CDTI R&D Project

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DYE SUBLIMATION TRANSFER PRINTING SOLUTIONS WITH HIGH LIGHT FASTNESS "DIGIPRINT"

The project "RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRINTING SOLUTIONS WITH HIGH LIGHT FASTNESS SUBLIMATION TRANSFER INKS" developed by FRANCISCO JOVER, S.A. has been financed by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI).

OBJECTIVES

The project aimed to research and develop digital prints with dye sublimation transfer inks with improved light fastness properties for technical textiles with multifunctional properties.

It has focused on three applications:

• Private residential sector - fabrics for outdoor use, mainly upholstery for furniture.
• Contract sector - decoration in a professional environment, mainly for outdoor use.
• Maritime sector – product in accordance with IMO (International Maritime Organisation) requirements.

The technological challenge has been to apply digital printing technology with dye sublimation inks on paper to textiles other than polyester, as well as to fabrics already incorporating technical finishes, and to improve the light fastness properties of traditional digital transfer prints on polyester.

The potential application of digital transfer printing technology in the personalisation of jacquard and jacquard fabrics of different compositions (cotton, linen, FR yarns, biocidal yarns, yarns derived from recycled raw materials, etc.) has been investigated.

The application of transfer printing on recycled yarn has also been investigated. The folders are printed before weaving to obtain unique effects and textures. Once woven, finishing processes have been carried out to give them UV protection, water repellency or biocide properties.