Foam printing (foaming textile print)
Also known as: Foam print, Expanding ink print, Soft-touch foam
Textile print technique using thermally-expanding plastisol or waterborne inks — 3D relief with soft, velvety surface.
Description
Foam printing is a special screen-print technique in which the ink (typically plastisol, more rarely water-based) is mixed with a blowing agent that expands to several times its volume during the curing step in the oven (140–160 degrees). Result: a slightly raised matt print with pronounced 3D appearance and a soft, velvety, foam-like feel. The effect is ideal for large front prints on T-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts and for logo applications in sports and streetwear.
Compared with puff printing (more strongly rising, bold reliefs), foam printing is more subtle: build-up stays at 0.3–0.8 mm, the surface feels softer and less "toy-like". Two-stage processes are common: first a normal base print, then the foam layer on top — combining clean colour reproduction with relief effect. Advantage over puff: less stiffness and therefore better wear comfort. Drawback: limited detail resolution (typically useful only for line widths from 2 mm) and limited wash resistance (typically 40 degrees / 30 cycles).
- Plastisol or water-based print paste with blowing agent
- Expansion at 140–160 degrees oven temperature
- Relief height 0.3–0.8 mm, soft velvety surface
- More subtle than puff print, two-stage build common
Properties
| Process | Screen print with blowing-agent ink, oven cure 140–160 C |
|---|---|
| Ink types | Plastisol (classic) or water-based |
| Relief height | 0.3–0.8 mm |
| Detail | Recommended line width from ~2 mm |
| Wash resistance | 40 C, ~30 cycles |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Screen printing Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing
- PrintingUnited: Foam & Puff Inks printingunited.com https://printingunited.com/
