Tag: digital textile printing

Q+A: Toby Lunn on Innovation in Action

Toby, for those who weren’t there, what was the TRAPIS & More Showcase all about?

The event brought together leaders from across print design, and manufacturing to explore where textile innovation is heading next. Mimaki’s showcase at Hybrid’s showroom in Crewe was about more than technology launches – it was a statement of intent. It showed how print technology, materials science and creative application are converging to redefine what’s possible in textiles.

How did Premier Digital Textiles fit into the showcase?

We are proud to collaborate closely with Hybrid Services and with Mimaki as a whole, supplying truly digitally prepared PrepRITE™ Fabrics that demonstrate the consistency, colour vibrancy and performance that modern digital print demands. It was a chance to show how fabric innovation underpins printer innovation. Every print result depends on the quality and stability of the substrate, and that’s where our expertise comes in.

What stood out to you most from the event?

The engagement in the new technologies and the quality of the product. You could really feel that the sector is moving beyond the ‘can digital compete?’ question. It’s now about how far digital can go and what kind of innovation will come next from the likes of Mimaki. From evolving pigment technologies to hybrid print systems designed for sustainability and speed, the showcase underlined how collaboration between OEMs, fabric suppliers and designers is driving real-world progress.

Why is this partnership between Premier Digital Textiles and Mimaki/Hybrid significant?

Because it demonstrates the power of joined-up innovation. Mimaki is at the forefront of print technology; we focus on optimised, sustainable fabric solutions. When you combine those strengths, you get print ecosystems that perform consistently, reduce waste, and accelerate production. It’s a partnership built around progress – not just promotion.

How does sustainability fit into this conversation about innovation?

Sustainability isn’t a feature anymore; it’s a baseline. The new generation of printers and fabrics are being designed with closed-loop thinking in mind, reduced water use, lower energy demand and recyclability. For us, it’s about helping printers and brands hit those targets without compromising colour, handle or performance. Furthermore you have the double benefit of the kind of innovation that creates solutions for all applications, whether that’s printers for a specific fibre type, or something more multi-faceted that covers a wide-range of options.

What does this kind of collaboration mean for the future of UK digital textile printing?

It shows that the UK can lead through partnership and precision. We’ve got the creative talent, the manufacturing capability and the appetite for sustainable innovation. Working with global OEMs like Mimaki and alongside key collaborators like Hybrid allows us to connect the component parts together and showcase what the UK textile industry can deliver on a world stage.

Finally, how would you sum up your key takeaway from the October showcase?

Innovation in textiles only matters if it reaches the customer – and that’s exactly what this event showed. From the lab to the production floor, collaboration is turning ideas into commercial reality. It’s exciting to see and Premier Digital Textiles will continue playing a leading role in making that happen.

November 12, 2025
Premier Digital Textiles launch prize at 40th edition of New Designers

A Premier Digital Textiles prize to celebrate emerging talent will be handed out at the 40th edition of New Designers.

The Vibrancy in Print Award celebrates creativity, innovation and the power of digital textile printing.

It will be given to the graduate who masterfully blends colour, pattern and digital techniques to create standout textile prints.

New Designers is an annual exhibition that brings together the best graduate design talent from across the UK.

During two weeks in July 2,500 talented graduates from a range of disciplines, including textiles, graphics and product design will showcase their work.

Elen Hughes, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Premier Digital Textiles, said: “The winner of the Premier Digital Textiles Vibrancy in Print Award will receive an exciting £500 cash prize, along with £500 worth of our PrepRITE fabric and print time, enabling them to bring their designs to life.

“As Europe’s leading supplier of fabric truly prepared for digital print we very much wanted to support New Designer’s 40th show. It’s a crucial platform to nurture and celebrate creativity, innovation and emerging talent within the design world.

“This initiative not only empowers the next generation of industry leaders and influencers but also plays a key role in the evolution of the industry. By championing fresh ideas and diverse perspectives, we can help the sector adapt and thrive in an ever-changing landscape, where new ways of thinking and creating continue to challenge traditional boundaries.”

The winner of the Premier Digital Textiles Vibrancy in Print Award will receive ongoing mentoring support from the North West-based company’s industry experts and feature in an exclusive ‘New Designer Spotlight’ interview across its social media channels.

“Whether abstract, geometric, or inspired by nature, the winning designs should highlight the full potential of digital textile printing in a modern and dynamic way,” added Elen.

“It’s important to mention also that the winner will have the opportunity to be showcased in OEM demo and experience centres worldwide, offering global exposure to leading brands, industry professionals, and innovators. Each display will credit the designer, ensuring well-deserved recognition for their work.”

New Designers 2025 will be held at the Business Design Centre, London for two weeks from July 2.

JUDGES – The Premier Digital Textiles Vibrancy in Print Award – Week 1: July 2 – 5

Elen Hughes

Grainne Brennan

Toby Lunn

Ashok Kallumpram (TBC)

May 19, 2025
Premier Conversations: Inkspin Founder Jilly Norton

Inkspin’s impact on the bespoke tailoring trade has been noted across the bespoke tailoring industry, with clients such as Lambton Tailoring & LGFG Fashion House who dress Jordan Peterson, Ozzy Osbourne and Tommy Fury to name but a few. We talk to the start-up’s founder Jilly Norton about Inkspin’s journey so far, what makes the company different, its successful partnership with Premier Digital Textiles and the importance of UK sourcing amidst Trump’s tariff war.

Could you tell us a little about Inkspin Jilly, and your journey so far?

Of course. Inkspin, a digital textile printing company for the bespoke tailoring trade, has been trading for two and a half years. The company is still new but we’re getting our name out there. Initially focusing on jacket linings with unique designs for celebrity clients, we soon expanded our services due to demand from bespoke tailors and garment manufacturers such as Lambton Tailoring.

Anyone looking to produce 500 suits off a manufacturing line with a standard lining won’t come to us because of the margins they work to. We’ll work with some of the tailors on Savile Row, who have incredibly wealthy clients who might want something like a Florida flag in the lining of one of their £5,000 bespoke suits. They like we’re UK-based, and that I can meet and talk to them directly.

What makes Inkspin different?

A few things really. Unlike other digital printing companies that simply print and supply, Inkspin collaborates closely with garment manufacturers and tailors to create and print designs that can be seamlessly integrated into the bespoke garment manufacturing process. This partnership approach ensures the final product looks fantastic and meets the high standards of made to measure and bespoke tailoring, where garments can be sold from £800 upwards.

The company’s designer understands what’s needed and is also an expert in made to measure garment manufacture. He ensures the printed designs are compatible with the specific garment’s pattern and the wearer’s unique measurements. Take someone like Eddie Hall for example. He won the 2017 World’s Strongest Man competition and is an LGFG fashion house customer. He’s quite a unique shape, and he’s quite different to some of their other well-known clients which include Jordan Peterson, Tommy Fury and Ozzy Osbourne. Put simply, our work must be bespoke.

What led you to working with Premier Digital Textiles?

Inkspin’s commitment to quality and customer satisfaction steered us to Premier Digital Textiles, who we reached out to discuss our fabric needs. We were particularly interested in fabrics that could withstand the rigors of bespoke tailoring while maintaining fantastic print quality and consistency.

Through collaboration with Premier, Inkspin has been able to source high-quality fabrics suitable for a variety of garments, including jackets, trousers, shirts and waistcoats. Inkspin continues to work closely with both its customers and Premier to ensure the evolving needs of the bespoke tailoring trade customers are being met and that the best possible products and services are being provided.

Can you give an example of what you do for celebrity clients?

Sure. LGFG’s client, Jordan Peterson, wanted a range of clothes for his recent tour. We worked in collaboration to turn their design ideas into reality to create bespoke printed fabrics suitable for their garment manufacturing. It’s important to mention here that we print in the UK and source our supplies from within the UK as well. This narrative is valuable to our customers. Toby Lunn of Premier has met Adam, my print technician, based in Leeds and they’re able to review the suitability of fabrics.

How much does UK sourcing matter to Inkspin?

Our UK base is a key differentiator against competitors who print in China and typically require larger order quantities. Our minimum order quantity is only one meter, which is a significant advantage, especially for customers who are used to a minimum order of 50 meters for a woven or dyed fabric. We offer design services and printing at our low minimum order quantity.

It’s important to remember that the UK market is substantial. Partnering with Lambton in Leeds has been key to our success as not only are they brilliant MTM garment manufacturers, but I am able to utilise their customs expertise and dispatch services. I supply Lambton, and they handle customs and delivery for all my customers. This is crucial for efficient shipping. By eliminating fabric sourcing issues, I can focus on fulfilling customer orders quickly, thanks to our UK-based operation and proximity to Premier in the northwest of England.

I’d imagine short turnaround times are commonplace for Inkspin?

Very much so. Next day turnaround is critical for us which is why I don’t want to buy from abroad. I have other suppliers who offer their services, but then there’s customs, and it takes weeks. If something gets stuck in customs, there are major delivery problems. A quick turnaround is critical.

Annually, we have a big contract for the Caribbean Premier League. The fact that Premier can get me the materials I need in a short turnaround is really helpful because the customer will sometimes need more shirts and we have to meet the shipment date.

Being a UK based printer with a UK supplier makes a huge difference, and Premier being in Bury means they are not far from us.

How would you explain your working relationship with Premier’s Toby Lunn?

It’s important that the relationship we have with Premier has always been beneficial. The ability to see the garments in person and discuss our needs with Toby is invaluable. Our orders may be small and bespoke, but the service we receive, first from Elen and now from Toby, has been excellent.

When our print team were first testing Premier’s French Velvet, we were able to consult with Toby and find solutions to print challenges which included input from another one of Premier’s customers. This collaborative approach has been key. Toby’s understanding of our business and the garments we print allows him to suggest relevant products, like the Mesa, which was immediately popular with one of our retail customers.

I also remember Toby and I trying to track down the Duchess Satin fabric before Christmas. Toby was brilliant because the fabric also had to be printed and shipped to the garment manufacturer in order to meet schedules. We ended up with about 150 meters, and I only needed 10. He was brilliant; we were constantly texting, asking where the driver was. That kind of thing is really important.

Being able to communicate directly and quickly with Toby or Elen about urgent orders and having them respond promptly is crucial to our business. This partnership and the ability to work closely together is essential to our success. It means Inkspin can gain a significant advantage over competitors.

Is quality control important to the final products?

Very. We check the quality of Premier’s fabrics to ensure that nothing has been damaged during manufacturing. Because bespoke garments are made to your unique measurements, one of the important quality control checks is to remeasure the finished garment and compare it to the original measurements. This ensures that there has been no shrinkage or other changes. Premier’s fabrics have all passed this final quality control step with flying colours.

At Inkspin we prefer natural fabrics because that’s what the bespoke tailoring trade and their customers want. We now print on a total of 13 fabrics, 12 of which come from Premier. The new Mesa fabric has been great, and we’ve been doing some test printing and sewing of some shirts. Those are just coming back to our garment manufacturer, because one particular client wants to order 25 of each shirt.

What’s happening now and next for Inkspin?

The latest thing we did, which has gone down really well, is utilising Premier’s French Velvet, a stunning fabric that we use for jackets. People are absolutely loving that. So, we’re rolling that out with one of our customer’s brands called Etch, a custom suit platform, we have created five different velvet designs for their range. Now that clients in Scotland have seen all the samples, they want to do Black Watch tartan velvet dressing gowns for one of their hotel clients. The velvet has excited everybody, as has Premier’s Duchess Satin that we’re printing on for bespoke waistcoats.

Ultimately, we are a very niche company. And it’s really important to have a good relationship with Premier. They provide fantastic customer service and understand that we’re trying to build a business too.

May 13, 2025
PrepRITE brand launched by Premier Digital Textiles

Premier Digital Textiles has released an extensive range of new high quality fabrics to the global markets.

Its PrepRITE brand includes fabrics in multiple weaves, weights, constructions and compositions and is designed to help transform creative ideas into stunning prints.

Nick Smith is Managing Director of Europe’s leader in delivering high-quality fabric truly prepared for digital print.

He said: “Our new PrepRITE range comes at an exciting time for us and indeed the industry. What we have is a specialised fabrics brand that enhances print performance across a wide range of ink types, including sublimation, pigment, and latex inks.

“Each fabric is meticulously engineered to meet specific printing needs, the highest quality standards and also positively contributes to our planet.”

Premier Digital Textiles is part of the Premier Textile group along with USA-based Premex Solutions and Bancroft Soft Furnishings.

The company houses over 4 million metres of stock at its modern warehouse facilities in the UK and America.

Having already been serving the American market as Premex Solutions since October 2022, Premier Digital Textiles began trading from the UK in August 2023.

“In the first year of trading across the UK and US divisions we delivered £5 million revenues,” said Nick.

“We take pride in serving the digital print industry with high-quality textiles, offering a diverse range of fabrics that cater to the home furnishings, interior decor and fashion markets.”

He added: “Fabrics in the PrepRITE range include organic cotton, recycled polyester, innovative cotton and polyester alternatives.

“And as customers continue to look for added value, we firmly believe that PrepRITE is the go-to choice for professionals seeking reliable and high-performing print fabrics.”

May 6, 2025
“I made your fabric,” say Premier Digital Textiles

To celebrate Fashion Revolution Week, Premier Digital Textiles outlines its commitment to ethical fashion

Fashion Revolution Week encourages consumers to ask, ‘Who made my clothes?’

At Premier Digital Textiles, we proudly respond: ‘I made your fabric’. And that’s because we believe fashion should be a force for good.

Now in its 11th year Fashion Revolution Week started in the wake of the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh.

As a global movement it justly continues to raise awareness about the human rights and environmental impacts of the fashion and textile industry.

Premier Digital Textiles, Europe’s leader in delivering high-quality fabric truly prepared for digital print, has long been an avid supporter – and contributor – of the need for transparency, fairness and sustainability in the fashion industry.

Our commitment to change: How we’re contributing

At Premier Digital Textiles, we believe fashion should be a force for good and are proud to share the actions we’re taking to build a more ethical and sustainable fashion and textile industry. The goal is to shift the fashion and textile industry towards practices that prioritise people and the environment over profits.

1. Transparency in our supply chain
We’re committed to transparency, ensuring that we know exactly where our fabric comes from. We collaborate closely with our mill partners to guarantee ethical production, fair wages and safe working conditions. Our mill partners meet social audit requirements including SA8000, Fair Trade, STeP by Oeko-Tex and GOTS.

2. Sustainable materials and practices
We’re reducing our environmental footprint by using eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, recycled cotton and recycled polyester. Our mill partners’ strategic actions in renewable energy, emission reduction, water conservation, recycling and circularity underline this.

3. Supporting fair labour practices
Fair wages and safe working conditions are at the heart of our mission. We partner with suppliers who uphold labour rights and are dedicated to improving the lives of their workers. Our mill partners go beyond the basics, offering equal opportunities supporting community welfare programmes and providing benefits such as subsidised education, free accommodation, transport and medical check-ups.

4. Ethical design and production
We focus on creating durable cloth that stands the test of time. By designing for longevity, we reduce overconsumption and encourage customers to invest in quality.

As part of our commitment to these values, we work alongside global mill partners and maintain close working relationships with UK weavers and finishers who share our same values.

Global mill partners: Our Head of Supply Chain Sarah Marlow reflects on “invaluable” visits

As part of our commitment to improving the way we work with our mill partners, our Head of Supply Chain, Sarah Marlow, recently undertook trips to meet with some of them.

These trips were an invaluable part of our ongoing mission to ensure ethical and sustainable practices across our supply chain.

Reflecting on her travels in 2024, Sarah shared her insights and the importance of building and renewing relationships with global mill partners.

She said: “The primary goal of my visits was to understand the complexities of the production process and the importance of building strong relationships with our suppliers.

“I walked through the entire production journey, from fibre cleaning to final packing. It was a valuable opportunity to gain insights into quality control and international compliance.”

Sarah’s visits included both a small, specialised mill and a larger producer with over 10,000 employees.

These visits highlighted the importance of nurturing personal relationships with suppliers, ensuring shared commitment to ethical practices and quality standards.

Sarah added: “Regular updates and TEAMS meetings with our mill partners allow us to stay aligned on goals and continually improve. As we plan additional visits in 2025, I’m excited for the new perspectives and insights these will bring. I look forward to the ongoing updates and new insights we will gain through our regular meetings and planned visits in 2025”

These visits underscore the importance of staying connected with our supply chain partners and continuously seeking new ways to enhance our practices. They are a key part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability, transparency and ethical production.

‘It’s left a positive lasting impression,’ says Business Development Manager Grainne Brennan following a trip to India

Grainne Brennan recently returned from a visit to India, where she had the opportunity to spend time with one of Premier Digital Textiles’ key mill partners.

The trip, she says, proved invaluable both professionally and personally.

“This visit brought a new level of understanding and collaboration to our partnership,” Grainne shared. “As someone who works closely with the team every day, meeting them in person helped to strengthen that relationship in a really important way.”

During her time on the ground, Grainne was able to witness the full manufacturing journey, an experience that deepened her appreciation of the process.

“I gained insight into everything from spinning the yarn to weaving and finishing the final fabrics. It really helped me understand just how much is involved at every stage.”

One standout moment for her was seeing the fabric finishing process in action.

“I’ve visited our UK-based finishers before, so I had some foundational knowledge going in,” she explained, “but seeing how the process is done in India added a whole new dimension. It was fascinating.”

What left a lasting impression on Grainne was the mill’s strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices.

“Their investments in zero-discharge water treatment, afforestation projects and renewable energy really spoke to their forward-thinking approach,” she noted. “But what struck me most was their social focus – especially their efforts around women’s empowerment. Women make up 50% of the workforce, which is something truly inspiring to see in action.”

Reflecting on the experience, Grainne said: “This trip gave me far more than just insights into the manufacturing process – it gave me a deeper understanding of who we’re working with and reaffirmed why this partnership matters so much.”

UK partners

In addition to our global mill partners, we maintain close working partnerships with UK weavers and finishers. It enables us to build strong hands-on relationships.

The ability to visit regularly allows us to ensure that production is carried out ethically, with fair labour practices in place. It gives us greater transparency across our supply chain, and it’s encouraging to see our partners continually striving to improve and meet ambitious sustainability targets.

The future of fashion: What’s next?

During this journey toward a more sustainable and ethical fashion and textile industry, we rightly recognise that change takes time.

At Premier Digital Textiles we are deeply committed to contributing to a fashion and textile industry that is fair, sustainable and respects people and the planet.

So join us in the revolution

During Fashion Revolution Week 2025, we encourage you to ask, ‘Who made my clothes?’

Whether you’re purchasing fabric with us or another company, your choices matter.

By supporting ethical brands and demanding greater transparency, you help create a future that’s better for planet earth and its people.

At Premier Digital Textiles Ltd, we’re proud to be part of the solution.

Together we can revolutionise the fashion and textile industry – one conscious choice at a time.

Author: Elen Hughes, Premier Digital Textiles

April 15, 2025
PDT announce the expansion of their environmentally certified textile collection

Premier Digital Textiles are proud to announce the expansion of their environmentally certified textile collection.

A specialist print-ready collection expertly developed and sourced to fulfil the Industries requirement for Textiles that meet the needs of an expanding marketplace for sustainably sourced fabrics suitable for Digital Textile printing.

In tune with industry trends and demands, and in partnership with their longstanding connections amongst the world’s most prestigious mills, the textile specialists and fabric technologists within the Premier Digital team have created a substantial offering of fabric print bases that offer the manufacturer viable, sustainable alternatives to the world’s most popular woven and knitted textiles.

Certification is paramount, and as we move into an era of transparency within the global supply chain, sourcing confidence is essential. Premier Digital Textiles have worked tirelessly to provide accurate certification, and importantly, a collection with the provenance that the consumer now demands.

Which certifications apply :

Cottons – Soil Association, GOTS, Oeko-Tex, BCI

Polyester – Repreve (by UNIFI)

ENVIRONMENTALLY CERTIFIED COLLECTIONS INCLUDE:

Organic Natural Fabrics

2386 Recycled and Organic cotton blend – twill – 213gsm

6903 Organic Natural drill – 255gsm

2886 Organic Half panama bleached – 309gsm

2886 Organic Half panama natural – 309gsm

3030 Organic Dedsuti – 195gsm

6985 Organic Satin -140gsm

7027 Organic Interlock – 210gsm

2260 Organic Plain – 156gsm

6999 Supa Soft Organic Cotton – 150gsm

Recycled Polyester (100% or blended)

2331 Freemont – Linen look poly – 210gsm

2333 Eco Austin – Polyester linen – 284gsm

2336 Eco Phoenix – 247gsm

2332 Eco Canvas – 215gsm

2406 Cordoba

2565 Colorado – 100% Recycled half panama

Premier Digital Textiles also see the value of the addition of Lyocell (a wood pulp fibre) to the strong offering of their current sustainable textiles and an important fibre for future production.

Lyocell will be launching at the end of March. Please contact sales for more information.

Premier Digital Textiles have been supplying the worlds Textile industry for over 30 years, and the Digital Textile industry for over 15 years. Importantly they are also credited as the pioneers for the many new substrates and woven innovations that have unlocked the textile supply chain to bring the print Industry a balanced selection of print-ready Textile substrates available in large and small volumes.

“Our fundamental commitment to sustainable fabric development is at the heart of what we do. Our team has been working closely with existing key suppliers for over 12 months, to bring new sustainable fabrics to market. This has involved close collaboration and a sharing of knowledge, which has resulted in an exciting new range of print ready fabrics, all of which are fully certified and tested to meet our exacting quality standards”.

“Premier truly believes that quality and cost shouldnt be compromised in the search to deliver customers truly sustainable print solutions.” “Premier Digital Textiles are proud to offer the industry a comprehenshive collection of eco print ready base fabrics and look forward to sharing future innovations and developments, alongside continued investment in the supply of sustainable textiles.”

– Emily Falconer: Business Development Premier Digital textiles.

For more information please contact sales: HERE

Article also shown on Textintel website

March 9, 2020
The Dye Sublimation Heat Transfer Process Explained

The Heat transfer process is the means by which Dye-Sublimation printing is transferred and fixed to the fabric to be produced.

Dye-Sublimation is an ink-set used exclusively on Polyester Fabrics.

Sublimation is a scientific term which describes the process by which a solid transforms into a gas without an intermediate liquid phase.

This process allows colour to be fixed onto Polyester fabrics with a great degree of accuracy and impact, owing to a vivid colour gamut.

In Dye-Sub printing the process is for the pattern to be printed with dye-sub inks using a standard inkjet printer onto a high release transfer paper.

The next stage of the process is to place the paper next to the textile to be transferred in a high temperature heat transfer press.

When this happens, the ink sublimates from liquid to a gas and transfers from the paper to the textile producing vivid colours in near perfect resolution on the textile.

In order to transfer the image from the paper to the substrate, it requires a heat press process that is a combination of time, temperature and pressure.

The heat press applies this special combination, which can change depending on the substrate, to “transfer” the sublimation dyes at the molecular level into the substrate.

The most common dyes used for sublimation activate at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, a range of 380 to 420 degrees Fahrenheit is normally recommended for optimal colour.

The end result of the sublimation process is an almost permanent, high resolution, full colour print.

Because the dyes are infused into the substrate at the molecular level, rather than applied at a topical level (such as with screen printing and direct to garment printing), the prints will not crack, fade or peel from the substrate under normal conditions.

Dye Sublimation printing onto Polyester Fabrics is very accurate, with great stability and ease of process, heat transfer is widely used as a printing method by many digital textile printers specialising in Fashion, Interiors, Sportswear and Athleisure.

January 3, 2020
Digital Textile Print Processes Explained

When printing Fabrics using Digital Ink-jet technologies, the fabric chosen will determine the ink-set used and the type of digital printing process that follows.

The number of available ink- sets for Digital Textile Printing are growing as the Digital Print market expands in size. The five most important ink-sets and their printing process are shown and described below.

Dye-Sub Ink-Set

Sublimation is a scientific term which describes the process by which a solid transforms into a gas without an intermediate liquid phase.

This process allows colour to be fixed onto Polyester fabrics with a great degree of accuracy and impact, owing to a vivid colour gamut.

Uncoated fabrics can be used with Dye-Sub Ink-sets.

Process :

In Dye-Sub printing the process is for the pattern to be printed using a standard inkjet printer onto a high release transfer paper.

The next stage of the process is to place the paper next to the textile to be transferred in a high temperature heat press.

When this happens, the ink sublimates and transfers from the paper to the textile producing vivid colours in near perfect resolution on the textile.

Pigment Ink-Set

Pigment inks are inks where the colorant is a fine particle dissolved and suspended in a carrier fluid.

The process deposits the ink on the pre-coated fabric which, when the fluid dries, allows the particles of the colour to physically bond to the fabric.

In recent technical developments the range, performance and clarity of colours has expanded significantly, resulting in the general suitability of Pigment Ink-Sets for all types of fabrics and fibres.

Process :

In Pigment printing the ink and carrier fluid are printed together directly onto the fabric using an inkjet printer.

The fabric is dried as it is printed, and fixation takes place, at approximately 150°C in a baker or thermo-fixation device.

Fabrics for Pigment printing have to be pre-coated before use.

Reactive Ink-Set

Reactive Ink-Sets are organic compounds whereby through a covalent bond the dyes become a chemical part of the fibre component of the fabric being printed through a reaction between the liquid of the dyestuff and the fabric itself.

The chemical bond is very strong and produces vivid colours on Cottons, Linens and other cellulosic fabrics with excellent fastness properties.

Process :

The printing process for Reactive Ink-Sets however is complicated.

First the pre-coated fabric is directly printed in an inkjet printer, and the inks are dried during the printing process.

Then the fabric is processed slowly through a High Temperature Steamer to fix the colours to the fabric.

Finally, the fabric is washed and dried to remove any surplus colour, so that no fading occurs during subsequent washing.

Fabrics for Reactive printing have to be pre-coated before use.

Acid Ink-Set

Acid Ink-Sets are usually sodium salts of sulfonic acids, whereby the dyestuff, benefitting from an increased solubility in water in an acidic solution, creates an ionic bond with the fibres of the fabric being printed.

Generally, this Ink-Set is only used to print Wool, Cashmere, Angora, Nylon and Silk fabrics, where its performance in terms of clarity, fastness and Intensity is exemplary.

Process :

The printing process for Acid Ink-Sets, as with Reactive Ink-Sets however is complicated.

First the fabric is directly printed in an inkjet printer, and the inks are dried during the printing process.

Then the fabric is processed very slowly through a High Temperature Steamer to fix the colours to the fabric.

Finally, the fabric is washed and dried to remove any surplus colour, so that no fading occurs during subsequent washing.

Fabrics for Acid printing have to be pre-coated before use.

Disperse Ink-Set

The Disperse Ink-Set is a low soluble dyestuff effectively dispersed in water by powerful dispersing agents, which allow the dyestuff to be adsorbed into the interstices of the fibre which expands under temperature to allow the dyestuff to be encased within the fibre at a molecular level.

This ink-set is widely used, it is applicable to automotive and other fabrics comprising Polyester or Acetate Fibres where extremely high fastness properties are demanded.

Fabrics for Disperse printing have to be pre-coated before use.

Process :

The printing process for Disperse Ink-Sets, as with Reactive Ink-Sets however is complicated.

First the pre-coated fabric is directly printed in an inkjet printer, and the inks are dried during the printing process.

Then the fabric is processed very slowly through a High Temperature Steamer to fix the colours to the fabric.

Finally, the fabric is washed and dried to remove any surplus colour, so that no fading occurs during subsequent washing.

December 17, 2019