Impressions - April 2019 - 38

has been dyed red - or any other dark color or pattern - via
sublimation, then consider using a dye-blocking underbase
that is gray or black, and then can be over-printed using a
polyester white ink.
Whether a garment was sublimated often can be determined
by looking at its inside. If it's white and the outside is a different
color, then it has been dyed via sublimation. Always make an
effort to ascertain the fabric type you are printing - it's better
to be safe than sorry.
Nylon. If you'll be printing a nylon garment, there typically
will be no dye migration or bleeding. Use inks that specifically
are formulated for nylon, as their properties make them more
durable. However, consider whether to use a catalyst to promote
better ink adhesion to the slippery fabric.
For example, if the nylon or another synthetic fabric is
smooth and shiny, the ink may have difficulty sticking to the
garment - hence the need for a catalyst. But if the fabric has
some openness to it - or "fur" - then the ink should adhere
without the catalyst.
Some fabrics also may have a chemical treatment or coating that
can make it difficult for the ink to adhere.The added chemical
could have properties that make the fabric water-repellent, such
as a rain coat or umbrella. Printing on these pretreated fabrics
can be challenging. It may even be worth it to attempt to remove
the coating or treatment in the area in which you want to print.
Removal can be done by dabbing some Isopropyl alcohol on
When printing numbers, use screens with
the same type of tension to avoid blurring.

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i m p r e s s i o n s m a g . c o m APRIL 2019

the area to remove or dilute the coating to help the ink adhere.
Athletic fabrics. What about stretch? Many new fabrics
types, especially athletic styles that often are numbered, contain multiple yarn varieties, including combinations of rayon,
polyester, nylon, cotton and Lycra. Use an ink with built-in,
enhanced stretch or use a stretch additive to give the ink film
more elongation.
Performance fabrics. Many new fabric types, especially
those containing synthetics, appear "normal" but can be more
sensitive to heat. Fortunately, many ink manufacturers now offer
a variety of low-cure inks that typically cure at 275°F. If you want
to turn an ink you already have on the shelf into a low-cure type,
simply mix in a low-cure additive that will reduce the cure or
fuse temperature into the 275°F range. However, using low-cure
inks alone doesn't completely preclude the problems that can
be caused by printing these heat-sensitive fabrics.
Heat is a necessary evil in our industry. It's needed to cure
or fuse the ink, but it can become an enemy after the ink has
reached the required cure temperature. For example, if the fabric
is a dark sublimated polyester, then the dye may bleed if it gets
too hot. So keeping the garment as cool as possible after the ink
has reached the cure temperature is a must. Avoid stacking hot
garments; use a cooling fan at the end of the dryer or shake hot
garments to cool them before stacking them in two or more piles.
A flash unit also is a heat source, so remember to only flash
the ink to a "dry-to-the touch" state and nothing more. Over-

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Impressions - April 2019

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