Fabric Printing Ink: Different Types of Ink Available

Textile printers are constantly attempting to improve the performance of their creations and textiles. The type of fabric printing ink used is a significant aspect of quality and design. Over the past years, there’s been a surge in demand for premium quality waterbased inks that are easy to process with and are also less environmentally damaging.

Since there are so many various types of ink available in the market, how to choose the right fabric printing ink that best suits your production cycle?

This article is all about the many types of ink, as well as its benefits and drawbacks, to help you make a more informed decision.

Reactive inks

In today’s textile business, reactive inks are the most widely utilized inks. Reactive inks are very common with digital textile printers. Printing on cotton is the best way to use reactive inks. Reactive inks, on the other hand, can be used to print on silk and wool.

The excellent quality of the colours and the strong wash fastnesses are two major advantages of employing reactive inks for textile printing. When printing on cotton or polyester with reactive inks, the highest colour quality is achieved.

Colors can fade and become less vibrant when printed on silk or wool. But, the excellent wash fastness of the reactive ink is a significant benefit, particularly for high-end fashion firms. Textiles having high wash workability can be cleaned frequently without losing their colour.

Acid inks

Even when printing on materials that don’t keep colours well, acid inks are noted for their bright colours. As a result, acids inks are frequently used to imprint wool and silk. When printing on these material types, acid inks provide a good degree of colour brilliance. Acid inks are commonly used for printing swimwear, which is usually formed of lycra, in addition to wool and silk. Acid inks are popular for a variety of reasons, including their great colour brilliance and resistance to chlorinated and salt water.

Disperse inks

In traditional printing on polyester fabrics, disperse inks are the most extensively employed inks. Disperse printing involves spraying ink right onto the textile, which is then heated and cleaned. The steaming procedure unlocks the strands, enabling the ink to permeate completely into the fabric. The fibre closes again after heating, and the colours are sealed into the fabric. As a result, the colour brilliance and wash fastness are both quite good. Disperse inks are now the most widely used inks in traditional textile printing.

Polyester has grown increasingly prominent in the fashion business in recent years, resulting in a significant demand for quick printing with disperse inks on this material. A difficulty, because disperse inks don’t perform well with high-speed printers. As a result, most textile printers who wanted to dye polyesters digitally turned to paper transfer sublimation printing.

Sublimation inks

As the popularity of digital textile printing grew, a new sort of printing evolved within the industry: sublimation printing or transfer printing. Sublimation printing entails transferring sublimation ink onto a piece of paper, placing it in a colander with the fabric, and allowing the ink to transform from liquid to gas at high pressure and temperature (sublimates).

The polyester fibres are easily penetrated by this gas. The colours are fixed into the fabric after reducing the pressure and the temperature. Sublimation inks have the benefit of removing the need to steam and wash the material after printing.

And that’s why this procedure is less harmful to the environment, easier and cheaper than all the other printing techniques. Also, it can help you print huge quantities at a quicker rate.

With DAS Waterbased Ink Get Unrivalled Quality and Colour Density

The ink you use has a significant effect on the quality of your prints. As a result, it is recommended to use only the highest-quality inks for your printing method. With so many tempting options and prices available in the market, it can be very challenging for you to choose the right ink for your needs.

Get in touch with us, we can help you choose the right type of waterbased ink for your printing needs and requirements.