Impressions - October/November 2012 - (Page 63)

able that are fitted with an enclosed head that captures all of the waste fibers and recycles them. Flock is now much easier to produce and, thus, more affordable. You see this kind of decoration everywhere being worn by consumers of all ages. A basic flock application requires a low mesh count, preferably between 86 and 110. The flock adhesive is printed in the same manner as ink, but a heavier deposit is preferable. The flock fibers are then dropped onto the adhesive while it still is wet. Then, the garment is cured in the same manner as plastisol ink. An alternative way to apply flock is by using a flock transfer. If you choose this method, adhesive can be applied directly to the flock, gelled, then applied — like a transfer — to the garment. Some adhesives are applied directly to the garment and cured like a regular print, then the flock transfer is applied using a transfer machine. This method is similar to a foil application. Using a flock transfer presents some opportunities for special-effects printing that are unattainable by using basic methods. Textured flock prints and foil/flock combinations can be achieved like some of the examples shown. FOIL AND METALLICS Foil and metallic prints have again been very strong this past year across all age ranges. Who would have thought that younger men would be wearing jumbo foil prints or rhinestones? Foil is one of the original special effects and is a basic application. The foil adhesive is ink, so it is printed as such. A lower mesh count is required, usually in the 86-110 range. After the adhesive has been printed, it should be cured. Then, the foil is applied like a transfer. The required transfer machine settings will vary depending on the brand of foil used and the type of transfer machine being employed. Keep in mind also that foil will adhere to any plastisol ink. You won’t get the same coverage as with a foil adhesive, but with some imagination, a wide variety of special-effect foil applications is achievable. Not surprisingly, metallics also have been strong. In keeping with the brightness theme, there have been glow-in-the-dark and “black light” inks thrown into the mix. All shimmer metallics will have flakes in them, so they will always require a lower mesh count (110 or lower) to print. The exact mesh count you should use will depend on the flake size. With glow-in-the-dark inks, a lower mesh count also is used. A good ink deposit ensures a stronger glow. These examples of ink applications tell us what’s going onto the shirts. If you stop and take look, you also will notice there’s a shift in the garment area. Nowadays, it’s not unusual to see all of the aforementioned ideas being printed on more than T-shirts. Dress and casual shirts are embellished for both women and men. I’ve seen some sports jackets with screen printed designs on them in recent months. This, along with the movement toward non-PVC inks, will point us toward ink trends in the coming year. Ed Branigan is the print applications manager at International Coatings and has extensive experience in screen printing inks and technology. For more information, visit iccink.com and read the company’s blog at internationalcoatingsblog.com. impressionsmag.com October/November 2012 | Impressions 63 http://www.iccink.com http://www.internationalcoatingsblog.com http://www.impressionsmag.com http://www.impressionsmag.com/news http://www.impressionsmag.com/business http://www.impressionsmag.com/screenprinting http://www.impressionsmag.com/embroidery http://www.impressionsmag.com/digitaldecorating http://www.impressionsmag.com/events http://www.impressionsmag.com/newsletter http://www.impressionsmag.com/techtips http://www.impressionsmag.com/productguide http://www.impressionsmag.com/catalogcentral http://www.impressionsdirectory.com http://www.impressionsmag.com/infoaction http://www.t-shirtforums.com http://www.impressionsmag.com/designgalleries http://www.issshows.com http://www.impressionsmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - October/November 2012

Impressions - October/November 2012
Contents
First Impressions
From the Show Director
FYI
Product Gallery
ISS Conference
Embracing Digital Technologies
DTG vs. Dye Sublimation
Digital Products Preview
High-Performance Fashion Yields a Technical Edge
How To Sell More With Every Order
Shop Spotlight
Embroidery Production
Screen Printing Production
Online Directory
Screen Printing Technique
Digital Decorating
Business to Business
Classifieds
Ad Index

Impressions - October/November 2012