Handprinted cotton fabric was born in India, where cotton grew spontaneously. The lower costs did not have the means to access fabrics such as silk or linen, nor could they have many garments. In this way, they come up with an economical and simple way to print clothes, waterproof.
These printed fabrics reach the West during the 17th century, causing a true commercial revolution. These are colorful and cheap fabrics that force textile manufacturers to react quickly since silk or other fabrics cannot compete with the cheaper printed cotton.
These prints also had a strong Persian and Chinese influence. Women discover in these cotton garments an economical and comfortable way to dress in summer, which allows them to have a variety of models. This greatly drives demand.
In the beginning, in India, the highest quality fabrics were hand-painted. As in all processes, technology evolves over the centuries, perfecting printing techniques.
What do you need for handprinted cotton fabric?
Preparation
The golden rule in textile printing is that “a well-prepared fabric is a fabric that guarantees half the way of printing”. This saying indicates the importance of good preparation for the production of high-quality printed fabrics. The goals of print preparation are clean, flat, smooth, uniform fabrics that are instantly absorbent. The preparation includes degumming, scouring, bleaching, and mercerizing.
Fiber
The type of fiber and its properties determine the selection of the dye since these are specific for each type of fiber. For example, cotton fabric can be printed with direct, vat, and reactive dyes, but not with dyes designed for nylon or polyester. Pigments can be used in any type of fiber because they do not have a natural affinity for any and must be adhered or glued to the surface of the fabric or fiber.
Thread
The type of yarn construction influences the type of textile print. The level of twist, hairiness, luster, and uniformity all affect the brilliance, uniformity, and depth of color. Also, high twist yarns resist the penetration of print paste, and both coarse and fine yarns will print differently.
Cloth
The properties of fabric constructions affect both process and quality of the print. For example, fabrics are generally easier to print than knits due to the latter's instability. Fabrics with flat surfaces (such as sheeting) are easier to print than fabrics with any type of pile or curl (such as bath towels).
How can you print?
Handprinted cotton fabric can be successfully printed through various methods including rotary screens, flatbed screens, engraved rollers, digital inkjet, and transfer printing.
Printed Fabric Drying
After the dye paste has been applied, the fabric must be dried and also cured or steamed to react with the paste. For continuous drying, a branch, belt dryer, or zigzag dryer is used.
Fixation of Printed Fabric
Depending on the layout of the printing plant, the fabric may go through a fixing process immediately after drying or it may be held for later fixing. The type of colorant and production issues determine the fixing method. Methods include atmospheric steaming, high temperature steaming, and baking.
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