Screen Printing Tip of the Week: Dye Migration

February 01, 2012
By Ed Branigan, Contributing Writer

When printing on polyester fabrics (other than white fabrics), there is the possibility of “dye migration” or “bleeding” occurring. This happens when the dye of the fabric seeps into the ink and discolors it. For example, when printing a white ink onto red polyester fabric, the white ink can turn pink due to the red dye seeping into the ink.

Here’s a quick tip on how to test the fabric to see if there is the potential of the dye bleeding into the ink: Lightly rub the fabric 10 to 20 times with another piece of fabric that is slightly dampened with water. If a lot of color comes off, the fabric is most likely going to have dye migration issues.

Ed Branigan is the print applications manager at International Coatings and has extensive experience in screen printing inks and technology. For more information, visit iccink.com and read the company’s blog at internationalcoatingsblog.com.



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