Ink instead of a chemical cocktail: why our printing process is more than just a detail

When we talk about sustainability at GeorgWerner, it is usually about organic cotton, fair production, or why we don't manufacture anything for stock. One part often remains unmentioned, even though it sits directly on every single shirt: the ink.

Why printing ink is not a side issue

Classic textile printing often uses PVC or plastisol-based inks. They may look harmless at first, but they contain plasticizers and solvents that are not particularly friendly to the environment, either during production or washing – and they don't necessarily feel good on the skin when you are wearing the shirt all day. For sportswear, which gets sweaty, stretches, and ends up in the washing machine more often than a normal T-shirt, this is a compromise we didn't want to make.

That is why we use water-based, GOTS-compliant inks for digital printing. No chemicalcocktail, no PVC, but pigments that bond with the fiber instead of sitting on top like a plastic layer. The result: a softer feel, no stiff "sticker" look on the fabric, and a design that ages with the shirt instead of eventually peeling off.

The connection to print-on-demand

Digital printing also fits perfectly with our print-on-demand model. We don't have to create printing plates or screens for every color, calculate minimum quantities, or dispose of leftover ink. Each shirt is printed individually, exactly when it is ordered. This not only saves resources during production but also makes it possible for every design to remain unique – without us having to pre-produce thousands of pieces and hope that someone buys them.

The side effect: water-based inks require less water in the entire process than one might think, because the digital process does not require complex rinsing of screens. This is one of those points that you cannot see on a shirt, but which ultimately make the difference between "sustainable" being just a word on the label or actually being embedded in the process.

What this means for you

In practical terms: You can wash your GeorgWerner shirts at 30 degrees, turn them inside out, and you don't have to worry about the print cracking after the tenth wash or smelling like chemicals when it comes fresh out of the packaging. And if you wonder when unboxing why the print feels so thin and supple instead of thickly applied – now you know why. It is no coincidence, but a conscious decision we make for every single design, whether it comes from theRetro, Around-the-World, or Water Nomads collection.

For us, sustainability doesn't end with the fiber. It starts where the design meets the fabric.