WHAT IS DIGITAL PRINTING?
First, let’s look at conventional printing. Conventional screen printing requires the engraving of one screen per color in a design. So a design with 18 colors would require 18 screens. Additionally, 18 separate colors also need to be mixed and matched. With digital printing, there are no screens or colors to mix. Any image you can see on a computer can be reproduced on fabric in the same way as your desktop printer prints images on paper.
WHAT FABRICS CAN BE PRINTED?
Unlike other digital printing operations, our digital printing fabric solution is not limited in regards to any fabric content. We can print on cotton, polyester/cotton, rayon, silk, linen, nylon, wool, etc., as well as blends with a maximum width of 66”. There are however various reasons why any specific fabric may not perform well on our printer. Examples of things that can make a fabric unprintable include: water repellent finishes, softeners, hairy fabrics, extreme textures, sheer fabrics, warped selvages, long haired selvages, etc.
ARE THERE ANY DESIGN LIMITATIONS?
The more ink coverage a design has, the more likely the hand feel of a fabric may be affected. Designs with large solid flat backgrounds or other large flat areas, primarily in darker shades, may not print solidly. Some colors will print more pixelated than others.
WILL YOU PRINT ON MY FABRIC?
No. We are unable to control the quality of a customer’s fabric and to control potential fabric losses due to the performance of that fabric on our printer. For this reason, we will not be accepting a customer’s fabric for use on the printer.
WHAT KIND OF INKS ARE USED?
Our digital print solution uses a patented pigment ink technology that is water based and absolutely free of heavy metals, formaldehyde and Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APE), making them non-hazardous, non-toxic and 100% biodegradable. Our inks adhere to the strictest human health and environmental standards and contain no animal by-products and are completely vegan friendly, meeting both the Oeko-Tex 100 and Global Organic Textile (GOTS) standards.
IS THE FABRIC WASHABLE AND COLOR FAST?
The printed inks are all washable and meet excellent color fast standards. The below results are, in general, readily achievable, however results may vary depending on the basecloth and how it was finished. We recommend: Machine wash cool or warm, delicate or gentle cycle, Tumble dry low, remove promptly. Best to iron the reverse side. Ultimately, it is buyer’s responsibility to order and test sample yardage to establish any performance standards that they require.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO PRINT MY DESIGN? ARE THERE ANY DESIGN LIMITATIONS?
The image file can be any Photoshop (PSD), JPEG, or TIFF, file, with optimally 300 DPI. When designing continuous patterns they should be put into a repeat, however, unlike conventional printing, your repeat is not limited by the size of the print screen. You can also print panels and other engineer layouts.
WHAT ABOUT COLOR MATCHING?
Digital printing is more of an art than a science. The color effect seen on a computer screen is not exactly what will print out on the fabric. Though a vast number of colors can be achieved, there are some colors that go beyond the range of digital color, making exact color matching problematic. To help with managing color, you may wish to purchase a color guide printed on the fabric you will be using.
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