What is there to consider when working with specialty garments and fabrics blends?

All decorators need to consider three main things:

1. Customer expectations
2. The printing process
3. The anticipated results

Working with specialty blends requires specialty care when printing. Different substrates change the time you need to produce products. For example, with polyester, fleece, or nylon garments, dryer settings are typically lower than with cotton. Check with your ink and equipment manufacturer for recommendations and make sure these are accounted for in your pricing and expected delivery dates.

For the printing process, consider water-based inks on tri-blends for soft-hand prints. Since tri-blends are prone to scorching, avoid flashing this fabric. For all synthetic garments, it’s all about heat levels. Reduce temperature and flash time.

To anticipate the results and ensure a quality print, do a test. Test prints help reduce expensive mistakes and can help you perfect the designed print for the customer. Determine what inks are best, the flash and cure timing, and prevent dye-migration.

—Fruit of the Loom/JERZEES