SINGEING

The verb ‘singe’ literally means ‘to burn superficially’. Technically, singeing refers to the
burning-off of. Loose fibres not firmly bound into the yarn and/or fabric structure. This is the
burning off of protruding fiber ends from the surface of the fabric. If not done properly, unclear
print patterns, mottled fabric surfaces, and pilling results.

Objectives & Advantages of Singeing

 Singeing of a fabric is done in order to obtain a clean fabric surface which allows the
structure of the fabric to be clearly seen.
 Fabrics, which have been singed, soil less easily than un-singed fabrics.
 The risk of pilling, especially with synthetics and their blends, is reduced in case of singed
fabrics.
 Singed fabrics allow printing of fine intricate patterns with high clarity and detail.
 The risk of skittery dyeings with singed articles dyed in dark shades is considerably
reduced, as randomly protruding fibres are removed in singeing which could cause diffused
reflection of light.

Types of Singeing Machine

1) Plate singeing machine:

 In this type of singeing machine, the cloth passes over and in contact with one or two
heated curved copper plates.
 The thickness of the plates ranges from 1 to 2 inches.
 The heating of the plates is done by a suitable burning arrangement of gas mixed with air.
 The plates are heated to bright redness and the cloth passes over and in contact with these
plates at a speed ranging from 150 to 250 yards per minute.

2) Rotary-cylinder singeing machine:

 In this type of singeing machine, the cloth passes over and in contact with a heated rotary
cylinder made of copper or cast iron.
 The rotary cylinder has internal firing and revolves slowly so that constantly a fresh
surface of the roller comes in contact with the cloth.
 The direction of rotation of the cylinder is opposite to the direction of the fabric so that
the protruding fibres or nap of the fabric is raised.
 This type of machine is particularly suitable for the singeing of velvets and other pile
fabrics.
3) Gas singeing machine:

 In this type of singeing machine, the fabric passes over a burning gas flame at such a
speed that only the protruding fibres burn and the main body of the fabric is not damaged
by the flame.
 This is the most common type of machine used for singeing fabrics as well yarns.

Singeing Process

Singeing process is as follows:

 To produce a smooth surface finish on fabrics made from staple fibers first the fabric
surfaces are brushed lightly to raise the unwanted fiber ends.
 Then the fabric is singed with or passed over heated copper plates or open gas flames. The
fiber ends burn off.
 The fabric is moved very rapidly, and only the fiber ends are destroyed.
 As soon as the fabric leaves the singeing area, it enters a water bath or desizing bath. This
stops any singeing afterglow or sparks that might damage the cloth.
Precaution During Singeing

Some of the precautions to be taken in considerations during singeing:-

1. The fabric to be singed should be dry as wet fabric tends to scorch more readily than dry.
2. Uneven singeing may cause streaks on fabric or bubbles when the fabric is finished.
3. Improper singeing may lead to loss of 75 % loss in tensile strength loss in warp direction.
4. The fabric should not contain any acid releasing salt, which may release acid on heating and
tender the fabric.
5. Stopping the machines may cause bars on the fabrics.
6. Singeing may cause hardening of the size thus leading to difficulty in its removal.
7. Possibility of thermal damage to temperature sensitive fabrics.
8. The burning characteristics of fibers must be taken into account when this process is
applied, as heat-sensitive fibers melt, forming tiny balls on the surface of the fabric. These
balls interfere with dye absorption, so that, as a general rule, heat sensitive fibers would be
singed after dyeing or printing.
 DESIZING
Introduction:
Desizing is done in order to removes the size from warp yarn of the woven fabric. Warp yarn are
coated with sizing agents period to weaving in order to reduce their fractional properties,
decrease yarn breakage in loom and improve weaving productivity by increasing weft insertion
speed.
The sizing materials present on warp yarn acts as a resist toward dye and chemicals in textile
wet processing. it must therefore be removed before any subsequent wet processing of the fabric.
Objectives of desizing
 The object is to remove from the grey fabric the size that has been applied during
weaving and thus to make the fabric ready for further processes.
 To increase the absorbency.
 To reduce the consumption of chemicals in subsequent

Methods of Desizing
1) Rot steeping
2) Enzymatic desizing
3) Acidic desizing
4) Oxidative desizing

1) Rot Steep
 This is the oldest and cheapest method of desizing.
 Here no special chemical is used.
 The cloth is first passed through warm water at 40C in a padding mangle where the cloth
is squeezed to about 100% expression.
 The cloth is then allowed to stand for 24 hours.
 The microorganisms, naturally present in water, multiply and secrete starch-liquefying
(hydrolysing) enzymes, which break down the starch present in the size to w ater-soluble
products
 The cloth is then washed to remove these products.
Advantages
 Rot steeping is the cheapest of all the desizing methods.
 No chemicals are required.
Disadvantages
 A large floor space is required for this process.
 The process is slow, so desizing time is long.
 Mildew may attack the cloth during steeping and cause stains on the fabric.

2) Acid Desizing
 Dilute sulphuric acid or hydrochloric acid may be used to hydrolyse the starch from the
sized fabric. A 0.25% - 0.5 % solution of the acid at room temperature (30o C) is suitable
for this process.
 The cloth is impregnated with the dilute acid solution in a two-bowl or three- bowl
padding mangle and then stored for 8-12 hours in a closed concrete pit
Advantages
  Acid desizing is an economical process.
 The process is effective and gives fairly uniform desizing, as it is a chemical- based
process. It does not require specific conditions of pH and can be done at room
temperature.
 It is a much quicker process than rot steep desizing.
Disadvantage
 The main disadvantage of the process is that mineral acid is harmful to cellulose fibres if
proper care is not taken.
 Especially during the storage stage, the acid-wet fabric must not be allowed to dry.
 This would cause the formation of hydrocellulose, which will weaken the fibre.

3) Enzymatic Desizing

• The hydrolysis of starch using enzymes under particular concentration, temperature and
duration is called enzymatic desizing.
• Enzymatic desizing is the most widely experienced method to desize the starch.
Advantages
 Time required for the desizing process is less.
 It is continuous process, so greater production can be achieved.
 Closely constructed fabric can be easily desized, due to the effective enzyme action.
 There is no chance for the cellulose to get hydrolysed, as in acid desizing.
Disadvantages
 Lower additional cleaning effect towards other impurities.
 No effect on certain starches (e.g. tapioca starch)

4) Oxidative desizing

 Though the use of oxidants for desizing of cotton fabric is widely accepted but their large
scale industrial application is yet to be exploited.
 The most important aspects of oxidizing agents are that they can be applicable to wide
range of fabrics, the size content of which is often not known.
Advantages
• The advantages of oxidative desizing are supplementary cleaning effect, effectiveness for
tapioca starches but oxidizing agents may damage to fibres.

SCOURING

The process to remove fats, oil, waxy substances and added other impurities by certain
percentage of alkali treatment and which increases the absorbency power of the textile materials,
is called scouring.

Objectives of Scouring
1. To remove the oily, waxy and other additional impurities.
2. To increase the absorbency of the textile goods.
3. To clean the fabric by alkali, soap or detergent.
4. To make the fabric suitable for achieving good effect in dyeing and printing process.
5. To remove the natural color
6. To remove the non cellulosic substances in case of cotton

Mechanism of Scouring (Chemical changes)

• Saponifiable oils and free fatty acids are converted into soaps.
• Pectins and pactoses are converted into soluble salts of pectic acid.
• Proteins are degraded to simple soluble amino acids or ammonia.
• Mineral matters are mostly dissolved.
• Un saponifiable oils are emulsified by the saponifiable matters.
• Adventitious dirt are removed and forms in suspension by the soap.
• Residual sizing materials are broken down into soluble products.

Scouring Process (Batchwise or Discontineous)

Caustic Soda (Strong) → 2-5 g/l

Soda ash (mild) → 0.3-0.5%
Sequestering agent→0.05-0.5%
Wetting agent→ 0.25-1.0%
M:L→1:30
Temp→100˚C-120˚C
Time→ 2 hours
Procedure:
• The fabric is loaded in the m/c and kept in rope form.
• The hot liquor is pumped and sprayed by circular tube on to the fabric
• The liquor passes slowly over the packed cloth and collects at the false bottom of the kier.
• The liquor again pumped into the heater by a centrifugal pump and this cycle is repeated
• After scouring, the fabric is washed with 800C water to remove impurities on the fabric

Continuous Scouring (J Box):

In continuous process J-box is used for cotton scouring. It looks like English letter j so it is
called J-box. In J-box cotton is scoured open width and rope form.
recipe of scouring in J-box:
• Alkali : 4 to 6 g/l
• Wetting agent : 4 to 5 g/l
• Sequestering agent: 3 to 4 g/l
• Detergent: 1 to 2 g/l
• M:L →1:30
• Impregnation temperature : 70 to 800c.
• Impregnation time : 40 to 90 second.
• Pick up : 90 to 100%
• Storing time in J box : 1 to 2 hours.
• Temperature in J box : 98to 1020c.
Advantage:
1. The process is a continuous process. So consumes less time.
2. The process is economical.
3. Scouring, desizing and bleaching performed at a time.
Disadvantage:
1. The result of scouring is not good as compared with kier boiler.
2. The process is not hydrophilic as kier boiler.
3. Huge damage may occur due to power failure

BLEACHING
After the removal of the waxes and other hydrophobic type of impurities from grey fabric by the
desizing and scouring the fabric is now in a more absorbent state. But still have the pale
appearance due to the presence of natural coloring material like pigment etc, these pigment
cannot be removed the only way to tackle these pigment is to decolourise them using suitable
oxidizing agents. This will make the fabric in a super white form. This process of decolouration
of natural pigments is called the bleaching.

Objective of Bleaching

•Removal of colored impurities.

•Removal of the seed coats.
•Minimum tendering of fibre.
•Technically reliable & simple mode of operation.
•Low chemical & energy consumption.
•Increasing the degree of whiteness.
Oxidative bleaching
The Oxidative bleaching agents are used much more than Reductive bleaching agents . The
bleaching agent is a chemical reagent which decomposes in alkali solution and produce active
oxygen. The active oxygen is in fact the intrinsic bleaching agent as it will further destroy partly
or completely the coloring matter present in the textile material.
Reductive bleaching
Many colouring matter can be reduced to colourless compound by reducing agents. Before the
invention of hydrogen peroxide, sulphur dioxide was the only bleaching agent for wool. Fibers
like polyamide, polyacrylics and polyacetates can be bleached using reductive bleaching
technology.

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) Bleaching:

Sodium hypochlorite is the strongest oxidative bleach - used in textile processing.
NaOCl is a highly unstable compound at normal conditions of temperature and pH.
It doesn’t exist as solid form. Prior to bleaching with hypochlorite, it is necessary to
thoroughly scour fabrics to remove fats, waxes and pectin impurities. These impurities will
deplete the available hypochlorite, reducing its effectiveness for whitening fabric. Product
strength of hypochlorites is generally expressed as the available chlorine content.
Uses:
Hypochlorite is used mainly to bleach cellulosic fabric
• It cannot be used on wool, polyamides (nylon), acrylics. These fibers will yellow from the
formation of chloramides.
• Bleaching with hypochlorite is performed in batch equipment. It is not used in continuous
operations because chlorine is liberated into the atmosphere.
Typical Batch Procedure:
• NaOCl - 2.5% active bleach
• Na2CO3 - 1.0% pH buffer (5 g/l) Bleach
Cycle:
• Run 1 hr at 40 ⁰C
• Drop bath, rinse
• Add antichlor chemicals
• Rinse

Bleaching with Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)

 H2O2 was discovered in 1818.
 By 1940, about 65% and to-day about 90 - 95 % of all cotton and cotton/synthetic blends
are bleached with H2O2. It is available commercially as 35, 50 and 70 % solutions.
 It is a corrosive, oxidizing agent which may cause combustion when allowed to dry out
on oxidizable organic matter.
 H2O2 is an irritant to the skin and mucous membranes and dangerous to the eyes. H2O2
Ecologically acceptable

Auxiliaries for Bleaching With H2O2

1. Stabilizers: To control the decomposition of H2O2.
It provide buffering action to control the pH and to complex with trace metals which catalyze
the degradation of the fibers. Major types are Sodium silicate, organic compounds and
phosphates
2. Activator: provide alkalinity eg:NaOH, Na2CO3, etc.
3. Sequestering agent: organic stabilizers or separate eg:EDTA, Sodium hexa meta phosphate
4.Wetting agent: to provide wetting and detergency

Uses:
 H2O2 is the bleach most widely used for cellulosic fibers [cotton, flax, linen, jute etc.) and
well as wool, silk, nylon and acrylics.
 Unlike hypochlorites, peroxide bleaching does not require a full scour.
 Residual fats, oils, waxes and pectines do not reduce the bleaching effectiveness of H2O2
 Impurities help in stabilization.
 Since it ultimately decomposes to oxygen and water, it doesn’t create effluent problems.

Advantages of H2O2

 Universal bleaching for Cotton, Rayon, Wool and Silk

 It can be used on continuous equipment.
 Permanent Whiteness
 Simultaneous Scouring/ bleaching and continuous bleaching possible
  Degradation is less.
 Less water is required with peroxide bleaching and there is no need for souring
after bleaching.
 Peroxide bleached goods are more absorbent than hypochlorite bleached goods.

Typical Batch Procedure:

• H2O2 - 3-5%
• NaOH / Na2CO3 - 1.0%
Sodium Silicate- 2-3%
Magnesium sulfate-0.5-1%
Wetting Agent -0.5-1%
Run 60-90 mins at 95-100 C
Rinse
 DYEING CELLULOSIC FIBRES WITH DIRECT DYES

INTRODUCTION
 Direct cotton dyes have inherent substantivity for cotton, and for other cellulosic fibres.
Their aqueous solutions dye cotton usually in the presence of an electrolyte such as NaCl
or Na2SO4.
 Direct dyes do not require the use of a mordant and, as their name implies, the dyeing
procedure is quite simple. The goods go into the bath followed by the dissolved dyes. The
bath is then gradually heated, usually to the boil, and additions of salt promote dyeing.
 Many direct dyes are relatively inexpensive. They are available in a full range of hues but
are not noted for their colour brilliance.
 Their major drawback is their poor to moderate fastness to washing. This limits their use
to materials where good washing fastness is not critical.
 The light fastness of dyeing with direct dyes on cellulosic fibres varies from poor to fairly
good, although some copper complex direct dyes have very good light fastness. As usual,
the deeper the colour of the dyeing, the lower the fastness to wet treatments, and the
higher the fastness to light.
 In recent years, their share of the market has gradually declined in favour of reactive
dyes. The latter have very good washing fastness on cellulosic materials and often have
bright colours.

Classification according to dyeing characteristics

The most common classification of direct dyes is that of the Society of Dyers and Colourists
(SDC), based on their levelling ability and their response to increase in the dyeing temperature
and to added salt during exhaust dyeing.
(1) SDC Class A direct dyes.
 These are self-levelling dyes with good migration, even in the presence of salt. They
usually require considerable amounts of salt for good exhaustion because of their lower
substantivity. These dyes are relatively low molecular weight per molecule.
 They therefore have good water-solubility and do not aggregate to a significant degree in
solution.
 Dyeing is started at 50 °C in the presence of added salt, the bath heated to the boil over
30– 40 min, and dyeing continued at the boil for up to an hour. Several further salt
additions, of increasing size, are required to promote exhaustion, the total amount of salt
(5–20% NaCl) depending upon the depth of shade and the liquor ratio.

(2) SDC Class B direct dyes.

 These are salt-sensitive or salt-controllable dyes, with poor levelling characteristics.
 They are of higher molecular weight than Class A dyes.
 They have low to moderate substantivity in the absence of salt but give much increased
exhaustion on addition of small amounts of salt to the dye bath.
 The dyeing method is the same as for Class A dyes but the initial salt is omitted. Gradual
addition of dissolved salt, at the boil, controls the exhaustion.
(3) SDC Class C direct dyes.
 These very salt-sensitive dyes exhibit poor migration.
 Level dyeing depends on the gradual increase of the dyeing temperature and subsequent
additions of limited amounts of salt. Levelling agents may be required.
 These dyes are temperature-controllable.
 Dyeing is started at low temperature without added salt. The bath is slowly heated, with
particular care in the temperature region where exhaustion is most rapid. Some salt may
be added during further dyeing at the boil.

Dyeing Mechanism of Direct Dyes:

The dyeing mechanism for the application of direct dyes to cellulose fibre involves
a) adsorption,
b) diffusion
c) and migration over fibre.
Several factors persuade the dyeing mechanism; however, most important is the cellulose fibre
structure, morphology and the use of electrolytes. When the cellulosic fibre is immersed into
water the amorphous regions of the fibre swell to produce small pores in the order of 20-100A
units- the smaller size dye molecules diffuse into the fibre structure through these pores. The
addition of electrolytes (e.g. Sodium chloride, sodium sulfate) assists the diffusion and
exhaustion of direct dye anionic by neutralizing the negative surface charge of cellulosic fibers.
Then the dye anions become affixed to the cellulosic fibre through hydrogen bonding and vander
waals forces.

Working Procedure of Dyeing with Direct Dyes:

Set the dye bath with substrate at room temperature. Add dye solution with auxiliaries and raise
the temperature to 90°C. Run the bath for 15-20minutes and add salt step by step according to
dye bath concentration, higher the depth of shade need more salt concentration. This is better to
add this salt after reaching the temperature to boiling point since at this period the maximum
penetration is achieved all over the substrate. Run the dye bath for 30-50minutes at 90-95°C for
complete the dyeing cycle. Cool down the dye bath temperature to 60-70°C. Drop the bath and
rinse. Carry on the after treatment process to improve wet fastness.

THE AFTERTREATMENT OF DYEINGS WITH DIRECT DYES

After treatment of dyeing of direct dyes on cellulosic materials aims to improve the washing
fastness by increasing the dye’s molecular weight. This makes it less soluble and of slower
diffusion. Some of these processes decrease the light fastness of the dyeing. After treatments are
difficult and costly to carry out, and often give changes in hue that greatly impede shade
correction and colour matching. Many of the direct dye after treatments now have limited use
because reactive dyes give dyeing of much better washing fastness.
1. Diazotisation and development
 Diazotisation of direct dyes with primary aromatic amino groups, followed by coupling
of the diazonium ion with an appropriate developer, can be a very effective after
treatment.
 Diazotisation involves treating the yellow dyeing with an acidic solution of sodium nitrite
at room temperature or lower. Both amine and phenol developers can be used.
2. Coupling with diazonium salts
Direct dyes with free positions ortho and para to hydroxyl or amino groups react with an
appropriate diazonium ion to introduce one or two additional azo groups.
3. After treatment with formaldehyde
 This type of after treatment is applicable to a few mostly black dyes.
 The dyeing is treated with acetic acid and formaldehyde in solution at 70– 80 °C.
 This after treatment may result in decreased light fastness.

4. Cationic fixatives
 This after treatment involves precipitation of anionic dyes in the cotton with a cationic
surfactant or polymer in warm water.
 It tends to reduce the fastness to light of the dyeing.
 The change in hue is only slight.
5. Resin and cross linking agents
 Amino resins and cross linking agents impart dimensional stability to cotton and viscose
fabrics and provide crease resistance and easy care properties.
 These finishes also improve the wet fastness of direct dyes but again may decrease the
light fastness and give a hue change.
 BASIC DYE

Basic dyes are called so since they are salts of organic bases. Basic dyes are also called cationic
dyes. Basic dyes are used for dyeing wool, silk, and acrylic and mod-acrylic fibres.

Properties of Basic Dyes

1. The outstanding characteristics of the basic dyes are brilliance and intensity of their colors.

2. The ionic nature of these dyes is cationic.

3. The dyes are insoluble in water. The addition of glacial acetic acid helps to dissolve the basic
dye quickly in water.

4. The basic dyes are poor fastness to light and vary with regard to washing fastness from poor
to moderate.

5. The wet fastness of the basic dyes on protein fibres can also be improved by back tanning.
This consists of after treating the dyed material with tannic acid in order to form the insoluble
complex thereby reducing the tendency to migrate.

6. The basic dyestuff will combine with direct or sulphur or some acid dyestuffs. So they cannot
be used together in the same bath. But basic dyestuffs are used in after treating cotton or other
materials dyed with direct colors. Here the direct dyestuff acts as mordant.

7. When treated with a reducing agent most of the basic dyes get converted into their colors less
leuco compounds, return to their original color by oxidizing agents or even by exposure to air.

8. Basic dyes do not have affinity for cellulosic fibres like cotton. Special cationic dyes are
available for dyeing acrylic fibres.

Advantages of Basic Dyes

 High Tinctorial strength

 Moderate substantivity
 Relatively economical
 Wide shade range
 Includes some of the most brilliant synthetic dyes
 Shows good brightness
 Limitations of Basic Dyes

 Poor shade stability

 High acid content
 Coloured backwaters
 Very poor lightfastness
 Preferential dyeing

Dyeing procedure:

1. At first, a paste is made with basic dye and acetic acid and with the addition of water.
2. The dye bath is set at 40ºC and adds the dye solution to the dye bath.
3. Then the sample is kept to the dye bath and temperature is raised at 80-100ºC.
4. The dyeing is performed at this temperature for 1 hour.
5. After dyeing the dyed sample is squeezed, washed thoroughly and then drying.
 ACID DYE
Acid dyes are highly water soluble, and have better light fastness than basic dyes. The textile acid dyes
are effective for protein fibers such as silk, wool, nylon and modified acrylics. They contain sulphonic
acid groups, which are usually present as sodium sulphonate salts. These increase solubility in water, and
give the dye molecules a negative charge. In an acidic solution, the -NH2 functionalities of the fibres are
protonated to give a positive charge: -NH3+. This charge interacts with the negative dye charge, allowing
the formation of ionic bond. As well as, Vander Waals bonds, dipolar bonds and hydrogen bonds are
formed between dye and fibre.

Properties

1. These dyes are anionic in nature.

2. These dyes are suitable for wool, silk, polyamide and modified acrylics.
3. These are applied from a strongly acidic to neutral pH bath.
4. These dyes have no affinity towards cotton, hence not suitable for cellulosic fibre.
5. These dyes combine with the fiber by hydrogen bonds , vander waals forces or through ionic
linkages.

Mechanism

Dissolution of dyes in aqueous solvent, produces a colored anion,

The protein and polyamide fibers produce cationic sites in water under acidic conditions, as the
acidity of the solution is increased more cationic sites are produced under these strongly acidic
conditions. These cationic sites are thus available for the acid dye anions to combine with
through hydrogen bonding, vander waals forces or ionic bonding. These linkages are strong
enough to break , and thus dyeing produced are fast .

Classification of Acid Dye

1. Neutral acid dyes

These are supra milling or fast acid dyes, having medium to good wet fastness properties, some
of the dyes have poor light fastness in pale shades. Many of the dyes are used as self shades only.
These are applied to the fiber in a weakly acid or neutral pH.

2. Weak acid dyes

 These dyes belongs to the milling class of dyes. These dyes have good fastness properties but
light fastness is moderate to poor.

3. Strong acid dyes

These dyes are applied in a strongly acidic medium and also called leveling dyes, however there
wet fastness properties is a limitation. These dyes are very good to produce the combination
shades.

Dyeing procedure:

1. The dye bath is set at 50ºC with 4% sulphuric acid(96%) and 5% Glauber’s salt and pH is
maintained 2.5-3.5
2. After 10 mins add required amount of dye stuff into the dye bath.
3. Then the sample is kept into the dye bath for 30-45 mins and temperature is raised at 80-
100ºC.
4. The dyeing is performed at this boiling temperature for 30 minutes.
5. After dyeing the dyed sample is squeezed, washed thoroughly and then drying.

REACTIVE DYE
Properties of reactive dye:

1. Reactive dyes are anionic dyes which are used for dyeing cellulosic, protein polyamide
fibres.
2. Reactive dyes are found in powder, liquid and print paste from.
3. During dyeing, the reactive group of this dye forms covalent bond with fibre polymer and
becomes an integral part of fibre.
4. Reactive dyes are soluble in water.
5. They have very good light fastness with rating about 6.
6. The dyes have very stable electron arrangement and the degrading effect ultraviolet ray.
7. Reactive dyes give brighter shades and have moderate rubbing fastness.
8. Reactive dyes are comparatively cheap.
9. Reactive dyes have good perspiration fastness with rating 4-5
10. Fixation occurs in alkaline condition

Procedure:

 The dye stuff are pasted with cold water and made solution at 400c temperature
 The dye bath is set at 800c and then dye solution is added in the bath
 Fabric is immersed in the dye bath at this stage and dyeing kept running for 30 minutes
 Then salt is added in dye bath and thus the fabric kept there for 10-20 minutes.
 The temperature is raised at 900c and dyeing kept running at this stage for 10-30 minutes and
then the temperature is lowered gradually
 The dye bath is temperature is set at 800c and then soda ash is added and the fabric kept there
for 40-60 minutes
 Finally the fabric is rinsed with cold water for 10 minutes
 Then the fabric is boiled in a solution of 1-2g/l soap and 1-2g/l soda ash for about 10 minutes
 The fabric is rinsed with warm water at 50c for about 10 minutes
 And then the fabric is neutralized with 0.5-1.0 g/l acetic acid
 VAT DYE
Properties of VAT Dye

1. Vat dyes are insoluble & can’t be directly applied to textile material. Before dyeing they need
vatting.
2. Vat dyes are insoluble in water, solubilised by treatment with caustic soda and reducing
agent, usually sodium hydrosulphite, the resulting leuco compounds have affinity for textile
fiber, on exposure to air leuco compound impregnated fiber re-oxidises to the insoluble
parent dye.
3. Mainly used or cellulosic fibre. Most valuable for dyeing and printing cotton, wool and silk.
4. After dyeing, the dyes are entrapped inside the fibre & can’t come out during soaping &
other treatment. So wet fastness is very good around 4-5.
5. Most of the vat dye is extremely fast to light. So these are used in curtain.
6. Applied in alkaline condition (pH 12-14).
7. Various shade is found
8. Dyeing process is difficult & different such as sulphure or indigo dyeing process.
9. Costly
10. Particle size is very small. So poor rubbing fastness.

Dyeing Process
The vat dyes are water insoluble pigment. So vatting is done for making it solubilized form. Its
application inverts reduction to water soluble leuco compound, then dyeing is done & after that
re-oxidation of leuco dye in the fibre to soluble pigments. There are basic 4 steps for vat dyeing
1. Vatting
 It is the process of converting insoluble dye to soluble vat dye. They are reduced to
soluble leuco compound & this process is called vatting.
 The Vat dyes are generally more difficult to reduce than sulphur dyes. Various reducing
agents are used. Sodium hydrosulphite (Na2S2O4) is still the most widely employed for
vatting.
  In this stage insoluble vat dye is reduced to produce weak acidic leuco from. The vatting
is carried out in strong alkali condition.
 Na2S2O4 + 4H20 = 2 NaHSO4 + 6H
Na2S2O4 + 2NaOH = 2Na2SO3 + 2H
2. Dyeing:
 Absorbtion of leuco compound by the cotton during dyeing.
 The vatted dye ( leuco form) are substantive to the cellulose material.
 Dyeing is carried out at lower temperature.
 To achieve adequate exhaustion an electrolyte is added to the dye liquor & temperature
may be increase from 20-60 0C & continued for 15 mins as the goods are totally
immersed to prevent premature oxidation.
3. Re oxidation of vat:
 After absorption by the fibre, the dye in its soluble leuco form is converted to the original
pigment by oxidation.
 This process is carried out in the course of wet treatment (washing) by addition of
oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide, perborate to the liquor or exposed to open air.
4. After-treatment
 In this stage unfixed dye deposited on the surface are washed off.
 The material in weakly alkaline liquor with a detergent at boiling temperature.
 This soap treatment is not only aimed at removing pigment particles, but also allows the
crystallization of amorphous dye particles, which gives the material the final shade and
the fastness properties typical of vat dyes
Recipe of VAT Dye
Vat dye 1%
Wetting agent 1.5 g/L
Sequestering agent 0.75 g/L
Sodium Hydroxide 4%
Hydrogen Peroxide 3%
Salt 20 g/L
M:L 1:10
Temp 60-100 0C

SULPHUR DYES
Sulphur dyes are synthetic organic substantive dyes for cellulosic. These dyes contain sulfur as
an integral of the chromophore as well as in the polysulphide side chains. These are produced by
sulphurisation of organic intermediates containing nitro and amino groups.

Properties of Sulphur Dyes:

1. The sulphur dyes are water insoluble dyes but solubilised when treated with a weak alkaline
solution of sodium sulphide or any other reducing agent to form a leuco compound.
2. These leuco compounds are water soluble and have affinity for the cellulosic materials such
as cotton, viscose, jute and flax etc.
3. Economical dyeing with excellent tinctorial value and good build up properties.
4. Good overall colorfastness properties such as wash fastness, light fastness, perspiration
fastness etc.
5. Limited shade range to produce only dull shades and there is no true red dye in the range.
6. Sulphur black 1 is the major black dye used worldwide for dyeing of cellulosic fibre.
7. These dyes can be applied on garment, yarn, knits, fabric as well as loose stock etc.
8. Available in powder, granules and liquid forms.
9. The conventional dyeing process is not environment friendly due to pollution problems of
sodium sulphide.

Steps involved in Sulphur Dyeing:

The application of the sulfur dyes involves several steps, which are described as given below,

1. Dissolving the dyestuff:

 The dye is taken in a vessel ( size of the vessel should be selected as per the quantity and
solubility of the dyes) and pasted well with a good alkali stable wetting agent and small
quantity of soft water.
 A required quantity of soda ash may be added to neutralize any acid formed in the
dyestuff during storage.( if the acid is not neutralized , it will react with the sodium
 sulphide , resulting into formation of H2S gas, which will result into incomplete and poor
reduction of the dyes).
 It is very important that the dye dissolution must be complete otherwise particles of the
undissolved dyes may deposit on the surface of the substrate resulting into patchy dyeing
and poor rubbing / washing fastness.

2. Reducing the dyes to form a leuco compound:

 The sodium sulphide is used as a reducing agent for the sulfur dyeing.
 The quantity of the reducing agent depends upon the shade depth and M:L of the bath.
 For complete reduction, the required quantity of the sodium sulphide is dissolved in a
separate container and solution is allowed to settle for 10-15 min.
 Further boiling water is to be added to make up the required volume, and then heated to
boil for 10-15 minutes for complete reduction of the dyestuff.

3. Dyeing with the reduced dyes:

 The dye bath is kept ready with small quantity of the wetting agent, a dye bath stabilizer,
sodium sulphide and caustic soda or soda ash to maintain the alkalinity of the dye bath.
 The dye solution is then added through a filter cloth slowly over 15-25 minutes and then
run for another 15 minutes at 40-500C, then temperature is raised to 600C and electrolyte
(salt) is added. The temperature is then raised to above 800C or even boil depending upon
the dyes and kept for sufficient time to get the desired shade.
 After getting the correct shade the bath is either dropped by draining the contents or by
collecting it in the storage tanks for reuse after replenishing with fresh dyestuffs.

4. Washing off the unexhausted dyestuff:

 The material is washed and rinsed several time with fresh water to remove maximum
possible dye as well as sodium sulphide from the material.
 After washing the material is given a hot wash at 70 0C.

5. Oxidation back to the parent dye:

The oxidation is done to reconvert the leuco compound back to insoluble parent dye. There are
number of methods available for oxidizing the leuco compound which is used either independent
or in combination, such as
I. acetic acid
II. sodium perborate in cold at neutral pH
III. Hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid.
IV. Potassium or sodium bicarbonates and acetic acid.

6. After Treatment:231
After oxidation, the material is neutralized with soda ash to adjust the pH and then soaping
treatment is done with a neutral soap and soda ash at boil. Followed by a hot wash at 85 0C

7. Dye fixing treatment:

Optifix F(clariant) is a cationic dye fixing agent, which is applied in alkaline conditions ( at a pH
of 10-11) , and is a suitable dye fixer for sulphur dyed material to improve the color fastness.

8. Softening:

A suitable (compatible) softener can be applied to the dyed material as per the intended end use
and dyestuff applied.

9. Final treatment:
To avoid the tendering of the dyed material final wash is given to maintain a slight alkaline pH
by a weak base or acid neutralizing agent at the end without further washing.
 DISPERSE DYE
Properties of Disperse Dyes

1. Disperse dyes are nonionic dyes. So they are free from ionizing group.
2. They are ready made dyes and are insoluble in water or have very low water solubility.
3. They are organic colouring substances which are suitable for dyeing hydrophobic fibres.
4. Disperse dyes are used for dyeing man made cellulose ester and synthetic fibres specially
acetate and polyester fibres and sometimes nylon and acrylic fibres.
5. Carrier or dispersing agents are required for dyeing with disperse dyes.
6. Disperse dyes have fair to good light fastness with rating about 4-5.
7. The wash fastness of these dyes is moderate to good with rating about 3-4.
8. Disperse dyes are of smallest molecular size.
9. Generally disperse dyes are derivatives of azo, anthroquinone, nitro and quinine groups.
10. They do not undergo any chemical change during dyeing.

Application
Disperse dye are mainly suitable for coloring hydrophobic fiber such as
 Cellulose,
 Tri-acetate,
 Polyamide,
 Polyester,
 Polyamide,
 Polyacrylo nitrile etc.
They have become especially important, for polyester fibres as they are widely used as a blends
with cotton, wool, or any other man made fibres. Disperse dyes are also used to color plastic
jewelry, PVC rods and PVC/ PES film.

Classification of Disperse Dye

According to Fastness Property:

According to fastness property there are following 4 types of disperse dyes:

1. Group A: These dyes have excellent dyeing properties and good fastness properties.
2. Group B: These dyes are excellent in high temperature and for carrier dyeing with
moderate fastness.
3. Group C: These dyes are moderate for carrier and high temperature dyeing with higher
fastness property than group B dyes.
4. Group D: These dyes are of excellent fastness to heat but for dyeing properties on carrier
method.
According to Energy Requirement:
According to energy required for dyeing there are following 3 types of disperse dyes:

1. Low energy dyes: These dyes are used to dye with carrier. For dyeing 77°C temperature is
required. They have extremely poor resistance to sublimation.
2. Medium energy dyes: These dyes are used to dye mostly in between temperature 104°C-
110°C which provides better sublimation fastness than that of low energy dyes.
3. High energy dyes: These dyes are used to dye at temperature above 129°C and are suitable
for continuous dyeing. They provide all round fastness properties.

Chemicals required

The following chemicals and auxiliaries are used for dyeing with disperse dyes;
Dispersants: although all disperse dyes already have a high content of dispersants, they are
further added to the dyeing liquor and in the final washing step.
Carriers: for polyester fibre, dyeing with disperse dyes at temperatures up to 100°C requires the
use of carriers. Because of environmental problems associated with the use of carriers, polyester
is preferably dyed under pressure at temperature >100°C without carriers. However, carrier
dyeing is still important for polyester-wool blends.
Reducing agents (mainly sodium hydrosulphite) are added in solution with alkali in the final
washing step for the removal of unfixed surface dye.

Mechanism of Dyeing

1. Diffusion of dye in solid phase into water by breaking up into individual molecules. This
diffusion depends on dispersibility and solubility of dyestuff and is aided by the presence of
dispersing agents and increasing temperature.

2. Adsorption of the dissolved dye from the solution onto the fibre surface. This dyestuff
adsorption by fibre surface is influenced by the solubility of the dye in the dye bath and that in
the fibre.

3. Diffusion of the adsorbed dye from the fibre surface into the interior of the fibre substance
towards the centre. In normal condition, the adsorption rate is always higher than the diffusion
rate. And this is the governing step of dyeing.

Dyeing of Disperse dye with polyester (High Temperature)

 First the dye bath is made with the dye, dispersing agent and the temperature is raised to
60 0C . Next, Formic acid and Ammonium Sulphate added till the pH is 5-6.
 The dyeing should be continued and the temperature is raised to 1300`C over period of 45
min.
  Then temperature reaches 1300C dyeing is done for 1 hour.
 Rinsed the sample with cold water.
 Removal the disperse dye on the surface of the fabric by using Caustic Soda and Sodium
Hydrosulphite and rinsed, Neutralize the sample.

INGREDIENTS OF PRINTING PASTE

Printing paste is a viscous paste which is made from pigments, thickeners and many of chemical.
There are different types of ingredients are used to make printing paste.

Printing Paste Ingredients and their Functions:

1. Dyes/Pigments:

Functions:
 Attraction of dyestuff to the fiber due to presence of auxochrome.
 To achieve color effect on the fabric.
 To produce required shade.
Example: Vat, Azoic, Reactive, Direct dye etc.

2. Wetting agents:

Functions:
 To wet the fabric as well as dyestuff.
 To reduce surface tension of water allowing the dyestuff for easy penetration into fiber.
 To obtain smooth paste.
 To dissolve the dyestuff in the paste.
Example: Olive oil, T.R oil, Caster oil, Lissapol N, Animal oil, Glycerine.

3. Solvents/Dispersing agents/Solution acids:

Functions:
 To get bright design,
 To assist dye penetration,
 To spread dye molecules evenly in the paste,
 Assist dye fixation,
 To prevent aggregation of dye molecules in the highly concentrated of the dye.
 To prevent precipitation.
 To increase solubility of the dyes.
 To make proper printing shade.
Example: Urea, Glycerine, Desirable, Alcohol, Acetone, Diethylene glycol, Thio diethylene
glycol.

4. Thickener:

Functions:
 To give required viscosity to the printing paste
 To prevent premature reactions between the chemicals contained in the print paste.
 To hold the ingredients of the print paste on the fabric.
Example: Na-alginate, Fine gum, British gum, CMC.

5. Defoaming agents:

Functions:
 To prevent the foam generation during printing.
Example: Silicone, Defoamers, Sulphated oil, Perminol KB, Emulsified pine oil.

6. Oxidizing agents:

Functions:
 To develop the final color during steaming or in the subsequent after treatment.
 Assists to dye fixation.
Example: Sodium chlorate, Potasium chlorate, Sodium nitrate, Resist salt, Ammonium chlorite,
Ludigol, Na or K dichromate.

7. Reducing agents:

Functions:
 Used for reduction of different dyes.
 Used for mainly in discharge printing.
 To destroy color from the ground of fabric.
 To make the insoluble dyes to soluble.
Example: Sodium hydrosulphite, Stanus chloride etc. Rongolite-C.

8. Catalyst and oxygen carrier:

Functions:
 To prevent fiber damage during steaming.
 Accelerate the final color development by oxidation.
 Reduce the risk of oxidation.
 Example: Copper sulphide, Ammonium vanadate, Potassium ferrocyanide.

9. Acids/Alkalis:

Functions:
 To maintain pH.
 To develop the color or printed fabric.
 To fix dye on the fabric permanently.
Example: Organic acid, Alkali KOH, NaOH, Na2CO3, Pottasium carbonate, Sodium
bicarbonate, Sodium acetate.

10. Swelling agents:

Functions:
 To create the big size holes of the fibers.
 Helps to swell the fiber structure.
 To reduce crystallinity.
 Help the easy penetration of dye molecule inside the fiber polymer.
Example: Polyethylene glycol, Phenols, DEGDA (Di-ethylene glycol diacetate)

11. Carrier:

Functions:
 Used for fixing disperse dyes on polyester or polyester wool blends at temperature below 105oC.
Example: Diphenol, Ortho-phenol, Tri-chloro benzene

12. Miscellaneous agent:

Functions:
 Assist fixation of dyes.
 Absorb moisture from air.
 Facilitates subsequent washing off.
Example: Urea, Glycerine etc.

13. Mild oxidizing agent:

During steaming of ago color, the partial color can be destroyed by the effect of reducing. To
secure of this condition, mild agent is used.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRINTING METHOD

Block Printing:
  Wooden blocks, carved with a design standing out in relief, are made from solid pieces of
wood or by bonding closely grained woods with cheaper ones.
 When designs include large areas, these are recessed and the space filled with
hard wool felt.
 Fine lines are usually built up with copper strips, and other effects are obtained with
copper strips interleaved with felt.
 To facilitate registration of successive prints, or lays, each block has several pitch pins
arranged to coincide with well-defined points in the pattern.
 Cloth is printed on a table covered with several thicknesses of fabric or blanket, the
whole covered with a thick sheet of tightly stretched synthetic rubber.
 The cloth to be printed is spread on the rubber, either gummed in position or pinned to a
backcloth attached to the table.
 Colour is applied evenly to the block, and the pattern is stamped on the fabric to be
printed, using the handle of a small heavy hammer, or maul, to aid penetration of the
paste. More coloursare then applied to the block and the process is repeated using the
pitch pin to obtain true registration. After the fabric has been entirely printed with one
colour, other colours are applied in the same way until the design is complete.
 Block printing is a slow, laborious process and is not suitable for high volume
commercial use.
 It is a method still practised in the oriental countries where markets exist for the types of
printed fabrics produced.

Screen printing

 Screen printing may be a hand operation or an automatic machine process.

 The cloth is first laid on a printing table, gummed in position or pinned to a back gray,
and then the design is applied through a screen made of silk or nylon gauze stretched over
a wooden or metal frame, on which the design for one colour has been reproduced.
 This is usually a photographic process, although hand painting with a suitably resistant
blocking paint is an alternative.
 A screen is placed over the fabric on the table against registration stops, ensuring
accurate pattern fitting.
 Print paste is poured on to the screen edge nearest the operator and is spread with a
squeegee over the surface of the screen so that colour is pushed through the open parts.
 The screen is moved until one colour has been applied to the cloth. For application of
other colours, the process is repeated with different screens.
 There are two basic types of screen printing process, the flat screen printing and
the rotary screen printing methods.
 This type of printing has increased enormously in its use in recent years because of its
versatility and the development of rotary screen printing machines which are capable of
very high rates of production.
  An additional significant advantage is that heavy depths of shade can be produced by
screen printing, a feature which has always been a limitation of roller printing because of
the restriction to the amount of print paste which can be held in the shallow depth of the
engraving on the print roller. Worldwide, some 61% of all printed textile fabric is
produced by the rotary screen method and 23% by flat screen printing.

Roller printing
 This technique is used whenever long runs of fabric are to be printed with the same
design.
 The modern machine, consists of a large central cast-iron cylinder over which passes a
thick endless blanket providing a resilient support for the fabric.
 Backing fabrics, called back grays, are placed between the blanket and the fabric to
prevent undue staining of the blanket. Although formerly made of cotton fabric, most
modern back grays are continuous belts of nylon. The blanket and back gray are
appropriately tensioned, so that the fabric moves through the machine as the central
cylinder rotates.
 Engraved printing rollers, one for each colour, press against the fabric and the central
cylinder. The pattern on the roller is etched on the surface of a copper shell supported on
a mandrel. High-quality engraving is essential for good printing. Each printing roller is
provided with a rotating colour-furnishing roller, partially immersed in a trough of
printing paste.
 Finely ground blades (doctor blades) remove excess colour paste from the unengraved
areas of these rollers, and each also has a lint blade.
 The printed fabric passes from the main cylinder and through a drying and steaming
chamber to fix the colour.
 Although this machine prints only one side of the fabric, the Duplex roller machine,
essentially a combination of two roller machines, prints both sides.
 Modern printing machines are smooth-running precision machines fitted with carefully
designed roller bearings and hydraulic or pneumatic mechanisms to ensure uniform
pressure and flexibility.
 Pressure is regulated from an instrument panel, and each roller is controlled
independently. Automatic registration is affected by electromagnetic push-button control,
and modern electric motors provide smooth-running, variable-speed drives. The washing
of back grays and printer’s blankets has also been automated.
 Spray printing is the application of colour from spray guns through stencils and has
limited but occasionally profitable use.
 Roller Printing

Heat transfer printing

 Heat Transfer printing techniques involve the transfer of a design from one medium to
another. The most common form used is heat transfer printing, in which the design is
printed initially on to a special paper, using conventional printing machinery. The paper
is then placed in close contact with the fabric and heated, when the dyes sublime and
transfer to the fabric through the vapor phase.

 The popularity of polyester fabrics led to the development of a completely new form of
printing: heat transfer printing, which prints the pattern on paper with carefully selected
dyes.

 The paper is then applied to the fabric by passing the two together through a type of hot
calender, and the pattern is transferred from one to the other.

 This method opens up new possibilities, such as the production of halftone effects.

 In all textile printing, the nature and, particularly, the viscosity of the print paste are
important, and the thickeners employed must be compatible with all the other
components.

 For conventional methods the thickeners are such reagents as starch, gum tragacanth,
alginates, methyl cellulose ethers, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

 Many types of dye can be applied, including direct cotton, vat, mordant, and reactive
dyes, as well as pigment colours. Most dyes are fixed by steaming or aging, by a batch or
 continuous method, and more rapid fixation is effected by flash aging—e.g., allowing a
shorter steaming period by employing smaller machines. After steaming, the fabric must
be thoroughly washed to remove loose dye and thickener, ensuring fastness to rubbing.

Ink-Jet Printing :
There has been considerable interest in the technology surrounding non-impact printing, mainly
for the graphic market, but the potential benefits of reductions in the time scale from original
design to final production has led to much activity in developing this technology for textile and
carpet printing processes. The types of machines developed fall into two classes, drop-on-
demand (DOD) and continuous stream (CS).

STYLES OF PRINTING

Direct Printing Style

 The direct style is the easiest and least expensive of the three main printing styles.
 It involves the printing of a pattern with dyes directly onto white fabric.
 This style is suitable for the printing of both simple and complicated designs; color
matching with the original design is also easy. Thereby, this is the most popular and most
extensively used style for mass produced printed fabrics.

Discharge Printing Style

 The literal meaning of the word “discharge” is to eliminate or to remove. It means the
style of printing which can produce a white or colored effect on a previously dyed fabric
ground.
 This discharging of color from previously dyed ground is carried out by a discharging
agent, which is capable of destroying color by oxidation and reduction.
 The discharging agents are – oxidizing agent (i.e. Potassium chlorate, Na-chlorate etc.) or
reducing agent (i.e. Rongalite-c, Stannous chloride etc.)

Types of discharge printing style:

Two types of discharging styles are available.

a) White discharge:
The fabric is dyed with certain class of dye and then printed (according required design) with a
print paste containing “Reducing agent” (usually “Rongolite C”) with no dyes. After printing, the
fabric is steamed. The reducing agent on the printed portion destroys the ground color and thus
produced a white on base color.

b) Color discharge:
The fabric is dyed with certain class of dye and then printed (according to required design) with
a print paste containing “Reducing agent” (usually “Rongolite C”) with dyestuff. After printing,
the fabric is steamed. The reducing agent on the printed portion destroys the ground color and
due to the presence of dye in print paste, the new color is replaced with the design area. Thus it
produces a color-color combination.

Resist Printing Style

The literal meaning of the term “Resist” is to prevent or to hinder. A resist (wax or other resinous
substance) solution is applied according print design that will prevent the fixation of any coloring
agent employed after words on that area.

It is one of the oldest printing style in which two resulting pattern can be obtained. In resist
printing the fabric is first printed with an agent that resists either dye penetration or dye fixation.
During subsequent dyeing, only the areas free of the resist agent are colored.

Types of resist printing style:

a) White resist:
No color is added to the resist print paste. After printing according to design the fabric dried and
then dyed so the unprinted portion will be dyed. The printed portion will be un-dyed. Thus it
gives a color-white combination.

b) Color resist:
Required color is added to the resist printing paste. After printing according to design the fabric
dried and then dyed so the unprinted portion will be dyed according to dye’s color and the
printed portion will be printed according print paste color. This it gives a color-color
combination.

DIGITAL PRINTING
In simple words, when digital images are reproduced on physical surface, it is called
digital printing. The physical surface can be in forms like paper, cloth, plastic, film, etc.
In digital textile printing, once the design is created, it can be directly printed on the
fabric from the computer. This process does not require any other step. Just as an image
is printed on the paper easily, one can print designs on fabric.

To print the designs on the fabric digitally, a dye-sublimation printer is used, which
carries out the printing process by using heat to transfer design onto the fabric. In
digital printing, it is necessary to pre-treat the fabric. This will ensure that the fabric
holds the ink well, and a variety of colors can be attained through the pre-treatment
process.
 Digital textile printing is considered to
be the 'next generation' printing which is
quite different from the conventional
fabric printing. With fabric printing
going digital, many textile entrepreneurs
are coming forward to invest in digital
printing technology, as it is the most
budding method of printing. In India,
the textile industry is embracing digital
printing technology by printing novel
designs on saris and dress materials to
meet the demands of domestic and international markets.

Digital prints are for people who like to experiment with bold and innovative designs.
The leaders of digital fabric printing like Alexander McQueen, Mary Katrantzou and
Erdem Moralioglu have displayed a range of digital prints, varying from abstract prints
to graphic paintings, which will stimulate one's artistic senses. Digital prints have
become the hottest pick in the fashion world today.

The dyes used for digital textile printing are different from the dyes used in traditional
printing. The most popular dyes for digital printing are acid dye, reactive dye and
disperse dye. These dyes can be used for all commercial applications, and have
properties like bright colors, low to medium salt content and high color fastness.

Various dyes are used depending on the fabric for digital printing, like acid inks are used
on silk and nylon; disperse inks on polyesters and reactive inks are used on all cellulose
based fabrics such as cotton, linen and rayon. Moreover, these dyes are compatible with
low cost ink systems.

Advantages of Digital Textile Printing

The digital textile printing has many advantages compared to the conventional printing
method. The best aspect of digital printing technology is that there is no limitation on
the usage of colors or repeat size. Multiple color shades can be printed on the fabric at a
time, which is not as the case of traditional printing techniques. The digital textile
printing (DTP) system can supposedly produce 16 million colors and shades. Hence, the
process is time saving and cost effective.

Digital printing has proved to be advantageous for designers, textile companies and
retailers. It allows the user to print quickly and as little as required, and with high rate of
accuracy. While in the case of traditional printing, a minimum quantity has to be
printed. Thus the overall cost of producing a sample is considerably reduced. It does not
even require color registration of plates or screens.

It can save the fashion designers from theft of

their designs before it is released in the
market. Further, it enables the designer to control and customize the design and
printing process from any location. Any corrections or modifications can be made
without additional cost. This promotes timely delivery, and reduces the need for
inventory. In addition, digital printing can be easily done from files stored or
transmitted from a computer.

Last but not the least, as pollution from textile industry has become a serious problem,
digital printing technology is environment friendly and saves water compared to the
conventional printing methods. It creates less pollution as there is no discharge of dyes
and chemicals. However, digital textile printing system has few limitations.

These machines cannot print metallic colors. Also, with flat color printing, the machine
needs to create a range of colors which it cannot accomplish. Besides, the maximum
width to which the machine can print on fabric is 150cms. The rejection level of fabric
printed is higher than other forms of printing.

Latest development in ink products and color management software has substantially
helped to produce variety of colors with best printing quality. New technology can
manage complex colors while printing. The new DTP system engages 'Drop on demand
technology'. This technology enables quick production with variety of substrates.

The current market exhibits some new innovations in DTP technologies. Some of the
developments are thermal inkjet, piezoelectric inkjet, continuous inkjet, thermal
transfer, electrostatic and electrophotography, each having its own unique qualities,
advantages and limitations. With the latest advancement in inkjet technology, digital
printing can be done on most of the fabrics. The ITMA exhibition held in Paris displayed
new digital textile products presented by the original equipment manufacturers from all
over the world.

Digital printing has opened new doors for textile and clothing designers in the retail
market. In the future, digital printing technology will not only replace the existing
printing methods, but also offer new products, opportunities and markets.

PIGMENT PRINTING

Pigment printing has gained much importance today and for some fibers (e.g. cellulose fibers) is
by far the most commonly applied technique. Pigments can be used on almost all types of textile
substrates and, thanks to increased performance of modern dyeing auxiliaries; it is now possible
to obtain high-quality printing using this technique.
Pigment Printing Recipe:

Pigment......................30 parts

Binder.........................600 parts

Fixer...........................10 parts

Na alginate..................100 (50% solution)

White spirit..................250 parts

Pigment Printing Process:

Pre-Treatments
↓
Printing(with binder and fixer)
(Roller/Rotary printing)
↓
Drying(90-100%/110-120°C)
(Dryer)
↓
Curing
(Cotton 140-160°C/110-120°C 3-5 min)
(Polyester 160-220°C 30-60s)
(Stenter)
↓
Washing (Some time is not need)

Advantages of Pigment Printing:

The advantages of pigment printing are well known and the process has grown in popularity
worldwide in recent years as it offers several advantages over other styles of printing. These
include brilliant prints with high light fastness, ease of application in color matching, flexibility
in its applicability to natural and synthetic fibers and avoidance of the final wash off resulted in a
complete elimination of any effluent disposal problems.

 Applicable to natural and synthetic fiber.

 Pigment printing is most economical printing process and allows maximum output of goods
because of the elimination of washing off, quick sampling and high printing speeds.
 The advantage of pigment printing is that the process can be done without subsequent
washing.
 Simple Application
 Simple technical process without wet after treatment
 Little requirements for machinery equipment
 Pigment printing can be applied to all substrate which are of interest to the printer, including
glass fibers, PVC and imitation leather, subject to some limitations in color depth. It is
extremely well suited for color resist effects, for example under azoic and reactive dyes.
 Mistakes in pigment printing can be recognized quickly.
 Pigment printing presents the fewest problems for the printer of all coloration process, with
respect to labour costs, equipment and reliability of production.
 Progress in quality of pigment printing
 New synthetic polymers Good fastness properties, soft handle

Disadvantages of Pigment Printing:

 Not controllable for the binder film.

 Handling properties of the pigment printing is rough because of having excessive cross
linking agents.
 Creates problem on the roller printing because of the bulky products and more engraved
rollers.
 It is not possible to apply it directly on the fabric. Binder must be used to apply the pigment
dye on the fabric. Thus, a coat is created on the surface of the fabric.
 During second time printing it has very low effect that is not desirable.
 When pigments are over printed the second paste has little effect.
 Wet and rubbing fastness is average.

Application of Pigment Printing:

Uses of Pigment printing is wide range. The garments of the women which are made by cotton,
polyester or viscose blends are printed by pigments if the medium color depths are needed.
Decorative curtain, towels are printed by pigments. Pigment printing also used in bed linen,
aprons, children’s garments, night wear dresses, various cottons and cellulose materials.

FLOCK PRINTING
 Flock printing is an old technique that was already in use in China around 1000 BC. In
Europe, it became popular during the Middle Ages.
 Flock printing or flocking is a printing process in which short fibers of rayon, cotton,
wool, or another natural or synthetic material are applied to an adhesive-coated surface.
 This adds a velvet or suede-like texture to the surface. Since the fibers can be dyed,
flocking can also add color to a printed area.
 The fibers used in the process are known as flock. Flock may be prepared from many
synthetic fibres by cutting them accurately into pre-determined lengths using a suitable
machine.
 With cotton and wool fibres, it is usually prepared by grinding and lengths may be as
short as 0.3mm (0.013 in).
 The flock may be dyed or uncolored. A suitable material is chosen to form the base fabric
for the flock and the base material, and the flock may be composed of the same or
different fibres.
 The base fabric may be either coated all over on one side with a suitable adhesive resin,
or the resin applied locally in a printed design. When printing is used a method which
transfers a reasonably thick film gives the best results, e.g. rotary screen printing on a
smaller scale, flat-screen printing. They can be applied to paper, plastic, metal, textiles,
and even glass.
 They can be applied to paper, plastic, metal, textiles, and even glass.

Flock Printed Fabric

The resin adhesive used must be one which adheres firmly to the substrate being printed, but
equally so, must be capable of anchoring the flock firmly once it is attached. The resin film must
be flexible, have a soft handle and possesses a good resistance to washing.

Methods of Flock Application

The flocking operation may be carried out in at least three different ways, which will now be
described.

1) Compressed Air
This method uses special spray guns and is simple to apply. Various sizes spray guns are
available and they are used mainly by handicraft workers as well as painters and decorators.
When applied by a spray gun, the flocks lie in a completely disordered state and will never
produce a clear velvet-like effect.

2) Shaking Process
In this method the flocks are applied merely by shaking, dusting or sprinkling the flock either
directly by hand or through a fine sieve. The fabric may be shaken at the same time as the block
is being sprinkled. This may be done in the case of small areas of fabric by attaching a wooden
rod of hexagonal cross section to the shaft of a small electric motor, and allowing this to come
into contact with the reverse side of the printed cloth. As with the previous method, shaking
produces a flocked effect on which the individual flocks are attached in a random fashion.

3) The Electrostatic Method

A lot of development work on this system has been carried out in W. Germany. In principle, a
high voltage is generated and connected to two pole-plates, one of which is earthed the other
being effectively insulated. Flocks between these pole-plates will Endeavour to close the circuit
and spring from one plate to the other in an intense to and fro motion which results in them
becoming aligned vertically. When the resin printed fabric is introduced, the flocks are
effectively ‘shot’ into it vertically and adhere in the printed areas. Because of the vertical
adhesion of the flocks, the desired velvet-like appearance is achieved. A collection device
removes excess flock from the treatment area and returns it to the machine for re-use.

BATIK PRINTING
The term "Batik" is an Indonesian-Malay word. Batik is a process of decorating cloth by
covering a part of it with a coat of wax and then dyeing the cloth. The waxed areas keep their
original color and when the wax is removed the contrast between the dyed and undyed areas
gives the pattern. One of the significant features of this art is that it is very simple and can be
done by anyone. Colorful batik prints grace the home furnishings with elegance and style.
Beautiful bags, household linens, murals and wall paintings with striking batik works enjoy a
great demand in the domestic and international market. The batik wall hangings accentuate the
walls with their bright colors and motifs. Batik has also made its mark as impressive textile
products. Batik printed kurtis, saris and wrappers are the preferred choices of the fashion crazy
populace.

Batik printing

 Much of the popularity of Batik can be tied to the fact that the batik technique offers
immense possibilities for artistic freedom as patterns are applied by actual drawing rather
than by weaving with thread.
 Another factor in its popularity is the fact that it is so durable. The colors in Batik are
much more resistant to wear than those of painted or printed fabrics because the cloth is
completely immersed in dye and the areas not protected by resist are allowed to absorb
hues to the extent that the colors will not easily fade.
 Because of the popularity of batik designs, many batik patterns are used in a wide variety
of fabrics. Many fabrics are called batik although they were not made in the resist
method. Most purists believe that such cloth has batik like design but is not true batik
which is confined to fabrics made through the application of the originally conceived
Javanese methods of resist dyeing.
 Modern designers in Indonesia, Malaysia and to a lesser extent Thailand, the Philippines
and elsewhere often use batik design elements and often the actual batik clothe in their
clothing and accessories.

Batik Technique

 The art of batik is a three-stage process of waxing, dyeing and dewaxing (removing the
wax).
  There are also several sub-processes like preparing the cloth, tracing the designs,
stretching the cloth on the frame, waxing the area of the cloth that does not need dyeing,
preparing the dye, dipping the cloth in dye, boiling the cloth to remove wax and washing
the cloth in soap.
 The characteristic effects of the batik are the fine cracks that appears in the wax, which
allow small amounts of the dye to seep in.
 Batik wax exercises an important function in the process of batik printing. Proper usage
of wax results into an impeccable batik work. 30 per cent beeswax and 70 per cent
paraffin wax are generally applied.
 During application wax should not be overheated or it will catch fire.
 The common batik fabrics that make for excellent batik prints are cambric, poplin, voiles,
and pure silk are used. Natural colors derived from barks of trees, leaves, flowers and
minerals were used.

TIE DYE TECHNIQUE

Tie-dye is a process of resist dyeing textiles or clothing which is made from knit or woven fabric,
usually cotton; typically using bright colors. It is a modern version of traditional dyeing methods
used in many cultures throughout the world. "Tie-dye" can also describe the resulting pattern or
an item which features this pattern.
Objective:
The whole point of tie dyeing is to prevent the dye from reaching the fabric evenly. Any place
that the dye can't reach will stay white, or a lighter color, of course. The gradations of color from
intense to light can be beautiful. You can accomplish this by folding the fabric, tieing it with
string, using rubber bands, etc.

Another reason to tie is that it makes each garment of piece of cloth a small, neat bundle--much
easier to handle if you have a lot to do. If you don't tie, but just apply the dye directly, you need
more space and can do fewer garments or pieces of fabric at a time.

Materials Needs for Tie-Dye:

 Dyes and chemicals for dye solution

 material for tie dye
 Rubber bands
 Plastic Bag
 Plastic Tubs

Tie Dye Process

Tie dye procedure are given below as shortly:

1) Roll up material in any type of design(vertical pleats, horizontal pleats, diagonal pleats etc.)
using rubber bands or threads to hold it in place
2) Prepare dye solution based on the fabric affinity.
3) Dip the first rubber band section in one of dye colors
4) Continue dying the material until you run out of white sections.
5) Place the material in a zip lock bag and let sit for 24 hours
6) Remove rubber bands and hang dry
7) Wash with cold salt water

Tie-dyed Fabric