Direct-to-garment printing

Abstract

The described systems and methods of direct-to-garment printing (DTG) allow for DTG printing for garments which achieves high definition and good color saturation, such as in dark color garments. The disclosed systems and methods include a pre-treatment solution to immobilize the ink used on the garments for DTG printing and to reduce nearly eliminate ink absorption by the fabric (i.e., by reducing surface availability of polyvalent salt to contact). The disclosed invention also includes a pre-treatment solution including at least one of a polyvalent salt, amorphous nanoparticles, a solid dispersive diluent, a stabilizer solution, a booster, and a tension activator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of pre-treating a fabric using a sequence of wet-on-wet impregnation steps, comprising:
 saturating the fabric in a first liquid to a first pick-up value;   after the fabric is saturated with the first liquid and without drying occurring after saturating the fabric with the first liquid, saturating the fabric with a second liquid that differs from the first liquid, the second liquid including a softener, to a second pick-up value that exceeds the first pick-up value;   after the fabric is saturated with the second liquid and without drying occurring after saturating the fabric with the second liquid, saturating the fabric in a third liquid that differs from the first liquid and the second liquid, the third liquid including a polyvalent salt, to a third pick-up value that exceeds the second pick-up value,   wherein the fabric remains saturated at a value between the first pick-up value and the third pick-up value throughout the wet-on-wet impregnation sequence of saturating the fabric in the first liquid, the second liquid, and the third liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first liquid includes water. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second liquid includes a hydrophobic softener or a hydrophilic softener. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second liquid also includes amorphous nanoparticles. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first liquid, second liquid, and third liquid includes 1% to 30% of amorphous silica nanoparticles and 2% to 40% of a polyvalent salt with a cation from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, or aluminum and 1% to 10% of a polyurethane color booster. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more of receiving a feed of the fabric in a first vat that includes the first liquid and submerging the fabric in the first liquid in the first vat; receiving a feed of the fabric in a second vat that includes the second liquid and submerging the fabric in the second liquid in the second vat; and receiving a feed of the fabric in a third vat that includes the second liquid and submerging the fabric in the third liquid in the third vat. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein saturating the fabric in the first liquid includes applying the first liquid to the fabric using a spray technique. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein saturating the fabric in the second liquid includes applying the second liquid to the fabric using a spray technique. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein saturating the fabric in the third liquid includes applying the third liquid to the fabric using a spray technique. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein saturating the fabric in the first liquid includes applying the first liquid to the fabric using a spray technique; saturating the fabric in the second liquid includes applying the second liquid to the fabric using a spray technique; and saturating the fabric in the third liquid includes applying the third liquid to the fabric using a spray technique. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim1 , wherein the fabric includes natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is tubular or open width fabric. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first liquid includes water and further comprising saturating the fabric in the first liquid to the first pick-up value that is at least 40% of water over the fabric weight (ofw). 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first liquid includes water and further comprising saturating the fabric in the first liquid to the first pick-up value that is at least 60% of water over the fabric weight (ofw). 
     
     
         15 . The methodof  claim 1 , wherein the second pick-up value is 15% more than the first pick-up value. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising saturating the fabric in the second liquid to the second pick-up value that is within a range of 12-20% over the first pick-up value. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second liquid includes a hydrophobic softener, and further comprising pressing the fabric to an ideal second pick-up value within the 12-20% range. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising pressing the fabric to the ideal second pick-up value of 15%. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising saturating the fabric in the third liquid to the third pick-up value that is within a range of 12-20% over the second pick-up value. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising pressing the fabric to an ideal third pick-up value within the range of 12-20% over the second pick-up value. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising saturating the fabric in the third liquid to the third pick-up value that is 15% over the second pick-up value. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising feeding the fabric between two rotating rollers to cause the fabric to be submerged in a first vat that includes the first liquid. 
     
     
         23 . The  method of 15 , further comprising feeding the fabric from the two rotating rollers of the first vat along two rotating rollers of the second vat that causes the fabric to be submerged in the second liquid. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising feeding the fabric between the second vat and two rollers positioned in the third vat, the fabric fed between the two rollers of the third vat that causes the fabric to be submerged in the third liquid. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the two rotating rollers of the first vat rotate in opposite directions, the two rotating rollers of the second vat rotate in opposite directions, and the two rotating rollers of the third vat rotate in opposite directions. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising drying the fabric saturated with the first liquid, the second liquid, and the third liquid. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a color booster to the fabric before, during, or after the first phase.