16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

UNIT - II
Syllabus
GARMENT PRINTING : Special print recipes for garments – Khadi, Metallic, Flock,
Plastisol, Reflective, Pear, Fluorescent, High density printing, Puff Printing, Foil Printing,
Plastic Printing. Printing of Garments with Photo chromatic and Thermo chromatic dyes,
Garment Printing Machinery – Table printing, Multi arm flat bed printing machine for
Garments, Digital printing, Transfer printing.

Different Types of T-shirt Printing Methods

1. Screen Printing:
It is the most common with the pros. Another name for this design is silkscreen printing.

For this method to work, you will need a stencil, and a nylon mesh. You set up the stencil,
which is held by the nylon mesh. A water proof material will block the negative space that
you want to design.

The negative space is the only part permeable for the dye. Ink is then flooded into the screen.

The screen printing method is ideal for printing high-quality t-shirt designs, because it
guarantees ultimate replication of the design. The screen printing methods gives a shirt a
unique, cute and impressive look that customer love.

Most companies that use the screen printing methods for mass production of t-shirt designs
for your business. If you want a single or unique design for yourself, it may be impossible.

This method is suited for one color per screen. It is not ideal for super complex multi-color
designs.

2. Direct To Garments (DTG):

Like the screen printing method, it is also popular among hobbyists. It easy to do but it will
require knowledge and skills if you are not going to get professional help. All you need for it
work is the textile printer and ink .

DTG works like a paper printer in the office. The only difference is that, in this case the ink is
going to the fabric. You first need to upload the design to the computer, which then creates
uniqueness and creativity.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

The Direct To Garment method is excellent for printing out super-complex design. It gives a
soft feel on the hands when you touch the final design. The ink used doesn't create thick extra
layers on the shirt, because it is thin.

However it has one problem. You can end up with a low resolution design with dot patterns if
you have an inferior textile printer. You can't use this method to create design for dark fabric,
because the ink is thin and won't look well.

DTG is least durable and the fabric may fade in a year or less.

3. Dye Sublimation:
Dye sublimation works well on light shirts or fabrics. It cost to produce a dye sub but in the
end, the customer ends up with a professional done shirt by experts.

To bring out the best results in this method, you need to have deep knowledge in dye
sublimation. Dye sublimation is perfect for printing polyester like cream fabrics. They are
unforgiving when you bring cotton fabric to the scene.

You will need a special type of dye which is liquid. The liquid dries up when it meets the
polyester fabric. When it has dried well, it solidifies on the fabric, then you can apply heat
and pressure for sublimation to take place.

When the solid fabric is exposed to heat and pressure it turns into gas. The fabric molecules
then expand and the gas sips between the gap that appear in the cloth. In the end, the
molecules contracts again when you remove the heat.

Dye sublimation is excellent for printing polyester shirts with minimal enduring designs.
Shirt done through sublimation are durable and looks cute.

4. Heat Press Printing:

If you have small orders of shirt, it is economical to use the heat press printing. It saves you
resources and time.

This method incorporates a design printed on a special paper called transfer paper. Here is
how it works.

You take a shirt, press it on the best heat transfer vinyl, then apply heat and pressure. A more
similar approach like the dye sublimation with slight differences. You do the process until the
heat softens the dye on the paper until it gets a beneath the cloth.

After that you take the glossy paper transfer and strip off the dye which leaves you with the
intended design on the shirt.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

If you are working with super complex designs, then heat and press method is ideal for you.
However, it won't work well with dark fabrics because of its translucent dye.

Shirts printed through heat press printing are durable.

5. Vinyl Cutting:
In this method a special soft clothing is cut into shapes or designs, then transferred to a shirt..
Then these special designs are then placed onto the t-shirt using the heat press method.

With this method, you can print one-off designs and even produce them in large numbers. It
is the best alternative for printing multiple garment types.

Vinyl cutting machine gives you the options of using different layers to print different colors
of a design. Vinyl cutting is used in designing sportswear, slogan or small graphics.

However, it suffers from one thing: They are letter-types parts that you can't use with it. T-
shirt printed through vinyl cutting are durable.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRINTS

Plastisol Print
Good colour opacity onto dark garments and clear graphic detail with, as the name suggests,
a more plasticized texture.
Plastisol inks require heat (approx. 150°C) to cure the print.
Due to excess phthalate in PVC, this is banned for Children’s wear.

Non PVC
Relatively new breed of ink and printing with the benefits of Plastisol but without the main
toxic components - soft feeling print.

Suitable for kids wear.

High Density Print

This is one of the recent developments in printing which gives thick prints on the surface of
garments.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

Achieved by either giving more number of coats or by using thickener indirect films used for
making the screens.

Suedo Ink Print

Suede is a milky coloured additive that is added to Plastisol. With suede additive you can
make any colour of Plastisol have ‘suede’ feel.
Generally 50% suede additive to your normal Plastisol.

Discharge Print
Used to print lighter colours onto dark background fabrics, they work by removing the dye
already present in the garment.

This gives a much softer texture

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

Sticker Print
This is ready to transfer print.
The plastisol print is already printed on paper and will be transfered on to garment in the
fusing process.
The main advantage of this method is less expensive.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

Pigment Print
These penetrate the fabric more than the Plastisole inks and create a much softer feel.

Also useful for larger area prints where texture is important.

Glitter Print
Metallic flakes are suspended in the ink base to create this sparkle effect.
Usually available in gold or silver but can be mixed to make most colours.

Metallic Print
Gives metallic look.

Similar to glitter, but smaller particles suspended in the ink.

Smooth in texture when compared to glitter.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

Foil Print
This printing method is based on the use of metallic foil paper of aluminium or copper one.
The print fixation method is similar to transfer printing. This print method is popular amongst
youngsters.

Distressed/ Khadi print

It consists of titanium dioxide with other auxiliaries.

The important factor in printing of this is right combination of titanium dioxide and proper
choice of binder.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

Puff Print
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.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

Cavier Bead Print

A glue is printed in the shape of the design, to which small plastic beads are then applied.

works well with solid block areas creating an interesting tactile surface.

Silicone Print
To counter inferior wash and weather durability, poor hand feel of some prints like plastisol
printing mills tried silicone inks because of their good washing durability, hand feel,
elongation properties and environmental friendliness.

Flock Print
This process involves printing of glue on the fabric first, applying the fiber flock on the gel
printed by keeping the fabric on special table (electro statically charged).
It requires a little high time for curing than normal prints. 120 seconds at 160C will be
sufficient for curing.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

Organic Print
Organic print range covers the natural dyes, and the other pigment dyes which lies under the
specifications made by G.O.T.S.
For Printing Organic Dyes the company/ manufacturer should get the certification from
G.O.T.S.

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

Printing Process

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

MACHINES USED IN PRINTING

TABLE PRINTING
Long tables are generally used for performing the screen printing and natural drying at the
same place or line drying. These tables are same as used for spreading tables, with some
narrow width.

CAROUSAL PRINTING MACHINE

These machines will be available both in automatic and semi automatic machines and with 4,
6, 8, 10 & 12 multi colour models. The double spring model gives the customers a
maintenance free performance of the machine. Electric heat panels included in the machine.

DIGITAL FUSING
Used As Heat Transfer Press, Designs To Be Transfered To The Garments / Fabrics /
Leathers/ Rexin /Nylon / Polyprpelene/ Bags & etc.
Can be used for fusing like plastisol priniting, khadi, pigment & etc.
Can Be Used As Flat Bed Fusing Machine For Collar And Cuff Fusing
Platen Size Can Be Increased Up to 20" X 30".

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 16TF303- Garment Dyeing, Printing and Embroidery Unit -2

ELECTRIC CURING MACHINE

Electric curing used for fixing the printing paste on to the printed fabric.
This is the alternate method for ‘Line Drying’.
So that instead of waiting for 3-5 hours for line drying, the electric curing process can be
completed in few minutes.

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