Hobbies and Crafts

How do you make your printed material waterproof?

It's a dream come true to design a fabric of my own.The most viable option for me to print my designs onto fabric is my home inkjet printer.

It is as easy to print on paper as it is to use the shower and the colors are vivid enough.I can print on fabric as well.It's so easy.I can't be more wrong.

The two main problems with your home inkjet printer are fading and bleeding, other than the obvious problem of fabric being floppy and soft to go through the printer.

The new age printers do not bleed much but fading is a real problem.For making things that lasts on your home printer is very difficult, but if you are making one-off things like a poster or a bag which would not be washed it is ok.

The results are different with each printer.One method that works for a person may not work for another with a different printer model and ink from the same printer company.

You have to take this into account as well as many other factors like the fabric and ink used, image used and use of the work before embarking on the exciting method of printing your own fabric.

The advantages of inkjet printing include higher availability for short-run production, no screens needed, photo-realism with precise details, simpler pattern modification, less waste water, higher production speed, and partial replacement of traditional printing.If this is applicable at home, on my printer.

An ink fixative spray that protects computer prints from smudges is optional.

Depending on the print, you can print fabric on it.The final outcome is affected by printers and ink used.Different models of the same company produce different results.

Some printers have settings built into them that allow them to use fabric that is resistant to water, though water resistant ink does not mean that they are water proof.If not at the first wash, the ink will fade after many washes.

The ink used in the printers is dye-based.The dyes do not fade as much with time, but they are susceptible to washing.If you want a long print life and fade resistance, look out for a pigment based inkjet printer.

The following methods can be used to prepare your fabric for the printer.

1.These are specially treated fabrics with a paper backing and can be used for printing.They are water resistant, but not necessarily clean.You should expect some fading if you wash them.

There are fabric sheets called procoat which are waterproof and machine washed, but they need special ink and a steamer.The color is fixed by either heat pressed or steamed.

Pretreated silk can be used to make silk scarves, they need to be printed and steamed.I don't know what colour fastness is.I assume they are not supposed to be washed.

2.This is a simple solution to make cotton fabric that is suitable for printing.

A special solution is applied to the fabric.This will make the fabric stiff and it will be better able to keep color.The iron fabric sheet needs to be dried to make it smooth.

If you want the colors on the fabric to not fade later, you can try any of the two methods described below.

Cut the fabric and freezer paper or fabric sheet according to the size you want for your printer.I wouldn't cut it as big as the standard A4 paper for my printer because it was too small.

Select a free photo you want to print on fabric or take your own original photographs from any of the photo sharing sites.You can transfer it to your computer.

Make changes to the photo.You can layer images, add letters or messages, give a border or leave white space.If you want to make your photo brighter and better, go to any of the photo enhancing sites or apps, and make the necessary modifications to the image in your computer using a program like Photoshop or free online platforms.

The photo should have a good resolution.You can't expect a small photo from a random site to have great clarity.If you want to get the best output from your printer, make sure the minimum resolution is maintained.The post has more on this.The majority of prints viewed within a couple feet will be enough for the average professional grade ink jet printer.

You can choose the best photo setting for your printer.To see if the photo is set the way you want it, print it on paper.

The fabric should be placed the same way as a sheet of paper.I would put the fabric sheet on the printer.It is possible that the setting in your printer is different.Refer to the manual if you need to.

The fabric has an image on it.Pull the fabric at the printer and it will distort the image that is being printed.

Wait until the image is fully dry before removing the freezer paper.You can keep this freezer paper aside for future use.

You have to iron the fabric to set the color.If you are using fabric sheets, you should wait for the ink to dry for at least a couple of hours.It's best to wait for one or two days.

Keep a sheet of brown paper between the iron and the fabric or iron on the reverse side.Pass the iron over the fabric from one side to the other to make sure you don't hold it in any area.

If you intend to use the printed fabric for a project which will be washed a lot, wash it a couple of times before using it.

Many experts recommend spraying the image with a fixative spray if you want to make the ink permanent.

There are many ideas floating around that may or may not work, like using a salt bath or a vinegar bath to set color and prevent fading.

Depending on the use of the fabric, neutral ph PVA glue and water solution could be used to set the colors.It looks like you have applied white paint to your photo when brushing the glue solution, but it will dry out.The plastic feel of the glue coating may make you not want to use it.

Wait at least 24 hours before using whatever you have printed.It is better not to wash the fabric printed on the printer.You can wash it on a gentle cycle in cold water and mild soap.It is a good idea to avoid direct exposure to light.

It is not easy to print on fabric.There are a lot of pitfalls you and your fabric can fall into, like your old refilled cartridge inks creating a blotched up job on your precious fabric piece, or the fabric getting stuck inside the printer and all the tugs in the world not getting that one out unlike the flimsy paper you

You can explore all the possibilities of printed fabric if you can tolerate one or all of the consequences.

What about the opposite?Is there any ink that can be erased from printers?I would like to use a water-soluble marking pen to transfer the patterns to the top of the quilt.It is problematic to quilt through the paper.I want to find a way to treat the ink so that it doesn't stain the quilt top.

There are two types of ink: pigment and dye-based.The ink is fade resistent.Exposure to sunlight causes dye based inks to fade faster.I don't know if it will disappear with washing.I get you.Water dissolving ink on fabric would have been great.

I would like to thank you for posting this article.I used the freezer paper/cotton fabric method to make my own labels.RETAYNE has helped control the bleeding of ink on the fabric.When Retayne was unavailable, the solution of salt and white vinegar worked well for me.After drying the printed fabric, I pressed it with a hot iron using a pressing sheet.

I am glad to know that Retayne works.Most people have Salt and Vinegar in their homes.Thanks for the tips.

How do you make your printed material waterproof?

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