Classification by Colorant Type

Pigment Ink

Features:

Pigment inks use solid pigment particles as colorants, which are finely ground and dispersed in a solvent to form a stable suspension.

Excellent water resistance, strong UV resistance, and great weather durability.

Does not bleed easily; produces sharp text and is highly fade-resistant.

Slightly narrower color gamut; some pigment inks may appear more matte when dry.

Applications:

Commonly used for document printing and long-term text storage (official documents, archives).

Applied in industries requiring durability such as labels, signage, and packaging printing.

Performs well on plain paper or absorbent materials with minimal bleeding.

Dye Ink

Features:

Dye molecules dissolve completely in the solvent to form a transparent solution.

Vibrant colors, rich gradation, and low cost.

Poor water resistance; easily fades under light exposure.

Applications:

Office printing, short-term color photos, artwork reproduction, and home printing.

Classification by Solvent Type

Water-Based Ink

Features:

Uses water as the main solvent — environmentally friendly, low odor, and cost-effective.

Requires absorbent substrates; otherwise, spreading or bleeding may occur.

Applications:

Common in home printers, office printers, and photo/graphic inkjet printers.

Suitable for paper, cardstock, and inkjet-coated absorbent media.

Solvent Ink

Features:

Uses organic solvents (such as alcohols or ketones) as carriers. Includes Solvent Ink and Eco-Solvent Ink.

Fast drying, strong adhesion, and excellent outdoor durability.

Some solvent inks may irritate skin or have noticeable odor; ventilation systems may be required.

Applications:

Advertising graphics, outdoor signage, banners, PVC films, and lightbox printing.

Can print on metal, glass, plastic, PVC, ABS, and various non-absorbent materials.

UV Ink — The Core Ink for Industrial Printing

Features:

UV ink is cured instantly when exposed to ultraviolet light. It is a special type of ink system — not classified simply as pigment, dye, or solvent ink.

Instantly cured by UV light; no bleeding and no drying time.

Strong adhesion, high hardness, scratch resistance, water resistance, and chemical resistance.

Wide material compatibility: metal, glass, ceramics, PC, PVC, ABS, leather, wood, and more.

High gloss; supports special effects such as embossing, varnish, and color–white–color structures.

Because UV ink does not require absorbent substrates, it is ideal for non-absorbent materials and is the core ink for industrial inkjet printing.

Applications:

UV ink cures instantly under ultraviolet light and is suitable for almost all non-absorbent materials. It can be used for printing on metal, glass, ceramics, acrylic, PVC, ABS, leather, wood panels, and more.

It is widely applied in advertising graphics, decorative art, personalized gifts, electronic panel markings, industrial labels, packaging printing, UV DTF film production, custom furniture, and phone case printing.

UV ink supports advanced techniques such as Color–White–Color, embossed raised effects, spot varnish, and transparent finishes, making it one of the most widely used and highly adaptable ink systems in modern industrial inkjet printing.

Need Help Choosing the Right Ink?

If you are looking for stable, high-adhesion, and highly compatible inks (water-based, eco-solvent, or UV), or would like to learn more about printing processes and material matching, please contact us. We can recommend suitable ink solutions and provide product quotations based on your printer type and application needs.