Special Effects Screen Printing – Part Two.
Welcome To Cora’s Corner, where every month I am going to help you with your artwork issues. This month’s discussion is;
Special Effects Inks and Processes Can Jazz Up Your Art.
Last month we started to discuss a few Special Effect processes to jazz up your garments. This month we are going to continue to discuss more methods to create fresh looking designs on your chosen garments. Let’s continue…
Dye-interactive inks Some inks are formulated to resist the dyeing process; others are designed to attract additional dye to the areas on which they are printed. You can use these water-based inks to satisfy customer requirements for PVC-free product. In these photo, two strengths of dye-resist inks and two strengths of dye-gain inks were printed in halftones using screens with high mesh counts. A soft-hand, almost distressed print becomes visible after the dyeing process.
PVC-free plastisols These prints were made with some of the newer PVC-free plastisols currently making their way into the marketplace. These inks are a response from the major ink manufacturers to customer demand for inks that do not contain polyvinylchloride or phthalates. Additionally, the inability of water-based inks to provide everything needed by every printer has helped lead to the development of these new acrylic alternatives. These inks, depending on how they are used, print much like standard plastisol ink with a few minor production limitations. Few alternatives are available that prevent dye migration on polyester fabrics, though solutions are in development and testing. Go Green!
Printing with silicone Silicone inks are among the newest products on the market. They’re designed to meet customer demand for PVC-free ink and are in testing and development for a number of different uses. Some production difficulties exist, especially with regard to high-speed, automatic production. However, the ability of silicone inks to impart a very desirable look keeps the pace of product development high. These inks also represent some very attractive performance characteristics, especially on polyester and performance fabrics. Dye-migration resistance and elongation are excellent. In this example, silicone inks were printed through coarse screens with thick stencils. The semitransparent inks used in the print give the graphic a look and feel similar to traditional gel ink. These inks are especially great for achieving the wet look.
High-solids inks Some high-solids or opaque water-based inks can work well on some polyester and most polyester/cotton blends. The potential for dye migration is minimized because these inks do not contain a true plasticizer and because the dryer temperatures can usually be a little lower than what would be required for a standard plastisol. However, you must test on a case-by-case basis before proceeding with production quantities. The graphic pictured here was printed with a high-quality, high-solids, water-based ink on a polyester T-shirt. The inks prevented dye migration issues on this particular fabric quite well, and the print’s quality and integrity have held up over time.
Discharging on blends Surprisingly, discharge fluids will occasionally work on polyester/cotton blends. These formulations can yield very unpredictable results, but they are proven in production in a noteworthy number of instances. Discharge fluids are not recommended for this specific use, so you’ll need to test carefully. This example shows an opaque or highly pigmented white discharge water-based ink printed on a 60/40 polyester/cotton fabric. It was flashed and then printed a second time. The discharge removed enough of the dye in the cotton portion of the fabric that the white pigment in the ink was able to block the remaining dye in the polyester portion of the fabric.
PVC-free HD You can make these PVC-free inks into high-density inks without much difficulty. These examples show multiple layers of PVC-free, high-density inks printed through coarse mesh (250-micron stencil thickness).
High-density designs Polyester and polyester/cotton blends bring many new challenges to any specialty garment print. The dyes in the fabric can migrate through the printed ink, thereby changing the color of the ink. Dye migration can take place—or worsen—over time. The cure temperatures of most inks also contribute to the effect because dye migration is often a heat-related issue. High-density inks can help prevent dye migration on some fabrics because of their high solids content and thick ink film. In this example, a high-density ink was printed in multiple layers on a 60/40 polyester/cotton blend through coarse screens coated with thick stencils. If you’re in doubt about dye migration, then consider using a low-bleed underprint. Also note that you must configure your dryer to cure the high-density ink formulation completely.
Semi-gloss style In this example, two layers of a clear, thickened, PVC-free plastisol were printed over a standard, PVC-free graphic to simulate a thick, semi-gloss patch. Low mesh counts and thick stencils were used for both clear screens.
These are all excellent ways to refresh designs you may have used in the past, add value to your printing or set your company apart from your competition. Have fun and think outside the box.
I would also like to hear from you about your most pressing issues about artwork. Your question may be used in a future issue of this newsletter. If you have questions, please email me at cora@qdigitizing.com. And please reference this newsletter.
Looking forward to sharing an exciting journey of discovery into the world of Art.
Sincerely,
Cora Kromer
Qdigitizing.com