When glitter or shimmer inks fade after washing, it’s easy to blame the ink, but lack of curing often is the culprit.
Inadequate curing is one of the biggest underlying causes of print issues, and this especially is true for shiny inks, such as metallics, glitters, reflectives and shimmers.
Why do these inks need special treatment? The metallic flakes or coatings on the beads that are mixed into these inks’ base actually reflect heat. As such, the underlying ink may not reach the required curing temperature.
It is important to remember that time is your friend when it comes to curing. Slow down the dryer belt and run the print through the dryer a bit longer. Be sure to set the temperature no lower than 320°F when curing plastisol inks. However, don’t set the temperature too high, as that may scorch the fabric as you slow the dryer speed. The extra time in the dryer will allow the ink to absorb more heat and cure correctly.
Kieth Stevens is the Western regional sales manager for International Coatings. He has been teaching screen printing for more than 10 years and is a regular contributor to International Coatings’ blogs. For more information, visit iccink.com and read the company’s blog at internationalcoatingsblog.com.
