Accommodate for Stretch in Fabrics

Here is a quick tip that was published Printwear Magazine's Tip section:  When printing on fabrics that contain spandex or Lycra, incorporate a stretch additive to help improve the elongation properties of the ink. This will prevent the print from cracking when the fabric is stretched out. Some stretch additives can also be used as an under-base print to help improve the stretch of the inks printed on top. Depending on the additive used, adding 5 to 10 percent (by weight) is usually sufficient for most fabrics. But also keep in mind that printing through very fine mesh counts doesn’t allow muck ink to be laid down and thus, makes it difficult to create a strong enough ink film to withstand a lot of stretch. Ed Branigan is International Coatings' Print Applications Manager. Suggested Product:  1199 Stretch Additive International Coatings manufactures a complete line of phthalate-compliant screen printing inks, including a wide variety of whites, specialty inks, special effects inks, color matching systems, additives and reducers.  For more information on our products, please visit our website at www.iccink.com.     International Coatings:     The Intelligent Choice