Stop and Think About the Ink!

In the digital age, it's easy to forget about ink - yes, ink! But it's everywhere, all around you; from the membership cards in your wallet, to the milk carton in your refrigerator, and on the front of your coffee mug. It's in the pictures on your walls, the upholstery on your furniture, and the carpet on your floor. You're even covered in it from head to toe - from the hat on your head to the shoes on your feet!

But did you ever stop to think that there are different kinds of ink? You'd be excused if you haven't! Sure, you know the ink in your printer and the ink in your pen aren't identical, but you use them both for more or less the same thing.

But what about the ink in your clothes; in the emblem on your baseball cap, or on the back of your favorite shirt? What kind of ink is that?

Well, in textile printing, there are two main types of ink that are most commonly used; water-based ink, and plastisol ink. Both types are very popular; however water-based inks have some distinctive advantages over other kinds.

Plastisol ink is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based system - in other words, plastic. In graphic screen printing, it's referred to as a 100% solid ink system. Most plastisol inks are solvent based, meaning that they use one or more chemicals to keep the color part of the ink suspended during printing operations, which is then solidified - or cured - at a very high temperature. Because of its complex properties, highly toxic and hazardous materials are produced in the manufacture of these inks.

Water-based ink, on the other hand, is practically all-natural; it consists of little more than dyes or pigments dissolved in water, and is cured by simply allowing the water to evaporate at room temperature.

Graphic Perspective proudly uses water-based inks whenever possible to produce high-quality, environmentally-friendly screen printed apparel and accessories. Not only is our use of water-based inks cleaner and safer, but it also makes our garments softer and more comfortable to wear. Is the emblem on the back of your favorite shirt soft to the touch? Does it move with you, iron well, and breathe easily? Then you might be wearing water-based ink!

So next time you order apparel - whether for your company picnic, team event or a special occasion - stop and think about the ink! And remember that at Graphic Perspective, our environmentally friendly-textiles and a water-based ink screen-printed designs produce a finished garment that feels great and will minimally impact our planet.

A Thank You From Team Brennan Bulldogs

This week we received a nice Thank You card from Brennan Bulldogs who raised $3,665 for Autism Services & Resources Connecticut (ASRC) by walking as a team in their cool team shirts which, we are proud to say, were created by Graphic Perspective!

The ASRC Walk for Autism 2013 was held on Sunday, May 5, at Choate Rosmary Hall High School in Wallingford, Connecticut.

The ASRC is a non-profit organization that serves individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), their family members, and the professionals who work with them. Their mission is to provide, through their many programs, the most recent information and research to help parents and professionals understand the barriers and challenges people with ASD face on a daily basis.

Our congratulations go out to Team Brennan Bulldogs for their fantastic support of a great cause; and thank you for making us a proud supporter of your team.

Go Brennan Bulldogs!

What to Change The Earth? Change Your Shirt!

We at Graphic Perspective are proud to use environmentally friendly textiles made from hemp when creating custom-made apparel and accessories for your business or organization in the Rhode Island community.

Hemp in particular is one of the most promising crops for the future of our planet; it's one of the faster growing crops for textiles and requires few pesticides  - and no herbicides. It needs approximately half as much territory as cotton per ton of finished textile, and needs about 50 percent less water.  In fact, when you add processing into the equation, cotton uses more than four times as much water as hemp!

But that's not all: Did you know that hemp clothing is more comfortable than cotton? It's stronger, and more durable than cotton, and has insulative qualities that allow clothing wearers to stay cool in summer and warm in the winter. It's 4 times more absorbent than cotton, is flame retardant, and it also provides UV protection!

And as if that wasn't enough, consider this: from hemp we can get food, clothes, fuel, books, cleaning products, and even building supplies!

Hemp clothing is endowed with both softness and strength, as well as a host of ecologically friendly qualities, making hemp textiles ideal for green consumers looking for organic options that feels great and make a difference for the planet. When compared to other fibers like cotton, hemp is the far superior choice.

So for your next fundraiser, company picnic, or gathering, consider placing your order for environmentally friendly and superiorly comfortable uniforms, t-shirts, hats, accessories and more from Graphic Perspective  - where doing what's right looks good on you!