What Is A Reducer And How To Best Use It?

In a recent article published in Impressions, Kieth Stevens gives us insight into the world of reducers: Reducers are a versatile addition to any ink kitchen. Reducers reduce the viscosity or thickness of an ink when you feel the need to make an ink creamier or easier to print. Most inks come ready for use right out of the container and if needed, inks can be easier to use just by stirring it for a few minutes. But at times, a reducer can help. Some curable reducers are even being used to extend inks, to tone down the strength of a color and/or to make the prints softer to touch. Some bases have evolved from curable reducers and are very popular in creating water-base type prints without the hassle of ink drying or having to use special emulsions, etc. There are three types of reducers that are common in the world of Plastisol Inks: 1) The first and most common is a curable reducer. Curable reducers contain a balance of plasticizers and resin (ingredients that make up plastisol compounds) that enable the reducer to cure on its own. Why is this a good thing? A curable reducer can be added to a finished ink in pretty much any amount without fear of it ruining the balance of the ink or possibly creating an ink that may not cure or fuse. 2) Another type of reducer is a pure plasticizer type that does not contain resin. It must be used very carefully and sparingly, usually just 0.5% up to about 2% at the most. Because it does not contain resins, it is not curable and thus must rely on the resins that already exist in the finished ink. If you add too much non-curable reducer to a finished ink, the ink will not cure or fuse. It will then crack after the curing process and will come off the garment in the wash. 3) The third type of reducer is a low-bleed type. A low-bleed reducer is intended to be used along with a low-bleed white to help maintain the low-bleed properties of the low-bleed inks. They are usually curable, meaning that a generous amount can be added to a finished ink. However, I would not recommend adding too much. Why? Adding more reducer dilutes the opacity of the white ink and defeats the purpose of what it is designed to do – block out the underlying dark, bleeding fabric.