Method facilitating textile preparation for direct-to-garment printing

Abstract

A method facilitating preparation of textiles and/or garments to facilitate use of a direct-to-garment (DTG) printing process to apply graphics to the garments is provided. The method includes the application of a pretreatment during a textile and/or garment-making process to obviate the need to apply pretreatment to a finished garment immediately before DTG printing.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for making a garment for use in a direct-to-garment printing process, the method comprising:
 supplying a pretreatment;   providing a fabric for application of the pretreatment thereto;   applying the pretreatment to the fabric; and   after applying the pretreatment, creating at least a portion of a garment from the fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising drying of the pretreatment onto the fabric prior to printing the graphic thereon. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the drying of the pretreatment comprises at least one of air drying and heat drying. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is at least one of a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, and a milled fabric. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the pretreatment includes at least one of spraying the pretreatment onto the fabric, rolling the pretreatment onto the fabric, brushing the pretreatment onto the fabric, dipping the fabric in the pretreatment, and soaking the fabric in the pretreatment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment is adapted to facilitate application of ink from the direct-to-garment printing process thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the pretreatment is adapted to at least one of prevent the ink applied to the fabric during the direct-to-garment printing process from running and wicking through the fabric and provide wash fastness of the ink applied to the fabric. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising dyeing the fabric a selected color. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein applying the pretreatment and the dyeing of the fabric are performed simultaneously. 
     
     
         10 . A method for treating a fabric with a pretreatment to facilitate printing of a graphic thereon, the method comprising:
 applying the pretreatment to the fabric prior to making the fabric into a garment via at least one of a spraying process, a rolling process, a brushing process, a dipping process, and a soaking process;   drying the pretreatment onto the garment prior to making the fabric into a garment via at least one of an air drying process and a heat drying process; and   creating at least a portion of the garment from the fabric.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the fabric is at least one of a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, and a milled fabric. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the pretreatment is adapted to facilitate application of ink to the garment. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pretreatment is adapted to at least one of prevent the ink applied to the fabric from running and wicking through the fabric and provide wash fastness of the ink applied to the fabric. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising dyeing the fabric a selected color. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein applying the pretreatment and the dyeing of the fabric are performed simultaneously. 
     
     
         16 . A method for treating a fabric with a pretreatment to facilitate printing of a graphic thereon, the method comprising:
 applying a dye of a preselected color to the fabric, and applying the pretreatment to the fabric, portions of the acts of dyeing and applying being performed simultaneously;   after completion of the applying acts, drying the dye and the pretreatment on the fabric; and   after completion of the drying act, creating at least a portion of a garment from the fabric.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the drying of the dye and the pretreatment comprises at least one of air drying and heat drying. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the fabric is at least one of a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, and a milled fabric. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the pretreatment is adapted to facilitate applying of ink to the garment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the pretreatment is adapted to at least one of prevent the ink used for printing the graphic from running and wicking through the fabric and provide wash fastness of the ink applied to the fabric.