Pigment printing in detail
Also known as: Pigment print, Binder print
Textile printing process in which insoluble colour pigments are bonded to the fibre with a polymer binder — simple, universal, no washing off required.
Description
Pigment printing is by volume the world's dominant textile printing process (around 50 % of all printed textiles). Unlike reactive or acid dyes, the colourant does not bond chemically with the fibre; a fine pigment solid is glued to the surface by a polymer binder (typically acrylate or polyurethane based). After drying, the binder is cured at 140-160 °C.
Advantages: the method works on all fibres (cotton, PES, blends, viscose), avoids post-washing and is resource efficient. Downsides: with heavy coverage the print feels slightly stiff and rub fastness is lower than reactive printing. Modern soft binders and digital pigment printing largely mitigate these drawbacks.
- Binder systems: self-crosslinking acrylates, PU, silicone
- Fixation: curing at 140-160 °C for 3-5 min
- Pro: no post-washing, works on all fibres
- Con: firmer hand, lower rub fastness
Properties
| Colourant | Insoluble pigments + polymer binder |
|---|---|
| Fixation | Curing 140-160 C, 3-5 min |
| Fibre suitability | Universal: CO, PES, blends, VI, WV |
| Water usage | Very low (no post-washing) |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Textildruck Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textildruck
- BASF Textile Print Solutions basf.com https://www.basf.com/global/en/who-we-are/organization/business-segments/industrial-solutions.html
