Textile printing
The history of printing and printing technology is a long and fascinating study. Mankind has gone from a simple printing technique requiring only natural materials to an advanced and complex printing technique that requires machinery and the latest technology. In the quest to improve printing technology individuals have many times faced a conundrum when it comes to printing upon textiles. Textiles offer a variety of unique and difficult challenges for the printer. A recent viral video has highlighted the interesting ways that textile printing has evolved, for more information watch the video on Youtube.
Textile printing technology has come a long way from its very first steps. Early printers would use the same techniques that were used for paper printing; the most popular form of early textile printing was using wooden blocks. While the results produced can be fantastic, the amount of work required to produce a piece limits this techniques commercial use. The next step in printing technology was the use of machines. The engraved copperplate and roller printing machines produced a much higher volume of product. There are imitations to these machine though, the size and cost of these machines limits the home usage and small businesses from entering into this field. Another textile printing technique still found today is screen printing, this process while drastically simpler is limited as well in many commercial uses. These machines are usually used for clothing and shirt design.
A recent breakthrough in printing technology is changing the way many print on textile. The older forms mentioned while still available are slowly losing their share to this new and exciting printing technology. Digital textile printing offers a unique way to print on fabrics. This technology allows for home use with ink jet printers and also for commercial use. The many applications that these types of printer can handle are growing daily. Banners, intricate indoor textiles and even complex and innovative fashion clothing designs can be produced with this new technology. This type of technology also offers the benefit of less waste. Since the printed object is usually directly printed up there is no need for transfer materials.