DIGITAL TEXTILE PRINTING

Introduction
Digital textile printing” is a phrase typically used to describe the process of inkjet printing on
fabric. On the surface, this sounds relatively simple. However, the words “fabric” and “textile”
encompass a wide range of substrates that differ in ways that include fiber type, fabric
construction, and preparation. From the coloration perspective, these factors have dictated the
need for the development of specialized printing systems that include a combination of hardware,
software, ink chemistry, and auxiliary equipment for fabric preparation and finishing. These
digital print systems have been engineered with the goal of managing the variables and
optimizing the results of digital imaging on textile substrates

The Market

Figure 1
Market Overview, Digital Textile Printing
Present Markets The Industry Size
Sampling 300,000 Retailer "Doors"
Strike-Off 20,000+ Manufacturer
Mass Customization "Doors"
400 Companies Manufacture
Future Markets 80% of all apparel
Batch Production Printing Apparel & Related Volume is
Low-Volume Demand $180B
Printing All Others’ Goods represent
$36B
Source: I.T. Strategies
Source: J. Early, TC2
Inks
On the technology front, inks come through as a major frontier. According to Ray Work of
DuPont, the worldwide market for textile chemicals is at $22 billion, of which around 36% is
dyes and pigments. Finishing and coatings comprise 38%, with the balance other printing
chemicals, sizings, prep chemicals and miscellaneous. A major advance, according to Work, is

that now almost every type of fabric can be digitally printed by ink jet, thanks to progress in inks.
For example:
Ink Type Fabric Type
Silk, Nylon, Wool
Acid Dye
Polyester & Synthetics
Dispersed Dye
Cotton, Linen, Rayon,
Reactive Dye
& Silk
Pigmented
All Fabrics

Work notes, of course, that DuPont has pioneered pigmented colorants for ink jet inks, and cites
many advantages. The importance of pigment inks in textiles was highlighted by his breakdown
of the overall textile market showing that cotton is almost half the worldwide pie (Figure 2).
Among the characteristics he mentioned on the textile industry supply side are that it's an old,
conservative industry, it has been using 30-year old printing technology designed for long
delivery times of long run orders, and is characterized by fierce competition which translates to
oversupply and pricing pressure. On the demand side, the forces all seem to support the case for
digital printing: increased importance of private label marketing, implementation of ever more
sophisticated information technology, and demand for smaller lots, faster delivery, and exclusive
designs. Besides meeting these demand side trends, digital printing was said to also offer
integration of production into the digital work flow and impose much lower environmental costs.

Turning to specific inks and printing processes, BASF offers three alternatives. One product
involves three steps plus printing: pre-treatment of the fabric for proper fixation of reactive inks,
printing, heat (steam or bake) to bond the ink to the fabric, and, finally, wash-off. Their transfer
inks require first printing on paper and then hot press transfer to the fabric. The third approach is
a one-step direct printing ink which requires only printing onto the fabric and dry heat fixation.

What is involved in
“Traditional” Printing ?
• Colors and Patterns are applied through rotary screens
• Each color in the pattern is applied one at a time usually from
dark to light
• Engraved areas allow color to pass through and form a
pattern
• Screens are adjusted so that the printed areas fit together -
“registration”

The Advantages of Digital Textile Printing

To date, the key drivers in adopting digital textile printing technology for traditional textile
printers has been the reduction of sampling costs and time to market. In conventional textile
screen printing, the development cost for stirke-offs and samples are $4,000-$8,000 (USD) per
design, with the cost fluctuating based upon the number of spot colors used in a design. The
development of these screens and strike-offs takes from 2 to 5 weeks. With digital textile
printing there are no screen costs, and a sample can be printed upon demand.

However, with the textile industry using this technology only for strike-offs, while moving to
conventional screen printing for their production needs, it is failing to incorporate many of the
key benefits and design opportunities that the new technology provides. These benefits include
the ability to use an unlimited number of colors, excellent reproduction of continuous tone
images, unlimited repeat sizes and the ability to print engineered designs across multiple seam
lines.