Industry — Ink Compatibility Matrix

Quick reference table matching each industry to recommended ink types.

Recommended Ink by Industry Application
Industry Pigment Ink Dye Ink Sublimation Art Paper Textile Film Ink Corrugated Wallpaper UV Dye
Advertising & Signage
Graphic & Quick Print
Packaging
Textile & Apparel
Home Decoration
Industrial / CAD
Promotional Products
1

Advertising Printing

Wide-format and desktop printing for outdoor/indoor advertising

🎧

Banners & Posters

Large-format outdoor and indoor banners with weather-resistant pigment ink.

  • Waterproof & UV-resistant
  • Vivid color saturation
  • Up to 5-year outdoor durability
📎

Signage & Display

Indoor point-of-purchase displays, directional signs, and exhibition graphics.

  • High-resolution output
  • Crisp text and line art
  • Compatible with photo paper, vinyl, canvas
📰

Flyers & Brochures

Desktop-printed promotional materials with professional dye and pigment inks.

  • Wide color gamut (dye ink)
  • Waterproof documents (pigment ink)
  • Cost-effective high-volume runs

Flags & Bunting

Sublimation-printed polyester flags for events, sports, and brand promotion.

  • 99% transfer rate
  • Colorfast through weather exposure
  • Double-sided print capability
2

Graphic & Quick Print

On-demand printing for stationery, publications, and commercial graphics

📅

Calendars & Cards

Art paper ink for premium calendar and greeting card printing without coating.

  • No pre-coating required
  • Ultra-glossy finish
  • Direct print on art paper
📝

Business Cards & Menus

High-definition pigment ink for professional business cards and restaurant menus.

  • Abrasion-resistant
  • Waterproof
  • Crisp black text
📖

POD Books & Brochures

Print-on-demand publications with consistent color across batches.

  • Batch-to-batch color consistency
  • Fast drying for binding
  • Acid-free archival quality
📋

Digital Proofing

ICC-profiled color proofing for prepress and contract proofing.

  • Accurate color matching
  • Wide color gamut
  • Consistent with press standards
3

Packaging & Corrugated

High-speed inkjet printing for boxes, cartons, and labels

📦

Corrugated Boxes

Direct-to-board inkjet printing on yellow and white corrugated cardboard.

  • Fast drying on substrate
  • Fluid in printhead for continuous run
  • High-volume cost efficiency
🎁

Folding Cartons

Art paper ink for premium folding carton packaging with custom branding.

  • Glossy packaging finish
  • Custom label printing
  • Waterproof surface
🏷

Custom Labels

Variable-data label printing with pigment ink for product identification.

  • Variable data printing
  • Barcode & QR code capable
  • Smudge-proof
4

Textile & Apparel

DTG, DTF, and sublimation printing for custom apparel and promotional textiles

👕

Custom T-Shirts

DTG and DTF printing on cotton, blends, and polyester for on-demand apparel.

  • Full-color photographic prints
  • Wash fastness Grade 4–5
  • Soft hand-feel
🎾

Sportswear

Sublimation printing on polyester for team jerseys and activewear.

  • Breathable fabric integration
  • No hand-feel on polyester
  • Permanent dye bond
👞

Bags & Accessories

Textile pigment ink for canvas bags, shoes, and leather goods.

  • Durable on heavy fabrics
  • Works on canvas, linen, leather
  • OEKO-TEX 100 safe

Flags & Banners

Sublimation ink for polyester event flags and promotional banners.

  • Double-sided penetration
  • High color transfer
  • Outdoor weather resistance
5

Home Decoration

Custom wallpaper, canvas art, and interior decoration printing

🏡

Custom Wallpaper

Wallpaper ink and art paper ink for decorative wall covering production.

  • Seamless pattern printing
  • Large-format roll-to-roll
  • Washable surface
🎩

Canvas Art

Fine art reproduction on canvas with wide-gamut pigment ink.

  • Museum-grade lightfastness
  • Acid-free archival
  • Giclée quality
🏠

Interior Decor

Decorative printing for panels, glass, and coated metals.

  • UV dye ink for coated substrates
  • Pigment ink for panels
  • Custom design flexibility
6

Industrial & Specialty

CAD plotting, film plate making, and specialty substrate printing

📐

CAD & Film Plotting

High-density black ink for CAD plotting and screen-making film output.

  • High black density (D-max)
  • Sharp edges, no bleeding
  • Instant drying on film
🎠

CD/DVD Printing

Acid ink for direct printing on pre-coated CD/DVD and optical media surfaces.

  • Direct disc printing
  • Scratch-resistant
  • Vibrant on dark surfaces
🧪

Ceramic & Glass

UV dye ink for coated ceramic tiles, glass panels, and metal substrates.

  • Wide color gamut
  • High chroma output
  • ICC profile supported

Application — Substrate Reference

Complete substrate reference for each ink type.

Substrates by Ink Type
Ink Type Primary Substrates Secondary Substrates
Pigment InkPhoto paper, vinyl, canvas, fine art paperFabric, banner, coated paper
Dye InkPlain paper, photo paper, glossy paperCoated paper
Sublimation InkPolyester fabric, poly-cotton blendCoated ceramics, metal, mugs, phone cases
Art Paper InkCoated art paper, uncoated art paperCard stock, packaging board
Textile Ink (DTG)Cotton, canvas, linen, blendsLeather, denim
Textile Ink (DTF)Cotton, polyester, blends, denimNylon, caps, bags
Film Plate InkCAD film, plate-making filmTransparency film
Corrugated InkYellow corrugated board, white corrugatedCoated carton board
Wallpaper InkWallpaper substrate, vinyl wall coveringNon-woven
UV Dye InkCoated ceramic, metal, glassPolyester-coated substrates

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