Sasol Ci Manual - Other - Page 87
9 SPORTS CLOTHING 9.2 OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES
SASOL CI MANUAL
9.2 Overarching principles
Digital printing
Embroidery
Silk screening
Digital printing is generally used for short
print runs and is ideal for customised print
media, e.g. personalised invitations. This is
because digital printing does not require
plates so every print can be different. The
ink or toner does not permeate the substrate
like conventional ink, but forms a thin layer
on the surface and may in some systems
be additionally adhered to the substrate
by using a fuser fluid with a heat process.
Embroidery is used to decorate fabric or
other materials with needle and thread or
yarn. A computerised embroidery machine
is used to decorate promotional clothing
such as T-shirts, golf shirts, caps, hats,
towels and bath robes.
Silk screening is a printing method used
for merchandise such as umbrellas, laptop
bags, promotional clothing, CDs and DVDs.
Dye-sublimation printing
Dye-sublimation is used to transfer dye
to plastic, paper and synthetic fabrics.
It is used for many applications such
as synthetic banners or table cloths,
T-shirts, soccer jerseys and flags.
Sublimation is a chemical reaction in
which a substance transforms from a
solid to a gas, skipping the liquid state.
In a heat-transferred print produced
with sublimation dyes, the substrate
and the transfer paper pass through a
press under intense heat. The dyes
sublimate and, as gas,permeate the
substrate.
Embroidery may also incorporate other
materials such as metal strips, beads
and sequins.
Heat-transferred print
The heat transfer technique is used on
T-shirts, golf shirts, caps, hats and
coffee mugs.
A heat transfer press exerts heat and
evenly distributes pressure on a digital
image printed on special transfer paper.
This creates a tight bond between the
receptive substrate and transfer paper
and the inks adhere to the substrate
surface fibres.
This technique is a stencil method of
printing in which a design is imposed on
a screen of silk or other fine mesh, with
blank areas coated with an impermeable
substance, and ink is forced through the
mesh onto the printing surface. It is also
known as screen printing.
The process is distinguished by its ability
to print finely detailed images on practically
any surface, including paper, leather goods,
plastics, metal products, fabric, glass
and wood.
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