FAQ
What are phthalates? And, why should inks be phthalate free?
The Orthophthalate Story:
Orthophalates have been used for several decades as the main plasticizers in PVC compounds. There are dozens of orthophthalates used today and they give different properties, e.g. cure speed, permanence and viscosity.
PVC textile inks have been used by the screen printing industry for the last 20 years or so and these normally contain one of these orthophthalates.
Now some of these plasticizers are being looked at by the European Governing bodies as potentially carcinogenic. Most of the evidence comes from a study done about ten years ago on laboratory rats, that caused liver and kidney tumors at high exposure levels.
The study was done on Dioctyl Orthophthalate (also called 2-ethlyhexyl phthalate) or DOP. Most plastisol compounders like QCM company stopped using DOP many years ago when the study was first published. Strangely enough DOP is still required for use in many medical applications. This is a case of one technical body (the FDA) not agreeing with another technical body (the EPA).
QCM Company has been manufacturing 98% of it's screen printing ink lines for many years with no orthophthalates at all - the XOLB, WOW, LFP, the QMX, the AP, the HS, MTL, GL, EHP, and the OPC lines.
These lines contain proprietary types of plasticizers, which are metabolized by the body and do not accumulate in the kidneys or liver. They also have biodegradable properties, which have benefits in the disposal (land-filling) of cured PVC inks.
Please call Roy Wheeldon at QCM Technical Services for more information : 1-800-321-0170.
Simulated Processing - How It Works
If printing on a colored shirt, print a base plate using XOLB-158 Glacier White through a 160-230 mesh screen using a sharp 70 durometer squeegee, then flash. This is the only time a flash is needed.
Print the remaining colors through a 305 mesh using a 70/90/70 durometer squeegee.
With proper technique (flood / print) this will allow the inks to "mix" on the shirt by printing halftone dots on top of halftone dots achieving the multiple colors and blends within your design.
Benefits of using QCM WOW inks:
- These inks work with most popular separation programs
- You can print almost ANY design in six colors
- Simulated Process printing is more stable than CYMK
- You can print on any shirt color
What does "environmentally friendly" inks mean?
QCM inks contain no Cadmium, Azo, Formaldehyde, Chromium, Lead, Tin, Nickel, Trichlorophenols, Chlorinated Organic Solvents, Tetra Chlorophenols, PentaChlorophenols, or disperse dyes.
In fact, QCM raw material selection has always avoided the use of heavy metals and solvents.All our inks are classifieds as 100% Non-Toxic.
Most QCM Ink lines contain a 5% recycled content. In addition, most of our XOLB inks contain 5% soy derivative. Look for further news on Soy Content in our inks.
