disperse dyes; print workshop notes.

 polyester chiffon - polyester glacier - acetate satin

TRANSFER PRINTING OF DISPERSE DYES ON TO POLYESTER


BACKGROUND INFORMATION

•    This method of dry heat transfer of disperse dyes from a paper onto a synthetic fibre was invented in France and developed in Switzerland in the 1960’s.

•    Transfer Printing or Sublistatic Printing as it is referred to, relies on the ability of selected DISPERSE DYES to sublime when heated, which means they are then able to transfer directly from a paper to a textile fabric.

•    Disperse dyes are the only type of dye which are capable of subliming at workable temperatures and can be transferred onto synthetic fibres such as polyester,dicel, tricel, nylon and acrylic.  (in practice, polyester is by far the most widely used fabric).

•    Advantages of the transfer printing process include:
(1)    Once the dye has been heat transferred onto the synthetic fabric and given a cool machine wash, the dyes remain colour fast.
(2)    After the Transfer Printing Process and washing to remove any unfixed residues, there is no stiffness imported to the fabric and it will remain as supple as before transfer printing.

•    Disperse dyes are supplied in concentrated powder form and when these are sprinkled onto tepid water they can be used as a water colour to paint the paper, or alternatively, the disperse dyes in water can be mixed with a thickener to produce a thicker consistency for better line definition (see overleaf for recipe details).

•    Disperse dye solutions can be painted directly onto objects such as dried leaves.  After drying the leaves, they are placed face down on the synthetic fabric and the leaf is ironed after placing a paper over the top.

TRANSFER PRINTING OF DISPERSE DYES

Although Transfer Printing was developed for polyester, the method can be used to transfer the dyes onto a range of synthetic fabrics at varying temperatures.

CONTACT HEAT OR IRONING TEMPERATURE
POLYESTER                    100-230⁰C for 30 seconds
NYLON                    190-210⁰C for 30 seconds
CELLULOSE ACETATE (Dicel)        190-200⁰C for 20 seconds
CELLULOSE TRIACETATE (Tricel)    190-210⁰C for 30 seconds


RECIPE

Transfer Printing dyes can either be applied to the transfer paper as a ‘water thin’ colour paint or, alternatively, can be mixed with a thickener to produce an ‘oil paint’ consistency for better line definition.

FOR ‘WATER THIN’ CONSISTENCY
10-100gms Disperse Dye is sprinkled onto 500mls of tepid water, stirred thoroughly and left for 5 minutes (10gms for pale colours, 100gms for very strong colours).

FOR ‘OIL  PAINT’ CONSISTENCY
The above ‘WATER THIN’ dye is stirred into 550 gms of previously made up INDALCA PA3R STOCK PASTE*  *[Indalca PA3R stock paste made up as follows: 50gms Indalca PA3R powder is slowly added to 500mls of cold water with high speed stirring].

METHOD

•    The transfer dye solution of either ‘water paint’ or ‘oil paint’ consistency is painted onto a suitable paper, remembering that any painted design will be inversed when it is transferred onto the synthetic fabric e.g. TOM will become MOT
•    Note well:  When the transfer print solutions are made up and even when painted onto the paper, the colours will appear dull and uninteresting.  It is only when they are transferred onto the fabric that they develop their true vibrant colours.
•    It is possible to dye a background colour tint onto the polyester before carrying out the Transfer Printing operation
•    The paper should be thoroughly dried before heat transferring the dyes from the paper onto the fabric by ironing or by using a contact heat press.

CHOICE OF PAPER

•    When painting or printing the dyes onto paper, ‘cockling’ may occur and this will persist until the paper is almost dry.  The thinner the paper the more cockling occurs. Brown paper is effective when the dye is applied to the shiney less absorbant side.
•    80-100gms per sq. metre papers perform better than the lighter weight 50-60gms per sq. metre papers, but it is important not to select too thick a paper as this will inhibit heat transfer of the dyes.
•    To dry the paper more rapidly a hair dryer can be used.

DYEING POLYESTER AND OTHER SYNTHETICS WITH DISPERSE DYES.

Disperse dyes were developed more than seventy years ago for the dyeing of secondary cellulose acetate now known as acetate satin. Since then Disperse dyes have been developed for the dyeing of Nylon and Cellulose Triacetate and most recently, Terylene the ICI brand name for Polyester. Monofilament, plastics and associated yarn, as well as fabric, can be dyed with these dye stuffs.

DYEING RECIPE

Scour the fabric to prepare the cloth before dyeing

Using DISPERSING AGENT WS in the dye bath prevents the disperse dye particles sticking together and creating flecks of colour on the fabric. Disperse dyes do not need a fixing agent in the recipe although Calgon can be added in hard water areas.

For 100grms of DRY fabric we will need 3 litres of water.

For a pale shade use 0.2-0.4 grms dye and 3grms Dispersing agent

For a medium shade use 0.5-1.0 grms dye and 3grms Dispersing agent

For a dark shade use 1.5-2.0 grms dye and 3grms Dispersing agent

Health and Safety: Always mix powdered dye in the vacuum cabinet and wear gloves/apron

METHOD

Measure out the water in a stainless steel pan.

Weigh out the dye and sprinkle on to tepid water. Stir well to dissolve the dye

Measure the Dispersing Agent WS add to the dye bath and stir

Add the fabric and stir gently while raising the temperature to 95-100 degrees. Continue to dye at this temperature for 15-30 mins depending on the shade required.

Complete the process by washing out the fabric in tepid water, spin dry and iron.