4 Litre Metallic Textile Fabric Screen Printing Ink

Metallic inks use a Supercover base for solid prints onto black and dark surfaces as the ink base and increased levels of pigments creates a solid opaque print onto the material.
- Supercover is also known as 'Opaque' Screen Printing Ink.
- Metallic's can also be printed onto white and light colours, using off contact printing - see usage below.

Aquatex textile ink is Australian made to professional trade quality standards for printing textiles/ t-shirts/ fabrics/ materials/ canvas/ paper - used by professional screen printers, home business and crafters alike.

A suitable substitute to Permaset Metallic or Hydrotex Metallic textile screen printing ink.

• 100% water based for easy clean up, with fully intermixable colours.
• Trade quality pigments provide permanent, waterproof & dry cleanable prints.
• Print onto 100% cotton and also 100% polyester (plus all poly-cotton blends) without additional fixing additives.
• Easy to print, long screen drying time with professional results.
• Non-toxic and chemical free - safe for children and students.
• Australian made, environmentally friendly formula is safe to use, tested to AS/NZ 8124.3.

Usage

Metallic inks use a supercover base containing 4 times more pigments than Standard inks with a thicker consistency and must be printed using the 'off contact' printing technique, same printing process used for metals/ glass, however Table Adhesive is applied under the garment to hold it flat during printing. 

See how it's done in the Training Section of the site, or download the PDF now for instructions.

When printed correctly, Supercover inks do not require a white base coat layer, you can print directly in your colour onto the item. Some low absorbent materials and high synthetics may require 2 layers of the same colour drying between each layer. Jig Hinges or a carousel is recommended for this application to maintain registration.

What happens if I print directly using Metallic inks??
Due to the thicker nature of the Metallic ink, when you lift the design up lots of the ink will also lift and stick to the back of the silk screen, your design will be patchy and the ink will begin drying in the designs area. Elevate your frame, it's easy to do and you will receive solid prints.

A guide to screen printing is available in the Training section of the site, or download the PDF.

Remember, using Jig Hinges or a carousel makes the process faster for repeat prints and multiple colours.

How to make Metallic ink thinner/ easier to print - use Retarder, do not use water.
Retarder is an additive designed to work on the base of the ink not the pigmentation, making it thinner and easier to use/ print, without diluting the pigmentation to maintain a solid print.
- Adding water will thin the base and pigments, making the ink more transparent and altering the construction of the ink base.
- Remember adding retarder may increase the drying time of the ink depending on the material/ surface printed.

Colour Swatches

Colour swatch sample is applied onto cotton fabric to provide an accurate result of the final colour of the product once heat set. This is a spatula applied sample of varying textures, not a screen print.

Colour variations may occur due to variations in computer monitor/ display colour profiles. The colour of your fabric may affect the final colour where no base coat is printed, or insufficient coverage has been applied. 

Bulk Pricing Updates in Cart

Bulk pricing may apply to this product. Pricing displayed may be updated in cart based on quantity purchases.
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Shipping Notice - No Free Options

As you can calculate, this product is supplied at a heavily discounted cost. When added to your cart, no free delivery options will be available due to the weight and bulk of the product.
- If you qualified for a free delivery option with other items in your cart, we suggest splitting your order into two parts and making an ink only order. Orders can not be split after submitting.

To calculate shipping costs, use the shipping calculator on the product page, or add items to cart, view the cart and enter your post code to display available options.
- If an option does not appear, create a Quote and contact us for a shipping cost.