foiling and flocking; print workshop notes.

  
FOIL/FLOCK PRINTING

This technique enables the application of metallic and patterned foils to the surface of fabric to produce a reflective mirror-like appearance.  The process uses a special, colorless ready mixed adhesive which is applied to the surface of the cloth by screen printing or hand painting.  Once with the hair dryer. Once dry, apply the foil to the surface of the cloth so that the dull side of the foil is resting on the dried adhesive.  The shiny side will be facing upwards.

Heat press or iron to bond the two together.  The fabric is allowed to cool before removing the foils backing film.  Where the printed adhesive is present the foil will have bonded.

ADHESIVES

METATRAN FOIL ADHESIVE widely used and results in consistent opaque foil printing on all surfaces.  Excellent for large scale work and long printing runs.  However this is a solvent based ink and all equipment needs to be washed in solvent based universal screen wash in a ventilated area.  Bake adhesive dry at 170C for 2 – 5 minutes before foiling.

WATER BASED FOIL ADHESIVE gives superb results and is cleaner to use.  Its greatest advantage is that the adhesive dry’s quickly on the fabric and being water based it is easy to wash all equipment.  Because of its quick drying qualities, care must be taken to wash the adhesive from the screen before it dry’s and clogs the mesh.  Bake dry at 170C for 1-3 minutes before foiling.

PLASTISOL INKS an alternative way of adhering foil to fabric that offers a great range of possibilities.  Plastisol ink are solvent based and therefore are used in the same way as metatran adhesive.  The previous two adhesives will dry transparent so the main reason for using plastisol inks as an adhesive is that they offer the chance of having a coloured base for the foils to bond to.  This proves useful when you require only certain areas of a printed image to be foiled.

Solvent based plastisol inks that will work as adhesives for foil printing – Texopaque, plastofab glitters, Crystalina, blue flash and glow in the dark inks.  Wonderful results can be achieved on these adhesives where the foil is bonded for only a few seconds.  Because such a short amount of time is used the foil will have only fixed in a few areas, giving a textured look.  Even greater results are achieved when this technique is repeated again and again with different coloured foils, producing a multi-layered effect.  This exciting technique can also be tried with the other adhesives.

Bake the plastisol inks dry 170C, 2-5 minutes before foiling.

FOILS

METATRAN METALLIC FOILS super reflective foils, very easy to use and compatible with all of the adhesives.

Textured results heat press or iron for 5 – 15 seconds, 180C.
Opaque results heat press or iron for 45 seconds, 180C.
Let the fabric cool before removing backing film.


METHOD OF PRINTING WITH FOILS

1.    Take the require adhesive and run it in a line down one side of the screen printing frame.
2.    Screen print or hand paint the adhesive onto the fabric.  Wash the screen immediately if using water based adhesive to avoid blockage, if using solvent based ink was with screen wash.
3.    Bake the adhesive for 2 – 5 minutes.
4.    Cut a section, or sections of foils big enough to cover the printed area.
5.    Lay the foil, or foils onto the printed area of the cloth.  This should be so the metallic, shiny side faces upwards.


6.    Smooth the foil over the fabric, cover it with plain sheet of newsprint or fabric and après firmly with a hot iron.  For best results, heat press for 45 seconds, 180C.
7.    Allow the fabric to cool before removing the backing film.  Where the adhesive was printed the foil will have bonded with the fabric.
8.    Save the backing film as the foil remaining can be reused.

FLOCKING

Flock print/transfer system is a heat transfer method performed by applying the flock paper onto a hot melt adhesive.  Flock papers come in a wide variety of colours, 0.5mm viscose coloured fabrics fixed on paper support.  Flock printing leaves a short piled texture on the surface of fabric, similar to velvet.  A technique which is much the same as foil printing is used but the adhesive required is a specially produced flock adhesive.

Print or hand paint the flocking adhesive, bake dry before applying the flocking paper.  Put the flocking paper upside down onto the dried adhesive.  Heat press for 15-20 seconds, 180C.  Peel off while warm, where the adhesive was printed the short pile of the flocking will of bonded.  Wash the screen off with water.

Flocking adhesive will also bond foils, so foils and flocking can be collaged together, however care must be taken not to reheat press on to the surface of the printed flock as it will melt.

MAGICUT TRANSFER PAPER

Specially coated release paper used in conjunction with cutter/plotter machines, for transferring text, logos and designs onto dark fabrics.  Unfortunately we have no cutter/plotter machine so instead images and shapes can be cut out by hand.

Position the cut out shape, ink side down on top of the fabric.  If using text the image should read correctly when viewed from above.  Press for 10 seconds, 180C, allow to cool before peeling off backing paper.  The resulting image will have a matt look and a rubbery feel.

LAMINATING FILM

A transparent film with adhesive on one side, when ironed or heat pressed will adhere to any surface.  Excellent for encasing glitters, sequins, foils and so on.