Washing ink jet printed textiles

Mirroring repeat, developed from washing machine drum. 

Washing is in many ways the opposite of printing. Printing works to fix a substance onto a substrate, whereas washing endeavors to separate an unwanted substance from a substrate. Washing comprises several stages  

The rinse stage uses clear water, although even this water may have been treated. Deionization cleans the water, controlling its electrical charge by removing molecules of minerals such as calcium or lead, picked up as the water passed through soil or pipes. The rinse water physically separates the undesirable residue from the textile 

The textile item is then dried ready for use and reuse. 

The efficiency of the washing and drying process is often aided by  

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Consideration of the impact of washing and water within the life cycle of inkjet printed textiles might be complemented by steps in the supply chain that are upstream or downstream from the inkjet print process. Downstream are the uses for the printed cloth, usually as raw material for another industry, such as fashion, before it reaches the final consumer. Upstream, the process of inkjet printing on textiles, can be considered to begin with the preparation of the fabric for ink jet or digital printing. 

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