DECEMBER, TEXTILE SPECIAL: HOW AND WHY PAD PRINTING IS SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED TO THE TEXTILE SECTOR TODAY

THE NEED OF THE MARKET: THE ADVANTAGES FOR THE END CUSTOMER

For some years now, the clothing market has shown a strong need for garments without sewn labels. The reasons are there for all to see.

In fact, everyone has undoubtedly happened to have a label on the clothing they wear that annoys just when it shouldn’t: on official occasions, while playing sports, at work, on vacation. Our reaction is almost always the same: once we get home we look for the culprit and we brutally cut or tear her away. Not to mention children, who can’t stand any of them… Unfortunately, children between 0 and 6 years of age suffer from a series of pathologies and allergies that make their skin even more sensitive, such as atopic or contact dermatitis. In these cases it is really important not to subject their delicate skin to further stress and rubbing.

There is even a Facebook page, with more than 10,000 Likes, entitled „Cut the tags of clothes that make itchy!“ But the operation of eliminating the fabric or paper labels commonly used in clothing is not as simple as it might seem. In fact, they are often sewn inside the same seam of the garments, because they are added during processing, so cutting or tearing them risks causing damage to the garment. Or that the part that remains attached becomes even more annoying in contact with the skin. To eliminate some types of labels in a workmanlike manner, the intervention of an expert who knows how to unstitch and mend the garment is often necessary … but how many of us are willing to resort to a seamstress for this type of operation? Unless it is a particularly valuable garment, and often even in that case, we continue to rely on do-it-yourself, with most of the times disastrous results.

Another side effect of removing the label is the fact that washing information is lost, which are undoubtedly very useful, not only for washing at home in the washing machine, but also for any passage of the garment in the laundry. Let’s think once again about children’s clothes. Maybe today that we bought it recently we remember very well that that delicious lilac dress should be washed at no more than 30 ° C. The baby wears it for a few months, then grows up, and we put it away for her little sister, who was born three years later. When will it be okay, will we still remember it? I don’t think so! The same can be said in the case in which we „pass“ the clothes used a few times to cousins ​​and friends, as is now more and more often done among mothers, or that we resell them in one of the many markets. If we have removed the label, we will no longer know how to wash the garment, and it is really a shame!

There is a solution to this problem, and it is already used by major clothing manufacturing companies around the world. This involves direct printing of the logo and the size and washing instructions on the garment, carried out using the pad printing technique: a silicone pad transfers the writings and images to be printed onto the fabric, taken from an engraved cliché.

It is a printing mode that does not damage the printed object in any way, it is easy and quick to make and learn, and allows you to obtain prints of excellent quality and definition, even in multiple colors.

Comec Italia, a company with over half a century of experience in pad printing, has created a line of pad printing machines specific for the clothing sector, which are now used by all the major brands.

THE ADVANTAGES OF DIRECT PRINTING OF LABELS ON GARMENTS

The first great advantage of direct printing of information on the garment is, as we have already said, the elimination of the labels applied. But it is not the only one.

Printing directly on the garment is also a very useful system against counterfeiting: in fact, since it is not possible to remove and replace the original label, as is usually done to counterfeit garments, the trademark cannot be deleted from the product.

The possibility of printing a barcode on the garment also helps to maintain the traceability of the garments, an increasingly required requirement.

This procedure is also particularly suitable for seamless clothing, both sports and underwear, as it also eliminates the stitching of the label, making the garment completely seamless.

Furthermore, printing directly on the garment means having the possibility to mark only the products that are needed at the moment, without the need to stock up on labels, which often for various reasons will not be used.

The print can be applied to the finished garment and in any area of ​​the garment, so it does not interfere in any way with the production and can be done at any time.

From the point of view of the producer, therefore, the advantages of direct printing of brands and washing information on garments are unquestionable.

FEATURES OF THE INK FOR PRINTING ON FABRIC

The ink used is elastic, does not damage the fabric and does not make cracks when the garment is pulled.

Thanks to the characteristics of the ink, which can be modulated according to the thickness of the fabric, the prints are not visible against the light and do not „pass“ behind the fabric, while remaining extremely legible.

Comec Italia PLT TEX A ECO ink has the Oeko Tex ECO PASSPORT certification: it is environmentally friendly and complies with current regulations.

In addition, it resists over 50 washes in the washing machine.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MACHINES

Comec Italia pad printing machines produce excellent quality and definition prints, working quickly and cleanly.

The models dedicated to printing on fabric are very simple to use and their maintenance and preparation is also simple: once the machine is started, you can immediately start with a new production!

Thanks to the special „textile“ support designed by Comec Italia, the operator can work easily and therefore faster, having t-shirts, leggings, socks, etc. always at hand.

Furthermore, Comec Italia is at your disposal to provide you with clichés already engraved or everything you need to engrave them by you in your company!

In this video you can see the extreme ease and cleanliness of the pad printing operation with the specific machines for the Comec Italia textile sector: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I9mdrQz-CE