By Cassandra Balentine
When it comes to textile printing, inks continue to advance for digital processes. The availability of water-based pigment inks are emerging in response to an increased focus on environmental sustainability and versatility.
“The positive impact that water-based pigment ink potentially has on sustainability is extremely high,” explains Anne de Brouwer, product manager, Digital Textile Ink, SPGPrints. “At this moment the share of pigment ink is still low, but it is just a matter of time due to rapid technical developments and growing adaptation by users. A parallel can be seen in the transition of gas powered to electrical cars.”
We expect continued growth in water-based inks for digital textile printing.
Environmental Benefits
Water-based textile pigment inks are known to help reduce energy as well as water consumption, particularly when pre- and post-treating fabrics compared to other digital textile print options.
“According to the World Bank, the textile industry is responsible for approximately 20 percent of industrial wastewater worldwide. Based on a recent study by the Fuluhashi Environmental Institute, it was found that digital printing textiles with pigment inks can reduce the water used by up to 96 percent versus dye-based alternatives,” states Mark Krzywicki, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc.
Of the many ink sets involved in textile printing, Sharon Donovich, marketing director, global events and customer success, Kornit Digital, says pigment ink sets, without doubt, present the smallest effect on the environment. “Reactive, disperse, and acid inks are water- and energy-wasteful, while dye-sublimation (dye-sub) printing throws away as many meters of paper as it prints on textiles. By comparison, conventional pigment screen printing uses 50 percent less water, 30 percent less energy, and 35 percent less water pollution than other ink sets.”
Setting or fixating these inks only requires a dry heat fixation to cure the ink once printed—eliminating the use of steaming or washing seen in traditional methods. “Having this single-step solution eliminates the excessive use of water as a resource, as well as toxic waste water as a byproduct of production,” explains Edward Knight, partner, Optimum Digital USA. It also requires less power by removing the need for other machinery.
If you add all of these factors together with the inherent benefits of digital printing technologies, which do not require the production of large minimum order quantities to be competitively priced, the advantages increase. “Our customers print on demand, significantly reducing the chance that the fabric is thrown into a landfill—currently up to 60 percent in the apparel manufacturing supply chain,” remarks Knight.
Donovich points out that Kornit’s pigment ink is free of pretreatments, steaming, and washing, enabling lessened consumption and waste. “In accordance with Environment Health & Safety policy we dispose of effluent at the cycle’s end as hazardous material separately from the municipal system. Process water undergoes a short softening cycle before use.”
Versatility
Further, recent developments of pigment inks for digital printing on textiles are changing the way the industry prints on synthetic, natural, and blended fabrics, according Taner Can Guven, partner, Optimum Digital USA.
As an ink type, Donovich points out that pigment printing is versatile, because, unlike any other ink set, it can successfully print onto any fabric of any fiber composition using one process.
Donovich explains that pigment printing relies upon the strength of an ink’s binder to lock the pigment particle to the fabric, while other ink sets use tailored chemical bonds that only work with one fiber type or another. “It is therefore the only ink set that is effective across all known fabric and fiber types.”
Application Options
Water-based pigment textile printing serves a range of applications, from apparel to décor. The technology is being adopted by textile print service providers (PSPs), rotary screen printers in a hybrid print environment, as well as PSPs serving the sign and display market.
Durst US customers pigment print onto textiles to produce upholstery, window dressings, table and bed linens, apparel, and wallpaper, according to Mike Syverson, textile manager, North America, Durst US.
“We see most customers using Monna Lisa GENESTA pigment ink printers today focused on the home décor and craft markets,” agrees Krzywicki. “However, there is an increased use in the fashion market as more designers and customers are looking for technology solutions to reduce water use.”
Can Guven and Knight predict apparel manufacturing as a large growth area. “Customers previously limited to a single type of fabric—like polyester—are now using our machines to produce on a wider range of fabric.”
For example, Optimum Digital has customers using eco-pigment that range from women’s apparel, baby products, sportswear, leisure wear, and pajamas. “The home décor space is also increasing with the ability for customized upholstery and interior designs on natural linens and cottons, albeit at a slower rate.”
“The adoption of water-based pigment inks in textile printing is largely affected by the way the textile industry operates,” explains de Brouwer. “When looking at the entire textile chain, one can conclude that fashion brands have a lot of power and are driving changes also related to sustainability. Sustainability is considered an important factor in the whole value chain. Just look at the fact that several global brands have appointed a chief sustainability officer in their boardrooms.”
A variety of customers are interested in pigment ink printing technology due to the comparatively simple workflow when compared to dye-based inks, along with the aforementioned water savings benefits, offers Krzywicki.
The Fabric Component
When printing to textiles, the fabric itself is a primary consideration.
For water-based pigment printing processes, a key benefit of pigment printing is substrate flexibility. “Using pigment ink you can print on an array of fabric types, including blended fabrics. At Epson, we have designated Solution Centers around the globe to help customers test new fabrics to evaluate print quality and performance,” shares Krzywicki.
Donovich also stresses the process’ versatility when it comes to the range of fabrics it can successfully print onto. “Unlike any other ink set it can successfully print onto any fabric, of any fiber composition, using one process,” she explains.
“Generally, we see most companies printing pigment on natural fabrics like cotton, linen, and wool, although it is possible to print with pigments on other materials such as polyester, silk, and acrylics,” says Syverson.
Can Guven and Knight see the most success with cotton and cotton blends, and state that linen also works very well. “The great thing about pigment-based inks is the versatility and high quality across a wide selection of fabrics.”
De Brouwer adds that fabric compatibility in essence is very wide, but influenced by the pretreatment used. “Our experience is that in today’s industrial textile printing environment pigment ink is mainly used with poly-cotton fabric. In a lesser degree also 100 percent cotton for garment decoration is utilized.”
She admits that pigment inks are not yet suitable for use with silk. “Also, the ink lies on top of the substrate and does not penetrate the whole fabric. This means pigment ink cannot be used in two-sided applications such as scarves.”
Expanding Options
The move to pigment ink printing, versus dye, is an area to watch when it comes to digital textile printing. We expect the expansion of capabilities to expand and adapt to the modern needs of today’s consumers.
“The current range of fabrics to print with pigment-based inks is already the most varied in the digital printing space and I believe it will continue to grow,” concludes Can Guven.
Jun2023, Digital Output
