Textile Screen Printing Emulsions
Textile printers need emulsion solutions that can lower costs, increase efficiency and help deliver a greater volume of high quality products to keep up with steady growth and plenty of competition.
Which Emulsion Should I Choose?
Textile printers need emulsions that go beyond ink resistance and on-press durability. The right emulsion solutions can reduce costs, improve efficiency, and boost output. Below are our top recommendations for which Chromaline emulsion to use based on which ink you are using in your screen printing shop. Stencil selection will always play an important role in the success of each textile job—from fine, detailed halftones and text, to ink deposit and opacity requirements, using the right emulsion for your textile application can make the difference.
Contact Chromaline’s experienced Technical Specialists to help you find the optimum stencil system for your unique or challenging textile application. With years of product research and development, Chromaline has assembled a comprehensive product range for textiles, with solutions that will fit your textile screen printing needs.
Water-Based Inks
Water-based inks penetrate fabric fibers rather than sitting on top, resulting in a softer print feel. Because these inks have a higher water content, they require emulsions with excellent water resistance, such as Hydro-X Blue or Hydro-X Red, to prevent stencil breakdown during long production runs.
TOP PICKS: Hydro-X Blue or Hydro-X Red
Discharge Inks
Discharge inks remove the dye from dark fabrics and replace it with pigment, creating a bright, soft-hand print. Since discharge inks are water-based and chemically reactive, it's crucial to use an emulsion with strong water and chemical resistance, like Hydro-X Blue or Hydro-X Red, to ensure durability and maintain stencil integrity.
TOP PICKS: Hydro-X Blue or Hydro-X Red
Plastisol Inks
Plastisol inks are thick, opaque, and require heat to cure, making them ideal for printing on cotton, polyester, nylon, and Lycra® fabrics. Emulsions such as ChromaBlue® and ChromaLime® provide excellent resolution, high durability, and fast exposure times, ensuring clean, detailed prints even with fine halftones.
TOP PICKS: ChromaBlue® Photopolymer | ChromaLime® Photopolymer
Specialty Inks
Glitter, metallic, reflective, and puff inks add unique textures and effects to prints but require a stencil that can accommodate their thicker viscosity. ChromaBlue® and ChromaLime® emulsions are ideal choices, offering a smooth stencil surface and durable coating to handle specialty inks without excessive wear.
TOP PICKS: ChromaBlue® Photopolymer | ChromaLime® Photopolymer
High Density Inks
High-density inks require a thick stencil to achieve bold, dimensional prints, making stencil build-up a key factor in emulsion selection. SuperPhat Film is the preferred option for high-density applications, as it allows for precise, high-build stencils that hold up under repeated impressions and high ink deposit requirements.
TOP PICK: SuperPhat Film
What To Expect From Chromaline Emulsions
Excellent Build-up
The ability to achieve a thicker stencil with fewer passes, reducing labor and material costs while ensuring a consistent coating
Wide Exposure Latitude
Predictable, repeatable imaging that offer forgiving exposure times, making it easier to dial in the perfect image with both LED and traditional exposure units
Fast Drying and Exposure
Ability to dry quickly and expose rapidly, reducing the time spent in the screen-making process and minimizing downtime
Easy Reclaim
Easy, stain-free reclaim for quick turns and to extend the life of your screens by reducing the need for harsh reclaiming and dehazing chemicals
Excellent Price-Performance Ratio
Delivers professional results at a cost-effective price, designed to meet the demands of this highly competitive industry
Product Support
A knowledgeable support team for troubleshooting assistance, product recommendations, or advice on optimizing your screen-making process
"I have been using Chromaline emulsions for the past 20+ years. They never let me down and the support team is amazing. Thank you for helping to make my business a success!"
Textile Selection Chart
| Ink | Application | Type | Direct Emulsion | Capillary Film |
| Water-based inks | For soft-hand prints on light-colored fabrics | Water-based | CP Tex Diazo* DTS Z1 Photopolymer* Hydro-X Photopolymer Hydro-X Z1 Photopolymer Max-R Dual-Cure UDC-ACE Dual-Cure |
|
| Discharge inks | For soft-hand prints on dark fabrics | Water-based | CP Tex Diazo* DTS Z1 Photopolymer* Hydro-X Photopolymer Hydro-X Z1 Photopolymer Max-R Dual-Cure UDC-ACE Dual-Cure |
|
| Plastisol inks | For use on multi-color cotton, polyester, nylon and Lycra® fabrics | Plastisol | ChromaBlue® Photopolymer ChromaLime® Photopolymer Chroma/Tech® PL Photopolymer CP Tex Diazo* CP2™ Diazo CTR Photopolymer* DTS Z1 Photopolymer* Hydro-X Photopolymer Hydro-X Z1 Photopolymer Max-R Dual-Cure UDC-2 Dual-Cure UDC-HV Dual-Cure UDC-ACE Dual-cure* |
Pro/Cap® Diazo Pro/Cap TD® Diazo Magna/Cure® Dual-Cure Razor® Photopolymer* Quick Film |
| Glitter/Metallic/ Reflective inks | Special effect applications | Plastisol | ChromaBlue® Photopolymer ChromaLime® Photopolymer Chroma/Tech® PL Photopolymer CP Tex Diazo* CP2™ Diazo CTR Photopolymer* DTS Z1 Photopolymer* Hydro-X Photopolymer Hydro-X Z1 Photopolymer Max-R Dual-Cure UDC-2 Dual-Cure UDC-HV Dual-Cure UDC-ACE Dual-cure* |
Pro/Cap® Diazo Pro/Cap TD® Diazo Magna/Cure® Dual-Cure Razor® Photopolymer* Quick Film |
| High-Density Inks | For creating 3D effects | Plastisol | ChromaBlue® Photopolymer ChromaLime® Photopolymer Chroma/Tech® PL Photopolymer CTR Photopolymer* Hydro-X Photopolymer |
Super PHAT Photopolymer with UDC-ACE |
| Glue/Adhesive Inks | For embellishment adhesion: foil, transfers, sequins, caviar beads, patches, flocking | Plastisol or 2-Part | ChromaBlue® Photopolymer ChromaLime® Photopolymer Chroma/Tech® PL Photopolymer CTR Photopolymer* Hydro-X Photopolymer |
Super PHAT Photopolymer with UDC-ACE |
*Recommended for high-resolution Images
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