Textile printing is the process of applying colour to fabric in definite patterns or designs.

In
properly printed fabrics the colour is bonded with the fibre, so as to resist washing and friction.

Printing Processes:
There are five main methods of printing a fabric, these being the
❖ block
❖ roller
❖ screen
❖ heat transfer
❖ ink-jet methods

Block Printing:
The blocks are usually made of wood and the design is hand carved, so that it stands out in relief
against the background surface. The print paste is applied to the design surface on the block and
the block then pressed against the fabric. The process is repeated with different designs and
colours until the pattern is complete.

Block Printing

Block printing is a slow, laborious process and is not suitable for high volume commercial use. It
is a method still practised in the oriental countries where markets exist for the types of printed
fabrics produced.

Roller Printing:
Roller printing has traditionally been preferred for long production runs because of the very high
speeds possible. It is also a versatile technique since up to a dozen different colours can be
printed simultaneously. The basic roller printing equipment consists of a number of copper faced
rollers in which the design is etched. There is a separate printing roller for each colour being
printed. Each of the rollers rotates over the fabric under pressure against an iron pressure roller.
A blanket and backing cloth rotate over the pressure roller under the fabric and provide a flexible
support for the fabric being printed. A colour doctor blade removes paste or fibres adhering to
the roller after contact with the fabric. After the impression stage the fabric passes to the drying
and steaming stages.

Screen Printing :
This type of printing has increased enormously in its use in recent years because of its versatility
and the development of rotary screen printing machines which are capable of very high rates of
production. An additional significant advantage is that heavy depths of shade can be produced by
screen printing, a feature which has always been a limitation of roller printing because of the
restriction to the amount of print paste which can be held in the shallow depth of the engraving
on the print roller. Worldwide, some 61% of all printed textile fabric is produced by the rotary
screen method and 23% by flat screen printing.

There are two basic types of screen printing process, the flat screen and the rotary screen
methods.

Heat Transfer Printing :

Transfer printing techniques involve the transfer of a design from one medium to another. The
most common form used is heat transfer printing in which the design is printed initially on to a
special paper, using conventional printing machinery. The paper is then placed in close contact
with the fabric and heated, when the dyes sublime and transfer to the fabric through the vapor
phase.
Ink-Jet Printing :
There has been considerable interest in the technology surrounding non-impact printing, mainly
for the graphic market, but the potential benefits of reductions in the time scale from original
design to final production has led to much activity in developing this technology for textile.

Resist Printing:
A printing method in which the design can be produced: by applying a resist agent in the desired
design, then dyeing the fabric, in which case, the design remains white although the rest of the
fabric is dyed; or (2) by including a resist agent and a dye in the paste which is applied for the
design, in which case, the color of the design is not affected by subsequent dyeing of the fabric
background.

Photographic Printing:
A method of printing from photoengraved rollers. The resultant design looks like a photograph.
The designs may also be photographed on a silk screen which is used in screen printing.

Pigment Printing:
Printing by the use of pigments instead of dyes. The pigments do not penetrate the fiber but are
affixed to the surface of the fabric by means of synthetic resins which are cured after application
to make them insoluble. The pigments are insoluble, and application is in the form of water-in-
oil or oil-in-water emulsions of pigment pastes and resins. The colors produced are bright and
generally fat except to crocking.
Rubber Printing
The Rubber Printing System is the first ink jet printer in the world to successfully print with co-
curable inks on uncured tire components and rubber products. This specialized printer fully
automates the marking process, streamlining the production process and eliminating marking
mistakes
After apparel manufacturing printing is done on the surface of the fabric. • Recipe: • Rubber-
98% • Fixer-2%. Rubber printing paste is applied with the help of screen for 15 min (speed 5
m/min). Curing at 150 C Hanging the fabric for 30 min c(speed 5 m/min).
All over Print:
An all over print is a print composed of a design that is repeated across the entire surface of a
garment. Often, such prints are screen-printed. Other processes include dye-diffusion of the
fabric itself.

Since its commodification, all-over printing strategies are being widely applied to fashion. Due
to the variability of graphics, the high-quality of the layering, the lack of print-texture, and the
flexibility in design, it’s very popular.
Foil Print:
Foil stamping, (also known as foil application) typically a commercial printing process, is the
application of metallic or pigmented foil on to a solid surface by application of a heated die onto
foil, making it permanently adhere to the surface below leaving the design of the dye.
Flock Print

Flock printing or flocking is a printing process in which short fibers of rayon, cotton, wool or
another natural or synthetic material are applied to an adhesive-coated surface. This adds a velvet
or suede-like texture to the surface. Since the fibers can be dyed, flocking can also add a color to
a printed area.
Plastisol Print

Plastisol is a suspension of PVC particles in a liquid plasticizer; it flows as a liquid and can be
poured into a heated mold. When heated to around 177 degrees Celsius, the plastic and
plasticizer mutually dissolve each other. On cooling the mold below 60 degrees C, a flexible,
permanently plasticized solid product results. Aside from molding, plastisol is commonly used as
a textile ink for screen-printing and as a coating, particularly in outdoor applications (roofs,
furniture) and dip-coating.
Puff print

Puff print is a common print in Fashion Industry. Some time we can call it Emboss Print . It is
almost similar to the rubber print we can make this print in any color. Mainly buyer asked this
print on Knitted T-Shirt.

Puff ink is a plastisol that has been modified with the addition of a heat reactive foaming agent.
The ink expands when exposed to high temperature heat as the garment is cured. An additive to
Plastisol inks which raises the print off the garment, creating a 3D feel. In this method when the
paste is printed and dries it look like normal printing garments but once it is cured the prints gets
raised from the surface of fabric.
Sublimation Print

A dye-sublimation printer is a computer printer which uses heat to transfer dye onto materials
such as a plastic, card, paper, or fabric. The sublimation name was first applied because the dye
was considered to make the transition between the solid and gas states without going through a
liquid stage.
Burn-Out Printing:
A method of printing to obtain a raised design on a sheer ground. The design is applied with a
special chemical onto a fabric woven of pairs of threads of different fibers. One of the fibers is
then destroyed locally by chemical action. The product of this operation is known as a burnt-out
print.
Discharge Printing:
In “white” discharge printing, the fabric is piece dyed, then printed with a paste containing a
chemical that reduces the dye and hence removes the color where the white designs are desired.
In “colored” discharge printing, a color is added to the discharge paste in order to replace the
discharged color with another shade.

High Density Printing

High Density Printing This is one of the recent developments in printing which gives thick
prints on the surface of garments. Achieved by either giving more number of coats or by using
thickener indirect films used for making the screens. High Density is a popular special effect
that rises straight up off the shirt and has a hard rubbery feel with sharp edges. A High density
print has slight glossy finish.
Process flow chart of Printing

.
Printing Faults:
1.Flushing/Bleeding
2. Misfits
3. Stick-ins
4. Scrimps
5. Banding
6. Unwanted pigment marking on Fabric
7. Mottled
8. Crack or Miss Alignment in Transfer Printed Fabric
9. Printing Machine Stop
10. Color out

The causes of these defects are enlisted below:

1. Flushing/Wicking:
Caused due to Low viscosity of print paste.

It occurs when the printed area bleeds out into the unprinted area. The result is a haloing or
shadowing effect around the outline of the pattern design.

2. Misfits:
A misfit is a print defect caused by improper alignment of the screens. Also known as out of
registration, misfits leave unprinted areas in the design.

For example, a green leaf may overlap its black outline or print over another color.

3. Stick-ins:
A stick-in occurs when a small fiber or piece of lint gets stuck in the screen opening.

The result is a small unprinted circle in the design. A stick-in is very difficult to see and often
goes unnoticed during a long run.

4. Scrimps :
A scrimp defect occurs when the fabric creases underneath one of the screens during the printing
process.

The pattern is then printed on top of the crease, leaving a large unprinted area when the fabric
returns to its relaxed state.

5. Banding:
Defect created by the print head’s movement over the substrate.

Use of scanning print head, or a print head that moves back and forth across the substrate in
straight line placing drops of ink at precise locations along the line.
If the head is not properly aligned, or if the substrate advances unevenly, the result is a slight
horizontal band or line of unprinted area.

6. Unwanted pigment marking on Fabric:

Caused due to screen has holes in it that should have been covered. This could be because of
ageing of the screen and eventual damage or just improper exposure to light.

7. Mottled :
Color applied unevenly during printing.

8. Crack or Miss Alignment in Transfer Printed Fabric :

Incomplete transfer of design from paper to fabric on transfer printing due to removal of transfer
of paper while the fabric was still hot.

9. Printing Machine Stop:

As a result of printing machine stop the dye sometimes is smudged along the width of the fabric.

10. Color out:

The result of color running low in reservoir on printing machine.