نوآوری های الیاف دامی ایران

Print techniques for wool textiles

Because wool is a natural fibre, and the processes to produce wool textiles and garments is multifaceted and complex, these products are inherently high-value. As such, the best printing techniques used to apply colour and design to wool textiles and garments are those that create a high-quality outcome. Although an expensive option, the quality and intricacy achievable using digital printing means it lends itself to the best outcome for wool. Screen printing (either rotary or flat-bed, depending on the design) is also commonly used for wool textiles and garments.

Applications for both screen and digital printing on wool are covered further in Modules 3 and 5.

Note: The physical structure of the wool fibre allows individual fibres to move more easily in one direction than the other when agitated in water; causing felting shrinkage. This is especially so in yarns for knitted fabrics, where it is important to specify machine-washable or ‘superwash’ wool and wool blends to prevent felting during the finishing processes involved following most printing operations. For woven fabrics containing wool or wool-blend yarns, the wool fibres generally go through a chlorination process (or a similar process) when preparing the fabric for printing. This preparation not only improves the penetration and migration of the dye within the fibre but also effectively makes it 'felt-resistant', similar to ‘superwash’, at that stage of the process.