. At the college, I learned the basics of screen printing with water based inks. Since there was no printing press at the time in the studio, we printed “free-hand”– with one person holding the screen while the other person pulled the squeegee (when nobody was around, we used bricks to hold down the screen). This proved to be tricky with the hand-mixed Manutex ink dye, because it was so runny it sometimes “bled” ink where the image was printed.

My first screen print at NBCCD using Speedball ink, 2015

After taking a screen printing hiatus for a year (while I working with non-profit organization Warm Heart Worldwide in Thailand), I got my first screen printing job in Victoria, BC. The job was to print vast amounts of fabric yardage by hand, before moving on to be cut and sewn into beautiful clothing. Once again I was printing with “Speedball” water-based ink, which worked pretty well despite it’s tendency to dry in the screen after an hour or so. Water based ink loves to dry up over time, so I would always have a spray bottle of water near by, carefully adding the right amount to the ink in the screen to keep going.

After a few months of screen printing fabric under my belt, I moved onto a full-scale promotional product company. There I began to learn the skills that would shape my future into what it is today. Being introduced to using a 4-colour press , 6-colour press and a 10-head automatic press on top of a different type of ink was a lot to take in at first, but became second-nature quickly. The first few times I used plastisol ink I got it all over me, and realized that it doesn’t just wash off with water like water based ink does. You need to use soap or a popular shop supply item – citrus hand cleaner. The citrus hand cleaner has a gritty sand-like texture and smells like oranges. This stuff works really well to clean your hands (however it’s something I don’t miss). With water based ink, a quick rinse with water is simply all you need.

I was introduced to the world of plastisol ink working for a bigger company that did all of their screen printing in-house. Plastisol ink is a petroleum-based product that is composed of PVC particles suspended in a plasticizing emulsion. Its advantage is that it doesn’t dry up in the screen over time and is fairly easy to print with. If you were manually printing a large job that couldn’t be finished in one day, you’d simply leave the ink in the screen set-up for the next time you print. With water based ink you have to wash the ink out of the screen as soon as you’re finished printing and allow the screen to dry then re-set up the job. Another reason why Plastisol ink is a popular choice is because it’s quite a bit cheaper than water based ink. Once printed, a plastisol ink print will feel thick and heavy to the touch and will eventually break down and flake apart over time. Water based ink feels soft and absorbs into the fabric very nicely for a long lasting quality print.

Printing in the jungle vibes of Sunnybank Print House

Prior to starting Sunnybank Print House in New Brunswick, I toyed with the idea of using a combination of plastisol and water based inks. I liked that water-based inks were more environmentally friendly and required less cleaning products, but I also really enjoyed printing with plastisol because of the thicker consistency that is easier to control in the screen. When it was time to open my shop I experimented with various kinds of inks ultimately deciding on Permaset Aqua and Green Galaxy. Permaset Aqua is quite runny and tricky to work with but the colours are very bright, and print really nicely on lighter garments. Green Galaxy quickly became my go-to ink, simply because it has a thicker consistency similar to plastisol ink which is easier to control. Green Galaxy ink is first Phthalate and PVC free water based ink that performs like plastisol but feels like water based ink. This type of ink is a HSA (high solids acrylic) product, there is a portion of the ingredients that are acrylic (Permaset Aqua does too). Although these types of inks are labeled as “eco-friendly”, I like to call them “eco-conscious” and a healthier alternative to using Plastisol.

Canvas bags screen printed, water based ink — Screen printed zipper canvas bags.

After being reintroduced to the world of water based inks, I wanted to offer a eco-conscious alternative and surround myself with safer products in the work space. Of course there are drawbacks, but sometimes the quicker and cheaper ways aren’t always the best. I believe that it’s important to take the necessary steps to ensure we are doing our part in helping the environment, even if it comes at a higher price. The garment industry isn’t the most eco-friendly industry, but there are things we can do to help improve the process. The life-long effects of certain industrial chemicals are catastrophic to our environment and health, and it’s important that we become more aware of new and safer products. As for water based screen printing – I will continue to explore this method until there is a more environmentally friendly option in the future.
_–Anna

Choosing the right fabric for water based ink screen printing

Many people go about their day by getting dressed with clothing not thinking too much about how it was made. Fabric comes in many forms and serves infinite purposes. The process begins by creating a yarn from two main categories which are “natural fibres” and “manmade fibres”, then the yarn is used to; weave, knit, knot, felt, glue, bond or melt together to create a piece of material known as cloth or fabric. In this post, I’m going to touch down on some of the different types of fibres and the types of fabric that make up the garments Sunnybank Print House prefer to screen print on.

Stacks of hand-woven fabric in Chiang Mai, Thailand 2016 (during my time working with the NGO Warm Heart Worldwide)

Natural fibres are broken down into two main categories; plant-based and animal-based. Animal fibre is created by using hair from animals like; sheep, llamas, camels, alpacas, goats and even silk-worms. Plant-based types of natural fibres are derived from plants such as; cotton, bamboo, hemp, jute, eucalyptus, and even algae! Since natural fibres are made from living organisms they can have many ecological benefits since they are biodegradable and usually more breathable than their synthetic counterparts.

Manmade fibres are separated into two categories; natural and synthetic. Natural polymers include; viscose rayon, cupro (regenerated cellulose fibres from recycled cotton), modal and bamboo rayon. These fibres are derived from natural elements like grass and trees, and are processed into ground up fibres that are spun into yarn before being woven into fabric. Synthetic polymer fibres such as; nylon, polyester, polyamide, acrylic, elastic, polyethylene, etc. are often referred to as plastics, these fibres are derived from petroleum oil and are created through scientific means. Synthetic fibres are known to be cheaper to produce (popular with fast fashion brands), and are known to be non-biodegradable. Since most natural fibres can come at a high price, manufactures produce imitation alternatives with synthetic fibres at a much lower cost.

Knitting factory where we get our Canadian-made garments from in the Greater Toronto Area

One of the most popular fabric choices worldwide is cotton. This natural fibre has been a dependable option for over 7,000 years, and is a type of shrub plant that is farmed in subtropical regions. You can find this soft and fluffy fibre growing mostly in China, India and the United States (our Sunnybank cotton tees are made with cotton from North Carolina, USA). The most common t-shirt is 100% cotton made with “open-end” cotton — producing a cheap garment with a scratchy feel that appears frayed and jagged under a microscope. The softest grade of cotton you can get is “ring spun” – when the raw cotton is taken and all of the impurities are combed out and spun into a long strand of yarn that produces a tight weave. Every ring spun cotton t-shirt we use for our Sunnybank products is made from 40-singles combed cotton. Singles refers to the thread count, the higher the number the softer and more premium the t-shirt is (singles counts range from 18-40 for basic t-shirts). Ring spun cotton t-shirts are incredibly soft and a dream to screen-print on, as quality cotton fabric absorbs water based ink nicely and results in a smooth print while it proves very durable during the curing process (heat pressing the print with heat at around 320° Fahrenheit for 3 minutes).

An increasingly popular and premium fabric option is bamboo, with it’s silky-smooth feel and incredible fabric properties. Some fabric benefits include; moisture wicking, antibacterial, thermo regulating and UV protection. Paired with organic cotton, our Canadian-made bamboo garments are sourced from organic-certified mills in China and India. Bamboo crops grow insanely fast without the use of pesticides, and if there is enough rainfall there is no additional irrigation required (an eco-friendly bonus as far as water consumption goes). The process to fabric begins once the bamboo is harvested then made into chips before being made into a pulp. Afterwards, the bamboo pieces are soaked in an organic solution for them to turn into cellulose, which takes place in specialist farms in the Sichuan Province of China. Once the cellulose is dried, pressed, crushed and left out for evaporation, it’s added to a different solution and forced through a “spinnerette” nozzle producing a yarn similar cotton or wool. The bamboo yarn is Oeko-Tex 100 certified, and contains no harsh chemicals involved during the production process. At Sunnybank, we love wearing and printing on these luxuriously soft bamboo garments since they are very breathable and comfortable. The curing process varies slightly from 100% cotton, but when it’s done correctly the garments turn out wonderfully.

A bamboo forest in Sichuan Province, China

Another earth-conscious fabric option is hemp, which has similar properties to bamboo. Hemp is a phenotype of the Cannabis sativa plant and is grown for industrial uses, it produces a hearty crop that can grow nearly anywhere in the world! This amazing plant can grow up to 3 times more than cotton on the same size of land. Like bamboo, the plant requires no pesticides as it is pest-resilient and requires minimal watering. Once made into fabric it becomes naturally resistant to mold and mildew and is also UV-protective like bamboo. Hemp is also 4-times more durable than cotton— isn’t that cool? We don’t currently have any screen printed hemp products but it’s definitely an option worth exploring in the future.

Scoop bottom t-shirt & organic cotton bandana

Synthetic fabric like polyester is a widely used option in today’s clothes, although it’s not the most environmentally conscious option, it can produce high quality garments when used appropriately. Polyester plastic was discovered in a lab during 1930, with the first commercial polyester fabric coming out in 1941 called Terylene. Sometimes certain t-shirt styles and colours are only available in 50/50 ring-spun cotton and polyester blends, and end up turning out quite nice. Screen printing with water based ink on 50/50 poly/cotton blends works well because the types of fibres are split evenly when woven, where are a “triblend” shirt is composed of 3 or more fabrics (usually mostly synthetic) is more difficult to obtain a nice smooth print because of the multi-combination of fibres. For the past year we have sold many “scoop bottom” ladies tees that are composed of 50% ring-spun cotton and 50% polyester, the style and the thickness of the fabric has been widely complimented.

Ultra soft bamboo t-shirt; an everyday favourite!

When learning about the world of fabric you could really go on forever! There is so much history and information out there, it’s truly amazing. At Sunnybank Print House we love supporting ethically made clothing, and especially like to promote natural fibres— leaning towards a more sustainable fashion future. Fabrics that are composed of ring spun cotton or bamboo combined with organic cotton really do look and feel amazing against your skin. I feel like lately I am always reaching for my bamboo clothes because they are simply too comfortable not to. In conclusion, I’m looking forward to seeing what future innovations there will be when it comes to the fabrics that clothe us and how they react to water based screen printing!

-Anna

One Year in Business at the Saint John City Market

The Saint John City Market is the oldest continuing farmers market in Canada. It was built between 1877 and 1876, the market was lucky enough to survive the great Saint John fire of 1877. In 1986 the market was designated a national historic site in Canada, and is a beloved destination for both locals and tourists. The unique structure resembles an up-side down ship, and is an iconic piece of architecture in New Brunswick.

First display at the Saint John City Market, April 2019. Work in progress : )

The city market has always been a favourite destination of mine. After starting Sunnybank Print House in November of 2018, I began to think of how fun it would be to set up in the market as a part-time vendor. Following a successful application process, Sunnybank set up for the first time at the market on Easter weekend in April 2019. I didn’t know what to expect with no previous retail experience, but I was confident I could handle it having worked with the public for over a decade.

The area where we set up was in a dusty cob-webbed corner with no other vendors. I chose this space because there was plenty of room with potential for great display. I figured that the area was likely to fill up as cruise ship season was approaching. Not to mention all of the new businesses popping up around town (new restaurants, bars, cafes, breweries and events) it’s exciting to see Uptown Saint John’s economic improvement from the last time I lived in the area in 2012.

Bay of Fundy T Shirt, fanny packs and pouches on display at the Saint John City Market

On our first day in action at the Market, I strategically placed all (and I mean all) my products and thought the display looked great. As you can see from my photos, it was actually quite cluttered and the t-shirt designs were hidden by stacks of garments. I had no signs indicating prices, and no front entrance display for visitors to see as they first enter the market. Looking back on it, I had a lot to learn from my first day. Despite the smaller space and lack of display organization, the first day was made hugely successful because of the support of friends, family and acquaintances. Everyone was happy to see us in action, and our vision was starting to come to life. The first day (and a few after), my partner Ryan DeCourcey came along to assist – but we soon realized that the space really only needed 1 person selling.

Moving forward, I made a habit of setting up on Saturdays, then cruise ships began coming weekly on Tuesdays. At first I was still a bit shy to really engage with customers, but then I learned how to be confident selling my product I believed in. I really started to enjoy talking up my screen-printed goods on 100% Canadian made clothing – and the consumers loved it too! I explained how the garments are ethically made in Toronto, and printed with eco-conscious water-based inks with premium options like bamboo and organic cotton available too.

Each new market day I rearranged my display so that the products and prices were visible, I added an information sign with a display mannequin near the front entrance and set up an iPad to draw people into the dog bandanas by playing a slideshow of customers’ beloved pets wearing our hand printed products. The slideshow turned out to be a wonderful marketing technique, and also became a great conversation starter for anyone walking by. I love connecting with other pet-lovers while they eagerly show me every picture on their phone – they always leave with a smile on their face.

Sunnybank merchandise display continues to evolve. Saint John City Market, September 2019

As the months progressed more and more tourists were in town, ultimately seeking New Brunswick, Canada inspired swag. I started to get feedback on my products and learn what people were looking for – catering to their needs as best I could. Out-of-towners loved to snatch up items that said Canada or New Brunswick on them, which I assumed would be the case. Just as important was the story behind my hand-printed garments, and the ladies especially told me how much they like the fit of “scoop bottom” hem tees. The most popular seller being the “Bay of Fundy” design boasting a little bit of everything from New Brunswick; deer, lobsters, whales, trees, maple leaves, boat, anchor, etc. I must say I am extremely fortunate to team with an amazing “art department” who is very skilled at composing such ornate designs.

With talented jewellery vendors from Hampton NB. Last cruise ship day of the season, November 2019

The Saint John City Market vibe is full of energy when visitors are in full vacation mode, with hundreds of people swarming the aisles eating snacks and browsing local gifts. With plenty of walking and bus tours, it’s common to see and hear tour guides dressed in old-time outfits replicating our first settlers. Whenever they walk past the Sunnybank bench, I felt so inspired listening to them tell the history of the old port city – Canada’s oldest incorporated city in fact!

The cruise ship season in Saint John really picked up in September to mid-October, with some days being up to 11,000 passengers in town from up to 3 ships in port. The majority were Americans, with some ships coming from Europe. The busiest time was by-far the fall months, people come from all over the world to see the autumn leaves change colours. Overall, I feel like cruise ships are beneficial to the local economy and small- business owners like myself can really benefit from the influx of visitors. Our Sunnybank online shop continues to get visitors from across the globe from people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in person.

The 2020 cruise ship season starts back up in May (with one small ship arriving in April) and goes until the first week of November. This year they are anticipating the busiest year yet with over 90 ships coming to the port city. June, September and October are looking to be the most popular months with several “triple” ship days. I honestly can’t wait for the season to start because it feels like I get to go travelling by meeting thousands of new people, hearing their stories while sharing my own. If you haven’t been to the Saint John City Market, I highly suggest stopping by the next time you’re in town. With plenty of food and artisanal vendors it’s a destination you don’t want to miss! Come say hello!