CONNECTICUT – US-based Trident Industrial Inkjet says it has developed a new range of water-based pigment inkjet inks with textile binders for digital textile printing. It can digitally
print onto 100% untreated cotton, polyester, viscous, silk or blends. 

The FabricFast Ultra pigment textile inkjet inks from Trident are said to be more ecologically sound than other alternatives when used in screen printing and digital textile printing. The screen printing process typically uses dyes that require steaming for fixation
followed by washing off of the excess dye, followed by drying. “This creates waste in terms of water, dye and energy through steaming, washing and drying”, said Steve Liker, Business Manager for Trident.

For digital printing, Liker said, “With FabricFast Ultra, the ink pigments and binders are then heat cured, this eliminates the need for steaming and washing required by other digital inkjet inks and saves water and eliminates the potential for water pollution.”

These nano-particle pigments are said to provide a good fabric hand similar to using normal dyes.