Pigment

Pigment differs from dye in one core way: a dye dissolves into whatever it colors, while pigment is a solid, ground particle that stays suspended in the plastisol or water-based carrier and sits on top of or within the fabric once cured. Inorganic pigments — titanium dioxide for white, iron oxides for reds and browns — tend to be cheap, opaque, and stable under UV exposure for years. Organic pigments, like phthalo blue or quinacridone magenta, deliver brighter, more saturated color but generally cost more to synthesize and can fade faster under repeated sun exposure.

This is why a shop's per-color pricing isn't flat across the board even when the mesh count and print size match. A true kelly green or a bright fluorescent pink relies on pricier organic pigment loaded at a higher concentration to hit full saturation, while basic black runs on cheap, plentiful carbon pigment. White ink is its own case — it needs a heavy load of titanium dioxide to read opaque on a dark shirt, which is part of why underbases cost real money on black garments.

Pros match pigment choice to the job: high-opacity inorganic pigments for underbases and coverage colors, brighter organic pigments for top colors where saturation matters more than hiding power underneath. Custom Pantone matches sometimes require blending multiple pigment types to hit an exact hue, which is part of why a custom match costs more than pulling ink off the shelf.

Buyers often assume all ink colors cost the same to mix and print. They don't — pigment type, particle size, and how much of it a formula needs to reach full color strength all move the price, independent of how many screens or colors the design uses.