How does sustainable textile printing work – and what should you look for when buying?

Sustainable textile printing means one thing above all: water-based instead of PVC-based inks. Classic plastisol prints consist of PVC and plasticizers; they sit thick on the fabric, are poorly breathable, and are hardly biodegradable. Water-based, certified inks, on the other hand, penetrate directly into the textile fiber, feel soft, and are significantly less harmful to the skin and the environment. Most people already look for organic cotton or bamboo when it comes to the material – but the final production step, the printing, also determines how sustainable a shirt really is in the end.

Why the print counts just as much as the material

An organic cotton shirt can lose its sustainability in the final step, namely if the motif is printed with plastisol. Plastisol ink is a PVC paste with plasticizers (phthalates) that does not soak into the fiber when drying, but remains as a layer on the fabric. The result: a thick, stiff feel, poor breathability, and a print that wears off when washed instead of decomposing. Water-based inks solve this problem at the root – they are bonded with the fiber instead of on top of it.

Two methods, one principle: How we print at GREEN SHIRTS

Depending on the motif, we use two water-based methods, both with certified, low-pollutant inks – you can find details on this on our printing methods page:

• Eco-screen printing – for rich, brilliant colors and razor-sharp details. The water-based inks soak into the fiber and remain colorfast and tear-resistant even after many washes.
• DTG digital printing (Direct-to-Garment) – the ink is sprayed directly into the fiber, without any film or rubber layer. Ideal for color gradients, fine details, and photo motifs, with a soft, natural feel.
• Embroidery – for logos and robust motifs, we also have items embroidered fairly and locally in Lebenshilfe workshops – long-lasting and socially produced.

All processes take place under fair production conditions in Germany/Europe, using textiles that are suitable for toddlers and allergy sufferers – an additional indication of how low-pollutant the inks used actually are.

What you can look for when buying

• Test the feel: A water-based print feels soft and part of the fabric – a plastisol print is noticeably on top like a film.
• Keep an eye on seals: GOTS also regulates the dyes and printing auxiliaries used in the processing chain of organic textiles, and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 tests the finished garment, including the print, for harmful substances. Both seals therefore say something not only about the raw material but also about the finishing.
• Origin of production: Fairly and locally (Germany/Europe) produced prints and embroidery mean shorter transport routes and more transparent working conditions than mass production in the Far East.
• "PVC-free" / "phthalate-free" on the label or in the product description is a clear, verifiable criterion – much more concrete than a general "sustainably printed".

Frequently asked questions

Is every water-based print automatically sustainable? Water-based is the basic requirement, but not the only deciding factor – certified, low-pollutant inks and fair production are also important. Taking a look at both criteria is worthwhile.

Does a water-based print last as long as plastisol? With professional processing, such as in eco-screen printing, yes; the ink bonds with the fiber and remains colorfast and tear-resistant over many wash cycles.

Why is embroidery sometimes the more sustainable choice? Embroidery does not require any printing ink at all and is particularly durable for robust motifs such as logos – with us, it is also socially produced under GOTS conditions.

How we know this

The information regarding our own printing methods comes directly from our printing methods page. The general statements regarding plastisol versus water-based printing are based on established technical knowledge regarding textile finishing as well as the known testing criteria of GOTS and OEKO-TEX Standard 100.

Published on 09/14/2026 · last checked on 09/14/2026 Author: Niklas Astor, Founder of GREEN SHIRTS

Sources:

• GREEN SHIRTS – Printing Methods
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) – Criteria for dyes and printing auxiliaries
• OEKO-TEX Standard 100 – Harmful substance testing for textile products