Plastisol inks run commercial screen printing in India, and there are good reasons for that. They don't dry in the screen, they give you consistent colour, and they cure predictably with heat. We carry the full range because different substrates and finishes need different formulations. A poly bag printer and a balloon printer have nothing in common except the screen. Their inks shouldn't be the same either.
PVC Ink
PVC resin particles suspended in liquid plasticizer. It stays wet in the screen indefinitely because there's no solvent to evaporate. Only when you apply heat does the resin fuse with the plasticizer into a continuous film. Most Indian screen printers learn on this ink. It's the one you'll use the most.
Where it's used
Cotton and cotton-blend garments, fabric banners, promotional T-shirts, school uniforms. Covers about 80% of textile screen printing jobs in Kerala and across South India.
How to use it right
Print through 43T-77T mesh depending on coverage needed. Cure at 150-165°C. Make sure the entire ink film thickness reaches this temperature, not just the surface. Use a temp gun on the ink surface right after it exits the dryer. If you're getting 155°C readings on top, the bottom is probably 10-15°C cooler.
Watch out for
Under-curing is the single most common problem. At 120°C the print feels dry to touch but it hasn't fused. It'll crack and peel in the first wash. Over-curing scorches the fabric and makes the ink brittle. If you're printing on dark garments, you need a white underbase first or the colour will look washed out.
Storage & handling
Stable for 12-18 months in sealed containers at room temperature. Keep away from heat sources. If the ink gets above 50°C in storage, it can start to partially gel. Stir well before use if it's been sitting for weeks.
PVC Gloss Ink
Same PVC resin and plasticizer chemistry as standard PVC ink, but formulated without blowing agents and with finer-ground pigments. You get a smooth, reflective surface finish instead of the matte look of regular plastisol.
Where it's used
Fashion prints where you want a shiny, wet-look finish. Popular for athletic wear, promotional bags, and anywhere the print needs to catch light. Used heavily in the Sivakasi printing belt for decorative work.
How to use it right
Print through 77T-90T mesh for best gloss. Finer mesh gives a smoother ink film. Cure at the same 150-165°C as standard PVC. The gloss develops fully during curing, so don't judge the finish off-press. One clean pass gives better gloss than two thin passes.
Watch out for
Thick deposits kill the gloss. You get an orange-peel texture instead of a mirror finish. Keep your squeegee sharp and your off-contact distance consistent. Contamination from regular matte PVC ink in the same screen will dull the finish.
Storage & handling
Same as standard PVC ink. 12-18 months sealed, room temperature. The gloss additives can settle over time, so stir thoroughly from the bottom before every use.
PVC Fluorescent Ink
Plastisol ink loaded with daylight fluorescent pigments. These are organic dyes trapped in a resin matrix that absorb UV light and re-emit it as visible light. That's how fluorescent colours look unnaturally bright. The pigments are inherently less lightfast than standard pigments. It's just the chemistry of fluorescence, not a quality problem.
Where it's used
Safety vests, event T-shirts, sportswear, signage that needs to pop from a distance. High visibility workwear for construction and road crews. Popular for promotional prints where the brief is simply 'make it loud.'
How to use it right
Always print over a white underbase. Fluorescent pigments are semi-transparent by nature. Without white underneath, the colour loses 60-70% of its impact on dark fabrics. Use 43T-62T mesh for heavy deposit. Cure at 150-160°C. Flash the underbase before printing the fluorescent layer.
Watch out for
Fluorescent prints will fade faster than standard colours in direct sunlight. Plan for 3-6 months outdoor life, not years. Customers sometimes complain about fading, so set expectations upfront. It's a physics limitation, not a quality issue. Never mix fluorescent with standard pigments. You'll just get a dull mess.
Storage & handling
Use within 6-9 months for best brightness. The fluorescent pigments degrade faster than standard ones even in storage. Keep sealed and away from direct light. Stir gently because aggressive mixing can break down the fluorescent resin particles.
F/C PVC Ink
Fast-cure plastisol formulated to fuse at 127-138°C, roughly 20-25°C lower than standard PVC ink. It exists to solve dye migration on polyester and poly-blend fabrics. At standard cure temperatures of 150°C+, fabric dyes sublimate and bleed into the ink layer.
Where it's used
Polyester jerseys, sports uniforms, moisture-wicking performance fabrics, poly-cotton blends where dye migration is a known problem. If you're printing on dark polyester without fast cure, you'll see the fabric colour ghosting through your print within hours or days.
How to use it right
Cure at 127-138°C. Going higher defeats the purpose because you'll trigger the same dye migration you're trying to avoid. Use a conveyor dryer with good temperature control. Heat guns and flash units are too inconsistent for this. Test on a sample swatch first, then wash-test it. Dye migration can take 24-48 hours to appear.
Watch out for
Fast cure inks have a narrower temperature window. Under-cure and you get wash failure. Over-cure and you get dye migration anyway. Some printers assume fast-cure means lower quality. It doesn't, but the adhesion can be marginally less aggressive than full-temp plastisol on cotton. Use it where you need it, not everywhere.
Storage & handling
12 months shelf life sealed. More sensitive to heat than standard PVC because the lower fusion point means accidental partial gelling in hot storage is a real risk. Keep below 32°C.
F/C PVC Gloss Ink
Combines fast-cure chemistry with gloss finish formulation. Fuses at 127-138°C and produces a smooth, reflective surface. Built for polyester substrates where you need both dye migration resistance and a premium look.
Where it's used
Polyester sportswear, sublimation-dyed garments that need overprinting, poly-blend fashion items. When a client wants glossy prints on a polyester jersey, this is the only ink that'll do the job without migration headaches.
How to use it right
Same temperature discipline as F/C PVC. Stay in the 127-138°C window. Print through 77T-90T mesh for gloss. One firm pass, consistent squeegee pressure. It'll look flat off the screen because the gloss finish develops during cure. That's normal.
Watch out for
All the precautions of both fast-cure and gloss inks apply here. Narrow cure window plus finish sensitivity means your dryer temperature needs to be accurate, not approximate. Get a proper thermocouple or temp strips. Don't rely on the dryer's dial reading.
Storage & handling
Same as F/C PVC. 12 months, keep cool. Stir from the bottom before use to redistribute gloss additives.
Poly Bond Ink
Modified plastisol resin engineered to bond with polyolefin surfaces like polypropylene and polyethylene. Standard inks fail on these substrates because PP and PE have extremely low surface energy (29-36 dynes/cm). Ink literally can't grip the surface. Poly Bond's resin system is formulated to achieve adhesion where regular plastisol slides right off.
Where it's used
PP woven sacks, rice bags, fertilizer bags, cement bag overprinting, HDPE carry bags. Kerala's coir, spice, and agricultural packaging sector runs on woven PP bags, and this is the ink for printing them.
How to use it right
Print through 43T-62T mesh. Cure at 150-160°C. PP melts at 160°C but woven PP bags handle brief exposure fine in a conveyor dryer, so the substrate won't scorch. Do a tape adhesion test after curing. Press masking tape firmly onto the cured print, pull it off sharply. If ink comes off, you're under-cured or the bag surface has a release agent residue.
Watch out for
Some PP bags have a surface coating or release agent from manufacturing. If Poly Bond won't stick even after proper curing, wipe the surface with isopropyl alcohol first. Don't substitute regular PVC ink and hope for the best. It might seem okay initially but it'll peel off in handling or transport.
Storage & handling
12-18 months sealed. Standard room temperature storage. No special handling beyond what you'd do with regular plastisol.
Net Bag Matt Ink
Made for printing on open-mesh HDPE and PP net bags, the kind used for onions, potatoes, and produce. Strong adhesion to polyolefin filaments. Dries to a matte finish that hides handling scuffs and abrasion marks, which is important because mesh bags take a beating in transit.
Where it's used
Produce net bags, onion sacks, mesh packaging used across agricultural markets in India. Brand printing for exporters who need their name visible on mesh packaging.
How to use it right
Net bags are tricky because the mesh structure means you're printing on individual filaments with gaps between them. Flood coats are impractical. Use low mesh count screens (34T-43T) for heavy ink deposit onto each strand. Cure at 138-155°C. Print on the flattest side of the bag with firm platen adhesion.
Watch out for
Registration on net bags is approximate at best. Don't promise fine detail work. Single-colour bold text and logos are the practical limit. The matte finish actually performs better than gloss on these bags because gloss shows every scrape.
Storage & handling
12 months. Standard cool, dry conditions. Ink may thicken slightly over time. Add the recommended reducer in small amounts if needed.
Balloon Ink
Rubber-compatible ink with a flexible resin that stretches 600-800% without cracking or flaking. Standard plastisol would shatter the moment a balloon inflates. This ink expands with natural and synthetic latex and keeps the print intact at full inflation.
Where it's used
Printed balloons for events, promotions, advertising, and branded party supplies. It's a niche product and we don't sell huge volumes, but the printers who need it have no substitute.
How to use it right
Print on uninflated balloons mounted on a mandrel or jig. Use 43T-62T mesh. Air dry or low-heat cure. Check the specific product instructions because excessive heat damages latex. Print area should be positioned where maximum stretch occurs. Test the ink's limits before a full production run.
Watch out for
Balloon ink must comply with toy safety standards, EN 71-3 in the EU and ASTM F963 in the US, because children will put balloons in their mouths. Heavy metal content in pigments is the concern. Verify compliance before printing balloons for any client who exports or sells at retail. It's a legal requirement, not optional.
Storage & handling
6-12 months. The flexible resin can separate if stored too long. Stir thoroughly before use. Keep sealed to prevent surface skinning.
Tin Coating Ink
Epoxy-based thermosetting ink designed for metal substrates. Plastisol is thermoplastic, meaning it softens when reheated. This ink chemically crosslinks during baking, so the cure is permanent and irreversible. Once baked, the film resists solvents, chemicals, and mechanical abrasion far beyond what any plastisol can handle.
Where it's used
Tin containers, metal signage, aluminium nameplates, industrial labelling on metal equipment, decorative metal packaging. Used wherever the print has to survive harsh handling, outdoor exposure, or chemical contact.
How to use it right
Print through 77T-120T mesh depending on detail required. Bake at 150-165°C for 20-30 minutes. This is an oven bake, not a conveyor flash. The crosslinking reaction needs sustained heat. Metal substrates should be clean and degreased. Do a solvent wipe before printing. Primer may be needed for bare aluminium.
Watch out for
Thermosetting means one-shot cure. If you under-bake, the crosslinking is incomplete and the film will be soft and solvent-susceptible. You can't fix it by baking again later because partially crosslinked networks don't behave predictably on re-cure. Get the temperature and time right the first time.
Storage & handling
6-12 months in sealed containers. Some formulations are two-part, so pot life is a concern once mixed. Use within the specified window. Unmixed components store longer.
Quick Comparison
Ink Type
Base Chemistry
Cure Method
Cure Temp
Primary Substrates
PVC Ink
PVC resin / plasticizer
Heat fusion
150-165°C
Cotton, cotton blends
PVC Gloss Ink
PVC resin / plasticizer (no blowing agents)
Heat fusion
150-165°C
Cotton, cotton blends
PVC Fluorescent Ink
PVC resin / fluorescent pigments
Heat fusion
150-160°C
Cotton (over white underbase)
F/C PVC Ink
Modified PVC resin
Heat fusion (low temp)
127-138°C
Polyester, poly blends
F/C PVC Gloss Ink
Modified PVC resin (gloss)
Heat fusion (low temp)
127-138°C
Polyester, poly blends
Poly Bond Ink
Modified polyolefin-bonding resin
Heat fusion
150-160°C
PP woven bags, HDPE bags
Net Bag Matt Ink
Polyolefin-bonding resin (matte)
Heat fusion
138-155°C
HDPE/PP mesh net bags
Balloon Ink
Rubber-compatible flexible resin
Air dry / low heat
Low heat
Natural & synthetic latex
Tin Coating Ink
Epoxy resin (thermosetting)
Oven bake (crosslinks)
150-165°C
Tin, aluminium, metal
Common Questions
What's the difference between standard PVC ink and fast cure PVC ink?
Standard PVC ink cures at 150-165°C. Fast cure (F/C) PVC ink fuses at 127-138°C, about 40-50 degrees lower. The lower cure temperature is there to prevent dye migration on polyester fabrics. At 150°C, the disperse dyes in polyester sublimate and bleed into the ink, causing colour contamination that shows up hours or days after printing. If you're printing on cotton, use standard PVC. It gives slightly better adhesion and is more forgiving. If you're on polyester or poly-blend, fast cure is not optional. It's necessary.
Which ink works for printing on polypropylene bags?
Poly Bond Ink. Standard PVC ink won't adhere to polypropylene because PP has very low surface energy, around 29-36 dynes/cm. Ink needs at least 38-40 dynes to wet and grip a surface. Poly Bond uses a modified resin system that achieves adhesion on polyolefins. For PP mesh net bags, use Net Bag Matt Ink instead. Same adhesion chemistry but with a matte finish that holds up better to the handling abuse net bags take in transport.
How do I know if my plastisol ink is properly cured?
Stretch test is the simplest field check. Stretch the printed area firmly. Properly cured plastisol stretches with the fabric and snaps back without cracking. Under-cured ink will crack or split. For a more reliable test, wash the printed garment at 60°C with detergent, tumble dry, and examine. If the print shows cracking, peeling, or significant colour loss, it's under-cured. For production, invest in a temperature probe or donut probe that measures the ink-fabric interface temperature. Surface readings with an IR gun run 10-15°C higher than what the bottom of the ink film actually reaches.
Is this the same ink used in desktop printers?
No. Screen printing ink and desktop printer ink are completely different products. Desktop printers (HP, Canon, Epson) use liquid inkjet dyes or laser toner cartridges. Screen printing ink is a thick paste or plastisol pushed through a mesh stencil onto fabric, paper, plastic, or metal. You can't use one in place of the other. We sell screen printing and offset printing inks only. For computer printer cartridges and refills, you'll need a computer peripherals shop.
We've been stocking screen printing inks since 1990. Every formulation on this page, tested and trusted by printers across Thiruvananthapuram. If you're not sure which ink suits your substrate, walk in or call. We've sorted out ink selection problems for hundreds of printers and we'll get you the right product the first time.