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You ordered custom shirts, wore them a few times, washed them, and the print started cracking. The edges peel up. The colors fade. It is frustrating, and you are not alone — this is the number one complaint about custom printed apparel.
But here is the thing: properly printed and properly cared for screen prints should last 50+ washes without cracking. If your prints are failing, something went wrong — either in production or in aftercare.
At French Press Custom, we stand behind every print we produce. Here is what causes cracking and how to prevent it.
Screen printing ink (plastisol) must reach an internal temperature of 320 degrees F throughout the entire ink film to properly cure. If the ink does not reach full cure:
Why it happens:
How we prevent it: French Press Custom uses temperature-verified curing. We test every job with a heat probe or temp strip to confirm full cure before packaging.
Too much heat is also a problem:
How we prevent it: Calibrated conveyor speed and temperature for each ink type and garment weight.
More ink is not better. When the ink layer is excessively thick:
Why it happens:
How we prevent it: Proper mesh selection for each ink type and design. We use higher mesh counts for detail work and control ink deposit thickness.
Not all plastisol inks are created equal. Cheap, off-brand inks may:
How we prevent it: We use premium brand-name inks from trusted manufacturers.
Printing plastisol on a garment with a moisture-wicking coating (common on performance polyester) can cause adhesion failure. The ink sits on top of the coating rather than bonding to the fabric.
How we prevent it: Low-bleed plastisol or pre-treatment for performance fabrics. Proper ink selection for each fabric type.
Even a perfectly printed shirt will degrade faster with improper care. Here is how to make your prints last.
1. Wash Inside Out This is the single most impactful thing you can do. Turning the shirt inside out protects the print from friction with other garments and the washing machine drum.
2. Cold Water Only Hot water softens plastisol ink, making it more vulnerable to damage during the wash cycle. Always wash on cold (30 degrees C / 86 degrees F or below).
3. Gentle Cycle The agitation in a standard wash cycle grinds the print against other garments. Use the gentle or delicate cycle.
4. No Dryer (Or Low Heat) High dryer heat can re-soften cured ink and cause it to stick to itself or crack. Options:
5. No Iron on the Print Direct ironing on a screen print will melt and distort the ink. If you must iron, turn the shirt inside out and iron the reverse side.
6. No Bleach Bleach damages both the fabric and the ink. Use mild detergent only.
7. No Dry Cleaning Dry cleaning solvents can dissolve or damage plastisol ink.
| Do | Do Not | |----|--------| | Wash inside out | Wash right-side out | | Cold water | Hot water | | Gentle cycle | Heavy-duty cycle | | Mild detergent | Bleach or harsh chemicals | | Air dry or low heat | High heat dryer | | Iron reverse side | Iron directly on print | | Wash with similar items | Wash with zippers, buckles |
DTG prints absorb into the fabric, so they do not crack in the traditional sense. However, they can fade over time, especially if:
DTF transfers sit on top of the fabric similar to plastisol. They can peel at the edges if:
These inks dye the fabric rather than sitting on top. They literally cannot crack because there is no ink layer. However, they can fade over time with aggressive washing.
Thread-based — cannot crack. Can fray slightly over many years of wear, but embroidery is essentially permanent.
If your print is cracking or peeling after just 1-5 washes with proper care, the issue is almost certainly a production problem (under-curing, over-inking, or ink compatibility). A quality printer should:
At French Press Custom, if a print fails prematurely due to production issues, we reprint it — no questions asked. That is our guarantee.
When you receive your order, do this quick test on one shirt:
| Problem | Cause | Fix | |---------|-------|-----| | Cracking after 1-3 washes | Under-curing | Return to printer for reprint | | Cracking after 5-10 washes | Over-thick ink or aggressive washing | Improve wash care | | Edge peeling | Poor adhesion or over-curing | Return to printer | | Fading | Normal wear or hot wash | Cold water, inside out | | Sticky/tacky feel | Under-curing | Return to printer |
Questions about print quality? Contact French Press Custom at (562) 407-3800. We back every print with our quality guarantee.
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