Different Types of Fabric Printing Methods
Whether you have your own designs or are looking for something to make your project stand out, fabric printing perth can help. There are several different types of fabric printing methods, each with their own benefits and drawbacks.
This method involves creating a stamp of your design, and then using it to print onto your fabric. It is very similar to potato stamping, but much more sophisticated.
Pigment Printing
Pigment printing is one of the most popular and commonly used fabric printing methods. It uses pigment dyes that sit on top of the fabric and are held in place by a binder or resin. The prints have a stiffer hand feel than dye prints due to the binder, but this is a trade-off for better color fastness and print stability.
The binders are typically polymeric materials such as polyesters, styrene-butadiene, and polyurethane. The binders have a three-dimensional structure that is crosslinked during some suitable fixing process such as dry heat or steaming.
The inks used for this type of printing contain pigments, which are non-organic and synthetic organic colors that are impenetrable to water. They are available in a wide variety of shades and are highly durable.
Reactive Printing
Reactive printing uses a chemical reaction at a cellular level in fibers to permanently lock colours into fabric. The process involves pretreating fabrics, digital printing with reactive dyes and extensive after print washing to ensure that the colours are bound in fabric fibre and not just lying on the surface.
During this process, many unfixed dye particles are hydrolysed to form a large number of colour molecules that bond with the fibres. This creates a strong and durable bond between the dye and the fibre, which results in better wash fastness and rub fastness.
In addition, it has a high color yield and is very cost-effective. If you are printing on a lustrous, shiny fabric like silk or wool that will be washed frequently, reactive dyes may be the best option.
Sublimation Printing
The dye sublimation process is very versatile in terms of what it can print. It is able to print any color imaginable. However, it is best suited to polyester or polyester mix fabrics that are white in color.
The process starts with the design being printed onto specialist transfer paper using water-based dye sublimation inks. This ink is then transferred to the fabric through heat and pressure. The heat opens up the fabric’s pores while the pressure cools down the ink, turning it into a solid.
The ink then penetrates the fabric fibers and is permanently embedded, meaning that your designs will stay vibrant for a much longer period of time than with screen printing. This is what makes it a very popular choice among businesses.
Deep Infusion Printing
Among the most popular printing techniques for fabrics, pigment prints are ideal for use with natural materials and can also work with synthetic fibers, which makes them versatile. This fabric printing technique uses specialist water-based dyes to penetrate deep into the fabric and make your print permanent. It’s perfect for intricate details and vivid colors.
Reactive printing is another heat-activated fabric printing method that requires pre-coating the fabrics and using a binder and printing additive to imprint the fabric with wax or dye. Then, the fabric is steamed to create a chemical reaction that permanently bonds the image to the fabric.
This printing technique is easy to do at home with the help of transfer paper. You can find these papers at most stationery stores or supermarkets.
Stamp Printing
Stamps are small pieces of paper that show that a piece of mail, package or card has been paid for. They are attached to the envelope, letter or aerogramme and can be used for either airmail or land mail. Stamps are made from a variety of materials and printing methods, and each epoch has its own remarkable characteristics.
One such method is photogravure, which incorporates photographic techniques with lithography. This allows for nice tone gradations. It also produces a textured image and can vary the depth of etching.
Another technique is lithography, which involves carving into a copper or steel plate. The result is that the stamp is printed with a series of dots that vary in size and depth. These stamps can be distinguished from the line engravings used before 1934.