Want to know what’s really inside the prints on your products?
Most eco brands source organic cotton and recycled packaging for months. Then they outsource the printing… and ask NOTHING about their inks.
Here’s the problem:
Approximately 2,000 chemicals are used in the textile industry. Some are safe. Others are hazardous. If your supplier isn’t being careful, your “green” brand is taking the gamble.
The good news?
A few smart questions will tell you everything you need to know.
Inside This Guide:
- Why Chemical Safety Matters For Your Brand
- What About UV DTF Stickers?
- 7 Questions To Ask Your Printing Supplier
- Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away
Why Chemical Safety Matters For Your Brand
Chemical safety in printing isn’t a “nice to have” anymore.
It impacts the customers wearing your clothes, the workers making them, and the aquatic life near your production facilities. Textile dyeing is responsible for an estimated 20% of industrial water pollution, according to the World Health Organisation.
They keep ratcheting up the standards too. California and New York have laws that ban intentionally added PFAS from most categories of everyday clothing. PFAS levels are now limited to less than 100 parts per million of organic fluorine.
PFAS are a group of over 9,000 chemicals. Forever chemicals. They don’t degrade. They accumulate in water, ground… and humans.
Think about it:
If your customer or a regulator tests your product and discovers something unpleasant, claiming “the supplier said it was fine” won’t rescue you.
What About UV DTF Stickers?
Many brands have branched out past just t-shirts. They sell mugs, tumblers, water bottles and notebooks. That is where UV DTF stickers can play a part.
UV DTF transfers are printed with UV-reactive inks onto a sheet, which is then laminated with a clear carrier. Simply peel and apply to rigid surfaces. No heat press required. Cool, huh?
But here’s the thing…
UV inks are different from garment inks. UV inks dry when exposed to UV light for a few seconds. Ingredients prior to cure can cause skin irritations (think acrylates). Think of a sticker that has been fully cured vs one that has not.
Ask your supplier how they cure UV DTF stickers and how they store raw DTFS inks. Whether you’re ordering stickers for drinkware or Wholesale DTF Transfers for a complete line of t-shirts, the questions are the same. Quality inks. Proper adhesive. Rigorous testing. A reliable supplier won’t blink at either question.
7 Questions To Ask Your Printing Supplier
The serious stuff. Copy and paste the following questions into your next email. Send it to all of your suppliers.
1. Are Your Inks Certified?
Begin with this. Ask whether their inks are produced with a recognised certification like OEKO-TEX ECO PASSPORT or comply with ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals). These programmes benchmark chemicals against stringent RLS’s.
No certification? That’s not always a deal-breaker… but you’ll want to know why.
2. Can You Share Safety Data Sheets?
All inks, powders and films should have an accompanying Safety Data Sheet (SDS). This provides a list of hazards, major ingredients and safe handling procedures.
If a supplier won’t tell you this, they are sketchy. Or don’t know what is in their product.
Neither is good.
3. Do Your Products Contain PFAS?
Don’t think the answer is no. A UL research study identified 11 out of 20 PFAS it tested for in common everyday clothing such as t-shirts and leggings. PFAS can be lurking in coatings, finishes and some laminated film layers.
Request a “no intentionally added PFAS” written statement. In E-MAIL. Not “yes, we have not intentionally added PFAS” over the phone.
4. What’s In Your Adhesive Powder?
DTF transfers have a powder coating of hot-melt adhesive to fix the print to the garment. Find out what the adhesive is made from and if it contains any restricted plasticisers (some phthalates).
This is where most brands overlook. It touches your customer’s skin.
5. How Do You Handle Waste And Wastewater?
Where do those leftover inks, cleaning fluids and used films go? Sustainable brands must work with suppliers who responsibly dispose of chemical waste…. Not down the drain.
Here’s why this matters:
Waste chemicals don’t just vanish when you pour them down the drain. They end up in streams, farm land and drinking water. And it’s your brand on the label that gets held responsible for the problem even if the problem was never yours. Ask your supplier where your waste goes, in English. If they hesitate or can’t explain, that’s your answer.
6. Is Your Product Tested By A Third Party?
Self testing is okay. Third party lab tests are great. Ask for recent reports and verify the dates.
A test from 2019 doesn’t tell you much about today’s ink batch.
7. How Do You Protect Your Workers?
Chemical safety doesn’t stop at the final product. Ask questions about ventilation, gloves, masks and training. A supplier who cares about their staff will care about everything else as well.
Right down to your product itself. Satisfied, knowledgeable employees mean fewer errors, properly cured prints and identifying issues before they reach customers.
Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away
Not all vendors will answer your questions perfectly. That’s fine. Small printers are still learning just like everyone else. However there are a few answers that should warn you away immediately:
- “It’s all safe, don’t worry about it.”
- No SDS available (or “we’ll send it later”)
- Certificates that are expired or for a different product
- Vague answers about where the inks come from
If a supplier gets defensive, that tells you a lot.
It’s just like purchasing a used car. You don’t buy it if the seller doesn’t let you peek under the hood. The same principle applies. Straightforward suppliers have nothing to hide. They happily show you the paperwork.
Safety Questions are the favorite of top-tier suppliers. They provide an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to safety. And when a supplier gladly emails certificates, test reports and data sheets within 24-48 hours?
That’s a great sign you’ve found a long-term partner.
Bringing It All Together
Ensuring chemical safety in garment printing is among the easiest sustainability victories your brand can achieve. Asking costs nothing…and it can protect your customers, your workers and your reputation.
To quickly recap:
- Ask for ink certifications and Safety Data Sheets
- Get a written PFAS-free statement
- Check adhesives, waste handling and third-party tests
- Ask how UV DTF stickers are cured before they ship
- Walk away from vague or defensive answers
Send questions. Receive answers. File away every response. Repeat this process annually. Inks evolve. Suppliers evolve. Your checks should too. Then build your product line with confidence.
Your customers are trusting you to get this right!
