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Brian-R · March 23rd, 2009

Has any one tried printing on silk? If so what was the outcome? If you haven't tried can you think of a reason to not try? I'm thinking that it's a natural fabric but does it take the ink? Would it scorch under the heat press?
Just thought I would ask before I went to a fabric store and bought some silk to experiment on.

Thanks

Brian

(I did find a thread that mentioned sublimating on silk but that isn't what I want to do.)

mrbigjack50 · March 23rd, 2009

I believe ONLY machine that can do this is Mimaki DTG because they got a machine that uses some sorta acid which can be used on silk,cashmere ect...

Silk is natural but not an obsorbent material, so ink will not adhere properly
I believe dye base inks are most common for this sorta stuff

mrbigjack50 · March 24th, 2009

Textiles&Apparel > Inkjet Printer > GP-1810 series

Brian-R · March 24th, 2009

Thanks Sean,

I was just wanting to print some silk ties. I would have a hard time justifying a new printer just for that so I guess silk is out. I really don't want to make cotton ties so I guess that sublimation on poly is my only real option.
Dang!

Brian

mrbigjack50 · March 24th, 2009

well there is alternative sorta....

Dye sublimation on polyster material that looks and feels like silk...
went to a company that printed on the stuff and I was blown away

There are like metallic looking material ect. out there and it is sooo. Kool
I bet you can find blank tie in material somewhere ...

jayball · March 25th, 2009

I have had good results using pre-treatment on silk and then printing very low ink levels.

Image is very crisp when pre-treated, without treatment you get a very blurred image.

ColorStitch,Inc · March 25th, 2009

Hello,

I had a client ask just recently about printing on Silk with our Brother GT-541....The result was not bad, as long as we raised the vividness level to about 3.

The only drawback was that our client wanted to cover more that the 14" x 16".

The material held up fine in 350 degrees for 35 sec.

Thanks,

Paul

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