Pigment Ink vs. Dye Ink – Why it Matters 1
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If you have decided to add in-house color label printing to your organization, you’ve made a great choice and taken a step toward greater flexibility and cost savings! Below we’ve outlined some of the important distinctions around pigment ink vs. dye based inks and how they may impact your labels.
There are several technical variables that must be considered when making decisions about the hardware, software, and media that should be selected. It’s important to understand the basics of these considerations and how they should impact and inform your purchasing decision. If you are looking at an Afinia printer solution, we’ve written an article on choosing the correct ink for your Afinia printer here.
Picking the right label printer requires weighing a number of different options. Every application is completely unique and holds its own set of challenges. From the environment where the labels will be used to the audience that will be viewing them. One of the most important decisions a printer owner needs to make is whether they’ll be working with dye-based inks or pigment-based inks.
We’ve covered pigment ink vs. dye inks in previous articles. But this time around, we’ll attempt to break the differences down in more scientific terms. Don’t worry, it’s not too heady. For those of you who want to understand the technical components at a more detailed level, this one is for you!
But first, we thought it was important to cover the basics of inkjet printing in general.
The Mechanics of Inkjet Printing
Inkjet printing is essentially the process of spraying thousands of tiny drops of ink onto a surface into an organized pattern. The concept is nearly identical to the way pointillism painters create their art. Tiny dots of paint (or ink in our case) are arranged in a specific pattern to produce a recognizable image when viewed from a distance.
Paul Signac, Femmes au Puits, 1892
This image illustrates how dots of ink or paint organized in a specific color pattern can produce a recognizable image.
* Image Source: Wikipedia
The inkjet printing process involves many mechanical parts. Most of them are not covered here, but one universal part of this process is the print head. This is the heart of inkjet printers. It’s the part responsible for the precision delivery and placement of those tiny dots of ink onto their intended surface.
Some print heads like those in our L301 and L502 printers, move back and forth on a belt or pully to deposit the ink dots in lines of layered color as the paper feed system advances the paper or label to receive the next layer of ink. Others such as our Memjet label printers have a stationary print head (utilizing Waterfall™ technology) that sprays ink in the appropriate combinations and amounts while the media feeds at a precisely coordinated speed to correctly match the print head.
Pigment-Based Inks
Pigment-based inks contain organic molecules that are encapsulated in a synthetic “wrapper” before being suspended in a carrier liquid. These inks tend to be thicker and the formulation allows them to dry quickly. Because of this, they don’t absorb as deeply into the top layer of the media. You might expect this to make pigment inks more susceptible to moisture since the ink sits more on top of the label’s surface.
In fact, the opposite is true. Pigment ink molecules are more plentiful and because of this, more resistant to moisture than most dye inks. Exposure to moist conditions or liquid spills requires this type of ink formulation. But, there is a slight trade-off. This small disadvantage comes with the way pigment inks tend to be less vibrant and sometimes a bit more muted than their dye counterparts. In many cases, however, the difference is not obvious without a side-by-side comparison and a consumer will not have this point of reference.
Dye-Based Inks
Dye-based inks can be comprised of artificial or natural dyes. They offer exceptional color distribution which provides a professional sheen to your labels. By diffusing less light, they are able to impart more saturated and vivid colors when printing. Additionally, the molecules are able to spread out evenly on the label and quickly absorb into the surface. This provides a nearly instantaneous drying time.
Dyes can be more sensitive to moisture. For this reason, it’s important to test your labels prior to settling on a dye-based printer. There are times when your labels will encounter moisture, liquids, high humidity, or condensation but dye-based inks are still important. In this case we also sell printers that use a “Plus” formulation that provides enhanced durability against liquid exposure.
What Does All Of This Mean?
The science of pigment ink vs. dye inks can be complex. But it’s really not as difficult as you might think. Thanks to advances in ink formulations, the choice has become a bit easier.
Up until a few years ago the main advantages of dye-based inks were a wider color range and lower cost. While the main disadvantage of dye inks was its water solubility (a single drop of water could destroy a print). However, pigmented inks typically lasted longer and had more water resistance in most situations. But its disadvantages were the lack of color depth and the higher expense.
Today, the difference between pigment- and dye-based inks have narrowed dramatically. It’s generally understood that pigment-based inks have an edge over dye. However, improvements in the formulas of both ink types have addressed many of the major issues of both. If you ask a professional printer this question, his reply will likely be that pigment inks are typically marketed towards professional users while dye inks are marketed towards enthusiasts. A professional may be able to spot the key differences between pigment and dye-based inks. However, the untrained eye is not so discerning. Most professionals are still satisfied with the performance of dye-based inks despite these differences, .
Overall, the key to choosing the right type of ink for your color label print job is understanding your needs and preferences. When focusing on great-looking labels where color vibrancy is important, dye-based may be the best option. But for those looking for a more durable label, pigment-based is the way to go.
Still Unsure What You Need?
Chicago Color Label offers free samples of your labels. Use our online form to request your samples. Upload your own artwork and we’ll send your design on your requested media type. We’ll include different ink options as well as an ink cost for each. If you don’t have any artwork to provide, we can send you samples of our own designs. Either way you choose, you’ll have the ability to see and test labels prior to investing in a color label printing solution.