GCSE textiles printing methods

SCREEN PRINTING

• The screen (made from fine mesh pulled over a wooden frame) is put over the fabric
• Dye is then moved across the screen using a squeegee forcing the dye through the screen to the fabric beneath
• different screens are needed for different colours
• for one-off prints areas of the screen can be blocked off using paper stencil
• areas that need to be blocked off are exposed to ultraviolet light wich makes the chemical in the dye insoluable

BLOCK PRINTING

Process

• The design is marked onto the surface of a block made of resistant material (usually wood!)
• Then block is cut down to just the design to leave the design in relief
• Dye is then applied to the surface of the block
• It is then pressed onto the fabric

Quality control check

• Different blocks for different colours
• Great care needs to be taken to align the blocks correctly

ROLLER PRINTING

• This is an industrial version of block printing

Process

• The design is engraved on rollers with a copper surface in relief
• The maximum width of the design is the width of the roller
• Plain fabric passes between a big flat roller and the engraved roller
• the engraved roller rolls in printing paste or dye bath
• the design is then printed onto the plain fabric

Quality control

• A seperate roller is needed for each colour
• The expense of making the roller means this is only used for large amounts of fabrics

TRANSFER PRINTING

Process:

• Reversed design is printed onto a special paper
• The design is transfered onto fabric using heat rollers
• the heated rollers turn the ink in the paper into gas
• Due to the high pressure and temperature the gas attaches to the fabric

Quality control:

• most effective on synthetic fabrics