Printing:
- Inkjet Printing:
- Direct-to-Fabric (DTF): This method involves printing directly onto fabric, usually synthetic fabrics like polyester, using inkjet technology.
- Direct-to-Garment (DTG): DTG printing is typically used for garment printing, where the design is directly printed onto the fabric of the garment, such as t-shirts.
- Sublimation Printing:
- This method uses heat to transfer dye onto the fabric. It works best with polyester or polyester-blend fabrics, where the ink turns into gas and bonds with the fibers, producing vibrant, long-lasting prints.
- Reactive Dye Printing:
- Reactive inks are used in this process, which chemically bond with the fiber of natural fabrics, like cotton and linen. This results in highly durable, vivid prints that are often used for high-quality textiles.
- Pigment Printing:
- Pigment printing uses water-based inks and is suitable for various fabrics, including natural fibers. The pigment is not absorbed by the fabric but sits on the surface, and it is fixed using heat.
- Acid Dye Printing:
- This method uses acid-based inks that are ideal for printing on protein fibers such as silk, wool, and nylon. The acid dyes are absorbed by the fibers, producing vibrant and rich color effects.
- UV Printing:
- UV printing uses ultraviolet light to cure the ink immediately after it is printed onto fabric. This type is used for creating prints with high durability on both synthetic and natural textiles.
Each digital printing technique offers unique benefits depending on the fabric type, design complexity, and the desired print durability.
Different printing techniques produce distinct visual effects for wallcoverings. The most commonly used methods are surface printing, flexographic (flexo) printing, gravure printing, and screen printing. It’s important to note that each process can result in attractive, stylized, and marketable products, with each technique offering a unique characteristic look.
Common Types of Printing Include:
- Surface Printing
- Flexographic Printing
- Screen Printing
- Rotary Screen
- Gravure Printing
- Digital Printing
- Offset Lithography
- Large Format
- 3D Printing
- LED UV
Surface printing
This method is commonly used to create a stencil-like effect for traditional florals, juvenile, and country motifs. It involves the use of lightweight urethane print cylinders, where the print design is formed by raised areas on the roller. These raised sections are created by cutting away portions of the roller, leaving the desired design elevated, similar to an ink stamp.
To print, ink is applied to the raised areas, and the inked roller is pressed against the material. This transfers the ink from the raised design onto a moving web of wallcovering. A separate roller is needed for each color.
Flexographic Printing
Flexographic printing, or flexo, is similar to surface printing, but it uses flexible print cylinders, typically made of rubber. The flexo process is commonly used for producing country, colonial, floral, and mini-print designs. It allows manufacturers to create more intricate designs compared to non-flexible surface rollers, with some tonal effects also achievable.
Screen Printing
Screen printing can be done using either flat or rotary screens. Hand screen printing, often referred to as silk-screen printing, utilizes flat mesh screens held within a frame. The design is reproduced onto the mesh screen, which is then coated with a resist (such as wax) to block all openings, except where the design image appears. Ink is applied to the screen, and a rubber squeegee is used to push the ink across the screen surface. The ink is forced through the openings in the design area onto the wallcovering, while areas blocked by the resist remain ink-free. A separate screen is required for each color. This process is typically used for specialty and customized products.
Rotary Screen
Rotary screen printing is a high-speed production technique used to replace hand screen printing. In this process, a cylindrical rotary mesh screen is employed. Ink is fed into the core of the cylinder, and an internal squeegee blade presses or applies the ink through the image area of the screen. The ink is blocked from flowing through areas of the rotary screen that have been sealed with a resist, preventing ink from being applied where it’s not needed.
This technique is typically used for designs that require bright, solid color application, such as graphics, contemporary and traditional florals, paisleys, geometrics, and more. It is also used for expanded vinyl prints. A specially formulated ink is used for the design, which is then passed through a heat tunnel. The heat activates a blowing agent, causing the ink to expand and create a puffed, three-dimensional effect.
Gravure Printing
Gravure printing is a process that allows designers to achieve a continuous range of color deposits, from 100 percent full tone down to nearly a 5 percent tone. It is the most expensive manufacturing process due to the copper plating and specialized photochemical engraving or etching required for the cylinder.
Printing is done through tiny cells or ink reservoirs that are engraved into the surface of the print cylinder. Unlike surface printing, gravure holds ink within these engraved cells, which are either on or below the cylinder’s surface. The depth of the cell determines the darkness of the tone printed—the deeper the cell, the darker the printed tone. By varying the size and placement of each cell, different amounts of ink can be deposited onto the wallcoverings when the inked cylinder is pressed against the material. The pressure causes the ink to flow from each cell onto the surface.
Gravure is the most versatile printing process, capable of producing a wide range of visual effects, including highly detailed, almost photographic results.
Digital Printing
Digital printing, commonly used for borders and murals, is a non-impact technology where the image or pattern is created, manipulated, and finalized through electronic systems, then printed by a computer-controlled printer.