Printer ink types

Some printers use dye-based inks; others use pigment-based inks.

  • Pigment-based inks stay on the surface of the fabric. They will give you a very good printout and are perfect to use if the printed piece will not be washed. If you need to wash pigment-based ink printouts, wash especially gently so as to not abrade the ink on the surface of the fabric. Abrasion can result in a slight “crackling” of the surface ink.
  • Dye-based inks are better to use on pieces you will wash. The ink sinks into the fabric and will not abrade when tumbled.

Printing

  • Since printers do not print white, the white in your image will be the same warm white color as the fabric sheet.
  • You can snip off the corners of the leading edge of the fabric or fold masking tape along the leading edge to help it feed through the printer.
  • If the fabric does not feed smoothly through the printer, we suggest you clean your print rollers, according to your printer manufacturer’s instructions for this. When rollers pick up paper or fabric lint, they can eventually not be able to pick up certain media (even though they may still pick up plain paper).

Washability of printed sheets

Our printed sheets can be washed, but inkjet ink is not as permanent as fabric dye. (We recommend gently hand washing with Woolite.) Permanency of the printout on the fabric depends on many variables:

  • The type of inkjet ink used
  • How often the printed fabric is washed
  • The chemicals in the wash water
  • The soap or detergent used
  • Amount of exposure to light

Other environmental factors affecting permanency

  • Our inkjet cotton is coated with special coating to accept the ink. The liquid is semi-transparent, but if exposed to direct sunlight or UV light for some length of time, that coating can yellow, causing the fabric sheet to look more yellow than its original light cream tone.
  • If you open the package and leave it for some months it may become a bit yellow. This phenomenon happens not only on our fabric but on other inkjet treated fabrics. The printability and water resistance will remain same even the base fabric color changes.

Fabric storage suggestions

  • Store the sheets away from any direct sunlight or UV light source.
  • After opening the package, seal it back up. Do not leave it opened.
  • Keep the package away from high humidity and temperature.

If you must iron

  • Understand that no “heat-setting” is required. This is not photo-transfer.
  • Inkjet ink can “scorch” if ironed directly with too hot an iron.
  • Steam can add water that may cause bleeding.

Therefore iron with a bit of caution: If you must iron the printed fabric, to smooth wrinkles, use a cool iron, iron from the back (unprinted) side, do not use steam, and place a pressing cloth between the printed fabric and the iron.