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INSQIN® waterborne PU binders for durable digital textile printing inks
Fashion brands, textile producers and clothing manufacturers are all turning to digital textile printing for more flexible and more sustainable production. INSQIN® waterborne PU binders enable the production of water-based inks for digital application that deliver high durability with a soft handle.
Digital textile printing is growing, but brings some challenges
As fashion cycles accelerate and consumers demand more individualized products, brands and textile suppliers are turning to digital textile printing, attracted by shorter production runs, easier customization, and a faster time to market. In parallel, there is an environmentally conscious shift away from solvent-borne chemical coatings and inks towards the use of water-based solutions in textiles.
A major pain point with digital printing onto fabric material is clogging. Inkjet nozzles are prone to blockage, particularly with durable, high viscosity ink in which fine particles naturally settle and aggregate.
Water-based inks with lower viscosity are well-suited to application with an inkjet printer, but industrial processing requires a textile binder that strikes the right balance between clog-free, quick printability and the long-term colorfastness and wash resistance of solvent-borne inks. The demand for sustainable ink and coating solutions that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOC) is also on the upswing.
“For textile printers, coating providers and pigment ink manufacturers, INSQIN® waterborne PU textile binders are an innovative, more sustainable solution that enables flexible digital printing on fabric to achieve colorfast and durable designs.”
INSQIN® waterborne PU binders: digital ink application made efficient and durable
Our innovative INSQIN® waterborne polyurethane (PU) textile binders are a high-performance answer to the fashion textile manufacturer’s digital printing dilemma. INSQIN® allows a water-based pigment ink or dye to form a film that adheres strongly to the surface of the fabric or base material, and does it quickly. This enables fast processing and cost-efficient production.
At the same time, the pre- and post-printing process lend digitally applied water-based coatings characteristics often associated with screen printing. Consistent, colorfast pigments can endure repeated washing, and the finished fabric offers a skin-friendly, soft touch and feel. With this innovative industrial technology, the digital application of inks and dyes has the potential to replace traditional screen printing.
Water-based inks combined with INSQIN® waterborne polyurethane PU textile binders yield a low-VOC coating that specifically is tailored to digital application with excellent washing resistance.
Key Benefits
- Digital: PU textile binders couple digital ink application with high colorfast durability.
- Printable: INSQIN® waterborne PU textile binders ensure that inks & pigments drop at the required rate.
- Highly adhesive: Pre- and post-printing treatment lend digitally-applied inks a strong adhesion.
- Durable yet soft: INSQIN® gives water-based inks high wash resistance and a soft touch and feel.
- Sustainable: Water-based polyurethane dispersions deliver low-VOC coatings.
