What is an underbase and how do I know if I need one?
An underbase is a printing technique that allows us to print bright colors on dark garments. A layer of White ink is printed, then any colors that are getting underbased are printed on top of it. As a result the colored ink doesn’t darken up from the color of the shirt like it would if an underbase weren’t used. If white isn’t a color in the design initially, we have to add an additional color which increases the price. There is a trade off for doing this, though. Since a layer of White ink is beneath any underbased colors, the ink is twice as thick in those areas. For smaller designs that don’t cover a large surface on the garment, this isn’t really a big deal. If underbased colors cover a large portion of the surface of the shirt an underbase could make the print feel heavy and less wearable. So when considering an underbase you should think about how you’d like the ink to feel on the shirt as well as how you’d like the colors to look. People who want a more wearable print or don’t w
