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Water-based inks use water as the main solvent, but may also use other materials, including petrochemicals, as co-solvents. These inks have a soft hand, which means the printed design cannot easily be felt when you pass your hand across the printed part of the fabric. Once the ink is applied, the water is evaporated, usually with heat, and only the pigments are left behind.

Water-based inks are non-toxic and do not contain lead or other heavy metals. Unlike prints made with plastisol inks, prints made with water-based inks may be ironed.

For more information, see the Printers' National Environmental Assistance Center Fact Sheet: Plastisol vs. Water-based Ink for Textile Printing and the Wikipedia entry for Ink.

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