So Rad has decided to use heat press labels in clothing

Want to Know About Our labels (back of the neck)?

If you have purchased an item with a cloth label, know that So Rad selected the 100% cotton label with a screen print of all the required info. Natural and unbleached cotton twill.

If your So Rad item has a printed label;

These labels are heat pressed using professional grade transfer paper and ink jet ink - But why ink jet ink you ask? Well, So Rad asked around, did some research and requested feedback from customers regarding printed labels and discovered that some babies and toddlers have an allergy to the ink in the printed labels! If your child develops a rash on the back of his or her neck, it might be an ink allergy to the printed labels. So Rad discovered that this allergy is usually caused by plastisol in some garment inks.

Here's some interesting info regarding allergies caused by inks and note that inkjet ink is mostly WATER. Since it is adhearing to paper, it doesn't require plastisol. The inks also have biocides, fungicides and buffering agents to keep the ink free of bacteria.

Newsprint allergies are caused becuse the ink contains sap from trees, which a few ppl are allergic too and can cause skin irritations

toner dusk and laser printer allergies can cause allergies, bronchitis and lung issues, asthma, etc..

plastisol in ink, which helps it bond to fabric, (it actually wraps itself around the fibers in the clothing) is the ingredient that causes allergies, rashes

inkjet printer ink is mainly water.
Although there are many variations to the inkjet ink formula, the basic components of this ink are: water, colorant, humectants and co-solvents, fixative, surfactants, resin, biocides/fungicides, and buffering agents.

So Rad does it like this;

The ink is printed onto the transfer paper and set aside to dry. Once dry, the labels are cut into their shape and heat pressed onto the garment, sealing the ink and transfer paper together and onto the garment.

Inkjet Ink Info

Water, colorant, co-solvents and humectants are the basis of all inkjet ink, regardless of quality. It is the quality and amount of each component that determine the level of performance. Water, which makes up 50 to 90 percent of the mix, is what dilutes the colorant and other chemicals to make the ink spread thinly and evenly as it is distributed from the cartridge. Purity of the water used is crucial in developing a formula that won't be contaminated, causing quality and performance issues.

Colorants (dyes or pigments) can vary widely in quality and style. Specific dye and pigment combinations determine the levels of all other chemicals to be used in manufacturing inkjet ink. Lower quality colorants make it more difficult to render a good ink. A variety of tests are used to determine a colorant's viscosity, pH, color matching and other factors that determine its final performance quality.

Co-solvent and humectants are used to prevent or deter evaporation of the water-based formula. As evaporation occurs at the print head, the formula and viscosity of the ink can alter unfavorably. To control or prevent this change, humectants, such as glycol, are added to the formula in varying degrees.

Other agents and chemicals are blended with the three major components of the ink formula to create a final product that spreads and dries evenly and adheres to the paper without flaws, such as feathering. Biocides, fungicides and buffering agents are used to keep the ink free from bacteria and fungi that might alter the formula and control the pH balance that is required for long term storage.

Resins are sometimes added to control the durability of the printed character after it has dried on the paper.

Read more: Formula for Making Inkjet Ink | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_4707862_formula-making-inkjet-ink.html#ixzz1G8WiqBRK