Screen Printing – Pigment Method
Screen printing with pigments
Screen Printing is very
common method Fabric printing. It may be
either Rotary Screen Printing or Flat Bed Screen Printing.
Here are few general
outline of considerations for Screen printing with the pigment colour systems.
Fabric for Printing
A wide variety of base fibres are available to
print e.g. Cotton, polyester, nylon, Silk, wool, Rayon etc. The base fibre
content will determine the type of colour system and processing to be used. Styling, end use, and economics will also be
contributing factors in the colour system selection.Pigment colours are extremely versatile in their application across a range of fibre content and fabric structure.
Regardless of fibre content and structure, there are four basic forms of fabric for printing.
1- Bleached white without any type of Finish, In general called as RFP.
2- Bleached white – Prefinished, It may have softeners, pre calendared etc.
3- Dyed – Base of the fabric is coloured with suitable dyes based on fibre type.
4- Natural – Only desized and scoured, Means having no optical brighter in fabric.
Each of this type of fabric will need different condition for the printing. Bleached unfinished fabric is the ideal fabric for the print. Basic chemical requirement for the Pigment printing is as
1- Thickener
2- Binder
3- Pigment Colour
4- Emulsifier
Basic requirement of fabric before Printing
1- Uniform Absorbency
2- Uniform Shade
3- Uniform Width
4- Uniform Straightness (No bowing / Skew)
5- Lint Free ( No loose lint on fabric surface)
