15 Unique Print Types Used in the Modern Printing Industry

Kazi Md. Rashedul Islam

B.Sc-in-Textile Engineering (DUET)

Author & Founder: TextileTrainer.com

Email: Textiletrainer@gmail.com

What is printing?

Printing is the process of different types of colors used to make a specific design on the fabric. Printing is one kind of dyeing. In other words, we can say that printing is a form of localized dyeing process that uses a specific design in a particular area. This article will discuss 15 unique print types used in the modern printing industry.

Keywords: print types, modern printing industry, printing, printing ingredients, printing steps, printing method, style of printing.

The modern printing industry has undergone significant transformation. Nowadays, the printing industry is involved in new printing technology by using different innovative processes. The printing industry is trying to evolve from traditional print processes to advanced and innovative ones. This evolution has given rise to various print types. However, before going to the main point, let’s gain a basic idea about printing.

Printing Ingredients

There are different ingredients used in printing paste for different purposes. In general, printing paste contains the following ingredients.

1. Dye stuff or pigment: The main printing ingredient is dyestuff or pigment. These create different colors.
2. Wetting agent: wetting agents are used to reduce the surface tension of water. It helps to well dissolve the printing ingredients.
3. Thickener: Thickener is a substance that helps to increase the viscosity of printing paste. It also helps to create sharp printing lines.
4. Binder and fixer: Specially in the pigment printing process, binder and fixer are used. The pigment is insoluble dyes which have no affinity for fabric. A binder and fixer are used to hold the pigment in the fabric.
5. Solvents: To increase the solubility of dye in printing paste, the solvent is used.
6. Defoaming agents: Defoaming agents are used to reduce the foam formation in the printing paste.
7. Oxidizing and reducing agent: To develop final color during steaming or in developing dye baths, oxidizing agent is used. In discharge printing, reducing agents are used as discharging agents to chemically destroy the dye and create a white pattern on colored background.
8. Catalyst and oxygen carrier: catalyst and oxygen carrier is used to prevent fiber damage during steaming process of printing.
9. Acid and alkali: The acids are used when acidic condition is required when steaming or curing the print to fix the color on the fabric. Alkali also used to fix the color of the fabric.
10. Carrier and swelling agent: Carriers are to swelling the fiber. So that dye molecules easily diffuse faster into the fiber.

Printing Steps

Actually, printing steps depend on the printing types and print standard sample. However, generally, printing steps are followed in the printing industry is given below.

1. Preparation of print paste.
2. Printing of fabric
3. Drying
4. Fixation of dyestuff
5. Washing
6. Drying

Printing Methods

A printing effect is created using different types of instruments like a screen, roller, block, etc. The procedure of creating a printing effect according to the design is called a printing method. Below are the methods used for printing:

1. Block printing method
2. Screen printing method
3. Flat press printing method
4. Spray printing method
5. Roller printing method
6. Transfer printing method
7. Flock printing method
8. Engraved roller printing method
9. Batik printing method
10. Photographic printing method.

Among these printing methods screen printing method is most popular. Thought screen preparation in screen printing has to follow 9 steps and is comparatively difficult to other methods.

Style of printing

Various types of techniques were sometimes used in various printing methods to obtain the printing effect. The style of printing refers to the way the dye chemicals and material to be printed behave. The style of printing can be divided into the following groups based on its behavior.

1. Direct style of printing
2. Dyed style of printing
3. Azoic style of printing
4. Metal style of printing
5. Block style of printing
6. Crepon style of printing
7. Printing of lining
8. Discharge style of printing
9. Resist style of printing
10. Raised style of printing

Now, we will discuss our main topics. Our main topic is 15 unique print types used in the modern printing industry.

Print Types

1. Organic print: In this type of print, natural dyes are used to print the fabric. The world is more concerned about environmental pollution, and natural dyes have less impact on the environment. The organic print range covers natural dyes and pigments, which fall under the specifications made by GOTS.
2. Silicone print: To counter inferior wash and weather durability and the poor hand feel of some prints, the plastisol printing industry tried to use silicone inks. They are suitable washable, have a good hand feel, have elongation properties, and are environmentally friendly.
3. Puff print: Puff print is used to create a 3D feel. It is an additive to plastisol inks, which raises the print off of the garments.
4. Foil print: In foil print, metallic foil paper made of aluminum or copper is used to print the fabric.
5. Pigment print: In the pigment print, print paste penetrates the fabric easily more than the plastisol ink print. It also creates a much softer feel.
6. Discharge print: Discharge print is used to print lighter colors onto dark background fabrics. In discharged print, the discharging agent is used which works by removing the dye already present in the garment.
7. Non-PVC: Non-PVC print is a relatively new breed of ink and printing with the benefits of plastisol. The non-PVC printing process prints fabric without the main toxic components. It also has a soft-feeling print.
8. Flock print: In flock print, the fabric is initially printed with glue according to the design. Then, the fiber flock is applied to the gel-printed fabric by keeping the fabric on a special electrostatically charged table.
9. Cavier bead print: A glue is printed in the shape of the design, to which tiny plastic beads are then applied.
10. Distressed print: This is a decorative print, and it is the activity of making a print appear aged and older, giving it a “weathered look.”
11. Glitter print: In the glitter print, metallic flakes are suspended in the ink. It is used to create this sparkle effect.
12. Metallic print: Metallic prints are similar to glitter prints, but the metallic flakes are smaller than glitter prints. Metallic prints’ texture is smooth compared to glitter’s.
13. Sticker print: The plastisol print is already printed on paper. The printed paper is then transferred to the garment using the fusing process.
14. Sueo ink print: Suede is a milky-coloured additive that is added to plastisol. With this additive, you can make any color of plastisol have a “suede” feel.
15. Plastisol print: It has good color opacity on dark garments. It has also clear graphic detail, with a more plasticized texture.