Yesterday I wrote about the problems we are all seeing with dye migration, the dye of the shirts going into the ink we print on all the myriad of types of fabric that we now have to print on. The post gave instructions for a test using plasticizer and a heat press.

Further testing is perhaps required.

1. To accelerate the dye migration process, put a shirt in a box and put it on a hot spot in your shop like in the sun or on top of your conveyor oven (dryer.) The migration happens as a function of heat and time, so adding a little heat decreases the time to see the problems arise.

2. In order to prevent dye migration you are trying to reduce heat to the garment, both less flash heat and less curing heat. Your next test is to make sure you didn’t go too far and the only way to be positive is to wash the shirt and make sure the ink is cured and therefore is staying on the shirt. Either get a washer and dryer at work or bring shirts home, but definitely test them.