Dye Sublimation Printing For Digital Garments

Garment printing was all but untouched by technology for two thousand years. The most popular method of transferring a design onto a piece of clothing was called screen printing. It consisted of applying ink or paint onto a stenciled design and then stamping it onto a garment. Archeologists tell us that the technique originated in China before the Common Era.

Technology finally offered up a new option in the late 1980s. That was when the first color inkjet printers were introduced by Hewlett-Packard and Canon. Of course, these printers didn't reproduce designs on fabrics, but it wasn't long before one was modified to do so.

The first digital printing on garments was little more than a novelty. Bubble jet printers could be used to recreate pictures and designs on basic white T-shirts and fabrics. But the technology and the materials were far too expensive for regular, working businesses.

The Iris printer was the first large color inkjet printer that was designed to print on something other than paper. The textile industry recognized its potential and invested in the new technology. In the early 1990s, however, it was little more than a test project. The machine was capable of digital printing basic designs on short run production. Replacement cartridges and parts were simply too expensive for the machine to handle high volume printing.

The addition of relatively inexpensive dye-sublimation inks encouraged companies in the textile industry to invest in digital printing. In time, however, they realized that these dye were inexpensive for a reason, i.e., they were not durable. Not only did they fade in the sunlight, but they ran when they got wet.

The technology was virtually abandoned by all but the true believers who were willing to invest in making the ink waterproof. A product known as Bubble Jet Set offered a simple solution to the problem. It new ink bonded to natural fibers, which made it waterproof. What are the pros and cons?
Digital printing on garments is still expensive. Nearly twenty years after the technology was introduced, it has yet to catch on with small printers. The question has always been price. There is no doubt that digital printing creates a superior product than the other garment printing methods. Not only is the picture clearer and more colorful, but it also does not change the texture or the feel of the garment. Unfortunately, few small businesses can afford the initial investment in digital printers or the costs of replacement parts and repairs.

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