Silicone Inks are 'where it's at' for screen printing on silkies (aka Ranger Panties). I've been screen printing with plastisol and water based inks on silkies since 2016, and synchronistically "stumbled" upon silicone inks Summer of 2020. I did my research, talked to a couple of different ink companies, and then made the plunge by investing quite a bit of my savings into silicone inks (they're THAT GREAT for a reason!).
I mainly wanted to make the transition to using silicone inks because I believed the quality, feel, look, and durability of it would be the best (it was).
And secondly, using silicone inks are a bit more eco-conscious as they are Non-PVC, non-phthalate.
Here are Some Perks of the Silicone Inks I use on our Silkies:
—> Extreme stretchability
—> Excellent soft drape & super soft Hand Feel (no tackiness here!)
—> Excellent coverage and opacity
—> high performance and eco-conscious silicone ink by Zodiac™
—> Inks are Non-PVC, non-phthalate
—> these durable inks can tolerate heavy washes for lasting strength
RESULTS! I watched enough YouTube videos and researched as much as I could on silicone inks and screen printing with them. It was time to act and actually test it all out. This here was my first time printing with silicone inks. I screen printed our No Step on Snek logo with hand-mixed silicone inks (matte base, yellow toner, and catalyst) on these silkie smooth Ranger Panties (I call them Silkies!) and my little screen-printing-world was turned "right side up" hahaha!
My screen printing process with silicone inks on silkies (made of 100% nylon tricot) was so much easier than when I previously used Plastisol or water-based inks. The ink was smoother, the flash time was quicker, and I was able to toss these bad boys on my conveyor belt dryer and presto...gold.
I did a wash and dry test and here is the stretch test.
CONCLUSION:
I'll definitely be making the permanent transition to using silicone inks on all of our silkies for a gorgeous look, an impeccably smooth feel (butter baby!), and a promise of longevity.