Problems with transfer printing process and paperless transfer printing

The transfer printing process currently has three major shortcomings:

(1) Because there is no affinity between natural fibers and other hydrophilic fibers and dyes used in thermal transfer printing, only polyester fabrics can be printed at present, which limits the scope of application;

(2) The use of paper as a substrate for thermal transfer printing does not fundamentally solve environmental problems. The water consumption and pollution caused by paper recycling and waste paper recycling are still very serious;

(3) The plate making fee is expensive, and the cost of each edition (including the base edition) is 3000-5000 RMB, which cannot meet the development needs of personalized, small-batch, and multi-species.

It is these three major issues that have constrained the scope of application of the thermal transfer printing process and also affected its further development. If these three major problems can be solved, thermal transfer printing can not only expand the scope of application, but also become a truly clean printing and dyeing process. Therefore, thermal transfer printing has become an international research hotspot. Since 1996, our institute has started the “Application Research of Thermal Transfer Printing Technology”. Earlier in the process, the original China Textile Association funded a breakthrough in technological research. The later engineering and industrialization research has received national 863 program resources. With the support of environmental special funds, the paperless thermal transfer printing process will be realized by the end of 2005.

Source: Wuzhou Search