Transfer printing was originally created in the 1950s. This technique uses heat and pressure to separate the ink layer from the paper and transfer the design on the transfer paper onto fabric, often employing the sublimation method. Its benefits include ease of use, high-quality results, and relatively low initial equipment costs. However, most heat transfer printing methods utilize disperse dyes and work best on polyester fabrics. The range of dyes available for this process is limited, and several necessary ones can decompose into carcinogenic aromatic amines during the transfer. Additionally, because the inks are prepared using solvents, recycling the waste transfer paper proves difficult, and producing the paper creates significant environmental pollution. Due to these factors, the product cannot meet the stringent Oeko-Tex standards required by developed markets, limiting its competitiveness and making it hard to overcome green trade barriers.
Cold transfer printing, on the other hand, emerged as an alternative to traditional thermal transfer printing. This method involves printing a suitable dye ink onto specialized paper to create a transfer printing paper. The fabric is then rolled in an alkaline solution before being combined with the transfer paper. The dyed side of the transfer paper is pressed against the fabric, allowing the dye ink to detach and adhere to the fabric, transferring the design or text. This method is also known as "wet transfer printing." The process is as follows:
Printing the transfer carrier paper → Designing the pattern → Cold transfer printing → Fixing the color with alkali → Washing the fabric.
Cold transfer printing has broad applications, working well on both woven and knitted fabrics, including cotton, linen, silk, and viscose.
Cold transfer printing technology offers numerous advantages. In response to the increasingly strict environmental regulations globally, China’s printing and dyeing industry must focus on environmental protection, efficient water resource usage, and promoting clean production. Emerging cold transfer printing technology excels in energy savings, reduced pollution, and enhancing the added value of textile printing due to its innovative process.
Firstly, the new energy-efficient and low-consumption cold transfer printing significantly cuts energy use by 65%, reduces dye consumption by 40%, saves two-thirds of the water, and achieves a 92% recovery rate for wastewater. Its coloring technology ensures a dye transfer rate of up to 95%, ensuring maximum dye utilization with minimal pollution. By omitting the traditional hot printing steps like dyeing, washing, and bleaching, cold transfer printing reduces production costs related to time, labor, and materials.
Secondly, the cold transfer printing process is eco-friendly. Advances in coatings have made paperless transfer printing possible using tapes or temporary carriers, which offer excellent barrier properties to the dye ink and achieve a transfer rate exceeding 95%. The cold transfer printing paste contains no urea, minimizing air and water pollution. The color paste is highly permeable, ensuring good dye transferability, a high fixation rate, excellent reproducibility, and reduced production waste.
Thirdly, cold transfer printing provides quick responsiveness to market demands. Unlike traditional printing, which requires multiple steps like pattern design, engraving, and printing before transfer, cold transfer printing simplifies the process, meeting the rapid response needs of modern markets. From design to production, the process is streamlined, enabling faster sample confirmation and order fulfillment. Moreover, the patterns produced are realistic, three-dimensional, and artistically appealing, aligning with the "Technical Policy for Prevention and Control of Wastewater Pollution in the Printing and Dyeing Industry."
Fourthly, cold transfer printing enhances fabric value. With its four-color separation principle, it can reproduce vibrant photographic effects on fabric, comparable to digital printing. Pattern designs are flexible, colors diverse, and half-tones and light shades easily achievable. The process works across different fabric structures, allowing both woven and knitted fabrics to be printed, thick or thin. For dense fabrics, double-sided two-layer printing can be done to create a double-sided effect, further boosting fabric value.
Cold transfer printing represents a leap forward in technological innovation, energy conservation, environmental friendliness, and digital printing. It largely meets the criteria for clean production and stands as one of the most advanced, low-energy, low-pollution textile printing technologies. It marks a revolution in the textile printing and dyeing industry, offering immense potential for future growth.
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