Dye Based Inks vs. Pigment Based Inks_ Which one should you Use_

1. Dye Based Inks vs. Pigment Based Inks: Which one should you Use? Laserjet printers use either pigment-based or dye-based inks, whereas most inkjet printers currently on the market use dye-based inks. Both types of ink have their own advantages, and the type best for you will depend on your specific print job needs. Pigment-based inks use tiny encapsulated particles that sit on top of the print material surface and are preferred by graphic artists for the long life of the color vibrancy and the overall stability of the ink. On the other hand, dye-based inks tend to be cheaper, but do not provide as vibrant color as pigment based dyes. They do, however, offer the broadest color range and have a higher brightness quality. Pigment based dyes work by settling into the tiny fibers that make up the print material and become “stuck” in those fibers as the ink dries. Pigment based dyes offer more water resistance than dye based ones. This ink type is great for large print projects that require wide-format printing. Color vibrancy will last months before fading is noticeable and much longer when protected from sunlight and air. Archival pigment based inks, when kept under the proper conditions, offer museum quality conservation that can last more than 200 years!

2. Traditional dye based inks are water soluble colored liquids used to print an image onto the chosen medium. The image or text is produced when the paper absorbs the droplets of color. Dye based inks tend to fade quicker than pigment based ones and are not really recommended for photographs or graphic art projects. They are, however, a much more cost effective way to produce other print requirements for the home, school, office, hospitals, etc. Dye based ink cartridges do offer a slight edge over pigment ink when it comes to printing in a full spectrum of colors. Pigment inks can cause a problem known as “metamerism” which causes colors to shift under different lighting conditions. The large pigment particles cannot seep into the surface. Dye based inks do tend to flow better across the print medium, especially paper, and will hold up well as long as water is not re-applied. The exception to this is dye sublimation ink, which is used to transfer inks from paper to fabrics. Sublimation ink is water soluble and made from raw plant material or some other type of synthetic material. When the colorant is mixed with water, it gives the ink color. Unlike other dye based inks, sublimation ink lasts much longer while still producing bright, vivid, saturated and outstanding photo quality colors. Printing with this ink allows your printed material to resist peeling or washing away with water. In general, dye based inks are the best choice for printing everyday documents that have no special preservation or treatment requirements. Dye based ink cartridges are designed for reliable and continuous use and offer good durability. Affordability is a plus, as well as the full spectrum of color options for various printing requirements. Pigment based inks are more expensive and should be used for commercial graphic art printing and photographs that need to hold up over time. The overall performance of both ink types will depend on the quality of paper and print medium that is being used. For instance, a paper with a high gloss finish will cause printing difficulties with both pigment and ink based dyes and can start to fade almost immediately. High gloss or low quality print mediums are not a good indicator of ink quality. STSInks is a world leader among printing ink manufacturers in the wide format, industrial and household inkjet markets and is recognized for applying cost-effective and cutting-edge technologies to the creation of processes and procedures that streamline ideas into reality. The company also offers clients unique industry-specific solutions that can lead to scale-up manufacturing. STS’s manufacturing assets can support simple to highly complex processes within a wide range of batch sizes, with three fully equipped labs and 50,000 sq. ft of production capacity. Please contact an STS technical representative for more details.