The development of methodologies for designers engaging with digital colour inkjet printing in textile design

Gooby, Becky

Abstract

Digital textile printing (DTP) offers exciting, creative potential and entrepreneurial business models in textile design. Designers are no longer restricted to a number of colours or pattern repeat. It has become possible to print fabric without large set-up costs. This relatively sustainable technology reduces water-usage and dye-wastage. DTP meets Just in Time, Concept to Consumer demand, reducing stock wastage.
However, there is a marked difference between screen-colour to print-colour and software allows a user to select colours unprintable using CMYK colorants. Colour results are further affected by factors such as structure and composition of the fabric, dye type, printer communications, fabric pretreatments and secondary processes. A textile designer will be required to understand and experiment with a number of variables in order to feel colour confident.
These variables were considered, and existing colour management tools and methods evaluated, using a practice-as-research methodology. Experiments showed that neutral and achromatic colours were the most difficult to replicate, and hues with magenta/blue undertones were problematic. The choice of substrate had a sizeable impact on colour visualisation. The results were used to establish a best practice guide for designers wishing to obtain a more acceptable print-colour match.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: The 91st Textile Institute World Conference
• Start Date: Jul 23, 2018
• End Date: Jul 26, 2018
• Deposit Date: Nov 30, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 15, 2021
• Keywords: Digital Textile Printing; Colour; Design; Digital Economy; Digitally-Enabled Textile Manufacture; Printing; Coloration; Colour Physics / Measurement; Energy and Water Use in Textile Lifecycles; Practice as Research; Sustainability
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6909573
• Publisher URL: https://www.textileinstitute.org/product-category/the-textile-institute-world-conference-proceedings/