Mimaki will focus on its most recent printer introductions at Fespa, including its recently launched and first-direct-to film offering, the TxF150-75, and will showcase a new collaboration with Dutch paper manufacturer Neenah Coldenhove centring on the latter’s Texcol pigment transfer paper for textile printing applications.
Speaking at an online preview for the late May Fespa Global Print Expo in Munich, Mimaki Europe general marketing manager Danna Drion confirmed that the company will show 13 printers at the event, including the recently launched TxF150-75, its first direct-to-film printer, which she said features new Mimaki technology designed to overcome ink ejection and sedimentation issues that occur in other printers. The inks have Oeko-Tex Eco Passport certification, making them suitable for garments to be worn directly next to the skin.
The collaboration with Neenah Coldenhove is also particularly interesting. Texcol enables a type of textile printing that uses a new digital pigment transfer paper whose properties are said to make it highly resistant to cockling and thus able to handle relatively high ink loads, which help to retain its colour fastness when exposed to light. It has been tested with pigment-based inks from Fujifilm, Du Pont and Epson – amongst others – that are already in use for direct fabric printing, and whose binders are a key component in the process. Similar to dye sublimation, a calendering process is required to transfer the ink and a special coating layer from the paper to the fabric, though additional care over temperature and contact time may be required with some fabrics, and a hot peel separation process of paper and substrate is necessary.
Described as ‘excellent’ for use on textiles in home furnishings, Texcol is especially recommended for applications on sturdier textiles and applications such as curtains, decorative pillows and bedding, which require a degree of durability that can be difficult to achieve with dye sublimation transfer.
Neenah Coldenhove also says that Texcol’s multifunctional coating offers ink savings of up to 25% together with a high colour brilliance. It requires neither pre- nor post-processing of the textiles.
A full Fespa preview will appear in the May edition of the Digital Textile Printer newsletter. SIgn up for free here if you are not already registered for this.
