Learn Exactly Why Aqueous Textile Inks Serve Startups Better!

 
Digital fabric printing continues to evolve at a rapid pace. It's also motivated an ink revolution that drives modern innovations to improve designs for digital textile printing. Textile ink technology has transcended the dinosaur age. With revolutionary chemical technology, hardware and software, textile printing with aqueous ink is a game-changer. Unlimited flexibility, low-cost manufacturing, and quick turnaround are some of the primary gains realized with digital textile printing today. A crucial step of the printing process is choosing the correct inks based on how it reacts with fibers.

Why aqueous textile inks?

The textile inks chosen has great significance to the outcome of a print job. One limitation of traditional graphics inks is the fact that it does not “fix" on textile substrates. This resulted in the introduction of digital inks. It’s addressed numerous problems identified with old-school inks that have long affected productivity.

Aqueous inks are less likely to fade given its high resistance to sunlight exposure and other environmental elements. The performance of dupont artistri textile inks weighs heavily on the material and ink type. Pigment inks, for example, adapt to multiple surfaces, which makes it an attractive choice. The downside is that this ink requires a substance called ‘resin’ to improve adhesion of fibers and pigment. UV light and heat curing are the main fixation methods applied.

Fiber-reactive inks fit into the aqueous category as well. This type of ink requires pre-treated fabric to improve the outcome of prints. It has a higher compatibility with plant-based fibers such as cotton, rayon, linen, silk and more. It will render lasting graphics that display vivid prints on textile. With sub-dye digital printing gaining momentum nowadays, low and high-energy disperse inks have also become a popular choice for those in business. Although it's not as vibrant as other aqueous types, disperse inks chemistry with polyester fibers is absolute.

High-energy disperse inks thrive on tough outdoor applications given its high resistance to changing environmental conditions. For fixation, this ink requires oven curing or heat press to transfer printed image onto fabric. In comparison, low-energy disperse inks allow printing directly onto polyester fabric, where thermosoling is applied for proper fixation. Another method is to use transfer paper to print designs onto substrates. Acid dyes represent another class of aqueous inks that have a high level of light-fastness. It's known to adhere well to materials such as leather, nylon, wool, and silk. Pre-treatment of fabric is highly encouraged to maximize fixation performance.

In a market where the green revolution tremendously influences consumer purchase decision, aqueous textile inks remain a superior choice to solvent. With these inks, micro businesses printing textiles can conveniently adapt to any office setting. What's more, aqueous inks are widely known to have superior image resolution with an impressive color gamut.

Another quality that makes them favorable is that it doesn't clog inkjet print-heads as easily as solvents. This type of ink is popular with large-format images. Unlike solvents, aqueous inks can handle a heavier workload without budget compromises. After all, the era of digital printing has inspired innovations that significantly reduce the cost burden on garment decoration startups.