Are you looking to add some vibrant colors and intricate designs to your crafting projects? Then you're in for a treat today! We’ll talk about pigment ink, a versatile and dynamic medium that can elevate your creations to a whole new level.
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Whether you're a seasoned crafter or just starting, it's always good to brush up on the basics and learn some dos and don'ts to make the most out of your crafting experience. So, grab your favorite crafting supplies, and let's get started on this colorful journey!
Before we delve into the dos and don'ts, let's quickly go over what pigment ink is.
Pigment-based ink, or simply pigment ink, is a type of ink used for coloring paper and other materials. Pigments consist of small solid particles dispersed in a liquid (or gaseous) medium. In the case of our pigment inks, the pigment is combined with an oil-based carrier.
Unlike dye-based inks, which are absorbed into the material, pigment ink sits on the surface, resulting in more vibrant and fade-resistant colors. This ink variety has existed for many years and was initially derived from natural pigments found in plants, animals, and minerals.
Pigment ink is perfect for a variety of crafting projects, including card making, scrapbooking, and even fabric printing.
To create pigment ink, water, pigment, resin, and various additives are combined to produce long-lasting and high-quality ink. The ink may be heated or cooled during manufacturing to create different results.
Pigment ink is commonly used for printing on textiles, packaging labels, and other specialized applications that require long-lasting results. Its versatility even extends to advanced industrial printing systems, digital textile printers, and direct-to-fabric printer models. Although there are various pigment-based inks on the market, they all share the quality of being waterproof and fade-resistant over time.
So, the next time you encounter a stunningly printed fabric or project, you have pigment ink to thank for it!
Now, let’s dive into some of the best practices for using pigment inks:
Pigment ink works best on porous surfaces such as paper, cardboard, and fabric. Make sure to select the appropriate surface for your project to achieve the best results.
One of the most exciting aspects of crafting with pigment ink is the endless possibilities it offers. Don't be afraid to experiment with various techniques such as stamping, stenciling, and blending to create unique and eye-catching designs.
Compared to dye-based inks, pigment ink takes longer to dry. Be patient and allow sufficient drying time before handling your project to prevent smudging and smearing.
To ensure the best results, invest in high-quality pigment ink pads, stamps, and other crafting supplies. While it may cost a bit more upfront, quality supplies will ultimately save you time and frustration in the long run.
Pigment ink can be a bit stubborn to clean, especially if it's allowed to dry. Keep some stamp cleaner or mild soap and water handy to clean your stamps and crafting tools immediately after use.
Next up, let’s talk about what NOT to do when you’re using your pigment-based inks:
Pigment ink is not suitable for non-porous surfaces such as glossy paper or plastic. Using pigment ink on these surfaces will result in smudging and poor adhesion.
However, you can get around this limitation by using heat-resistant acetate and clear embossing powder. Just add the powder after inking, then use a heat gun/tool and set the ink this way.
When stamping with pigment ink, less is often more. Avoid over-inking your stamps as this can lead to blurry images and excess ink buildup.
To protect your masterpiece from smudging and fading, consider sealing it with a clear acrylic spray or varnish. This will help preserve the vibrant colors and longevity of your creation.
The company is the world’s best textile pigment ink supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Patience is key when working with pigment ink. Of course, you can speed up the drying process by using a heat tool as suggested above. But if that’s not available to you at the moment, then we highly suggest patiently waiting for the ink to dry when air drying. Rushing the drying process most often results in smudged and ruined projects.
Take your time and allow your creations to dry thoroughly before handling or moving on to the next step.
So there you have it, folks! With these dos and don'ts in mind, you're well-equipped to embark on your crafting journey with pigment ink.
Remember to have fun, experiment, and let your creativity soar. And if you run out of card making and paper crafting ideas, our In the Craft Room blogs are always open for you. Happy crafting!
IMAGE CREDITS: KORNIT DIGITAL
The global market for custom t-shirts printing is expected to witness considerable growth alongside the consumers requirement for personal edits, and customisation. As the world’s population rises, global affluence is increasing in-line with the income level of households globally, and with a further shifting trend predicted towards the purchase of fashionable, trend driven customised garments.
The combined DTG sector in North America was valued at over $2.6 billion in and is expected to achieve double-digit growth (10%+) on an annual basis.
Mass customization, increased personalization, and the consumers awareness of environmental sourcing and its eco-friendly benefits are fuelling the growth of short-run print on demand direct to garment printing across multiple markets, with significant growth also predicted for the luxury sector.
There are two main ink-sets used in DTG T-Shirt and Apparel printing, and these are Dye-Sublimation and Pigment.
Pigment DTG printing is a one step process, lending itself to mass production, with excellent wash fastness and migration properties, and has the advantage that products made from virtually any fabric composition can be printed. Cotton, Poly-Cotton and Polyester can all be successfully printed using the DTG pigment route of production.
In contrast: Dye sublimation has the pre-existing advantage of being an established entry level option for small quantities. However, Dyes Sublimation has a number of significant drawbacks. These include cost per print, washability, dyestuff migration and a narrow fabric range. Dye sublimation prints are also labour intensive with a high labour cost per print, as well as a practical limitation to achieving industrial production performance. Additionally, some technologies facilitating Dyesub DTG printing have issues with poor washability and dye migration, with migration happening up to six months after the product has been sold.
Finally, and importantly, Dyesub DTG printing is confined to only articles made from Polyester yarns and cannot successfully print either cotton or polyester blends.
DTG pigment printing is widely accepted to be the most eco-friendly and sustainable method of printing.
DTG printing using eco-friendly, certified inks, uses little water and has a minute energy requirement, these inks are absolutely free of heavy metals, formaldehyde and Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APE), making them non-hazardous, non-toxic and biodegradable. They provide a waterless printing system, using biodegradable ink and energy saving processes, making DTG Pigment the eco-friendly printing solution.
Dye sublimation DTG printing in contrast, using the transfer process, wastes as many meters of paper as it prints to textiles and the paper it wastes contains traces of developed inks that require special disposal.
DTG Pigment printing can comfortably handle a wide spectrum of fabric types, these include, 100% cotton blends, poly blends (50% cotton/50% polyester), and tri-blends.
Dye sublimation transfer printing can only print 100% Polyester fabrics, which in the T-Shirt Market where Cotton is the predominant fibre used, constitutes a significant disadvantage.
The consumer demands ever more sophisticated and complex fibre blends for garment performance. Predicted growth within the market sectors of customised sportswear and athleisure offer exponential commercial opportunities.
Unlike other ink sets, pigment printing enables instant color-matching and design approval on the machine as it prints.
At the management approval stage, the print can be seen as it will appear after fixation and further processing, as opposed to dye sublimation, where the print is seen only on paper and has to be developed by a heat press to view the final product. This makes for a difficult practical environment for product approval, whereby a dye sublimation sample has to be transferred and then approved prior to production commencing.
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