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screen printing => Ink and Chemicals => Topic started by: DannyGruninger on August 25, 2014, 10:48:36 AM
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I have a client that wants me to print a couple thousand yoga mats with glow in the dark style ink(they do yoga at night outside) and was curious if anyone as any suggestions? I know in the past we have used special inks for yoga mats since they are highly used/abused/rolled up so I know std plastisol wont do the trick.
Let me know if anyone has any suggestions
Thanks
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An FYI glow in the dark inks don't have much staying power. They will fade to nothing after a full charge in just a few minutes
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There are a number of glow powders on the market that have a super long charge. They are also much more expensive. The only supplier I know of off the top of my head is Glowzone.
Not knowing what ink carrier you are going to use - plastisol/waterbase/solvent base/etc... I would talk to your manufacturer and see what they have tested and recommend.
Best of luck!
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experienced this ourselves...
we did 2 layers (pfpf) of white underbase to give it a REALLY bright reflective underlayer..
and then did a pfp of the the glow in the dark, and even after putting the shirts in the sun for like 15 minutes, it maybe lasted 5-7 minutes in the dark..
kinda bummed out because it was a cool idea.
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a little off subject, but what inks do you use to print on yoga mats. (not glow in the dark). we do a lot for yoga studios, id love to be able to sell/print some other stuff for them.
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a little off subject, but what inks do you use to print on yoga mats. (not glow in the dark). we do a lot for yoga studios, id love to be able to sell/print some other stuff for them.
this is something we are trying to figure out too. We actually had pretty good luck with a p/f/p with the Xenon Mustang white.
Allure Glow is another company that makes glow in the dark powders as well
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Ask subway, they use the same chemicals in yoga mats in their bread. ;) try mayo.
I would check with Nazdar for a good base. I am sure they have something that will work.
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Doesn't help you with this particular print job, but for all other Yogis-in-the-dark, I have two words for you: fiber optics
Here's the new field to explore, adapt this technology to yoga mats. They have fabric already.
http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/Fiber_Optic_Fabric.htm (http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/Fiber_Optic_Fabric.htm)
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http://www.umccorp.com/luminova.htm (http://www.umccorp.com/luminova.htm)
By far the best powdered glow-in-the-dark pigment I've used, easily many hours of residual glow.
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was just reading about that pigment powder.. would you just mix that into standard (say white?) plastisol? or would you end up mixing it into some clear base?
Of topic: they recommend that it be 'lit' with sub 350nm light.. I wonder what happens with these products under all the LED lights that are coming out today... betting things won't glow as much.
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I would suggest mixing it into clear and printing on a white base if possible.
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Another thought on these. Hopefully they start in bright sunlight, and then there's an eclipse.
Otherwise, if stored and transported to the final location rolled up for a nighttime session, this ink won't get charged.
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you know they might do this under blacklights as well...which makes phosphorescents POP.
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Thanks everyone for the help..... So after talking with my client they are thinking ink that can change under black light would be a better option. Anyone care to help me with locating the correct ink for this?
Do you need to print on a base or can you print without a base?
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nazdar...but glow in the dark inks glow under a blacklight as well usually.
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Flourescents glow under blacklight, as does anything with optical brightener. Wilflex used to sell a clear called Luna Clear that was just soft hand with OB in it. No real sales, so it is a non-standard now.
BTW - yoga mats are plastisol. Yup just a foam plastisol that is metered onto a belt. I used to sell industrial plastisols into this market before it all went off shore to China. You can print standard plastisols on them with pretty good results as long as the temp stays below 330 or so.
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To be clear, there are essentially three types of inks intended for night viewing: Phosphorescent, fluorescent, (which can sometimes exhibit phosphorous properties) and reflective.