Many customers have come to us and question whether printing can be done on our linen fabric, and whether it will hold up against time. 

The answer is yes, printing on linen can definitely be done. However the number of printing shops for natural fabrics are few and far between. If you are here, you have probably been scouting around for a place to print your favourite pattern on linen, or looking for a printing supplier with a low MOQ for your shop.

THE METHOD

At our store, we used direct injection printing. The principle of digital inkjet printing is to directly print reactive dyes onto the fabric non-contactually through a digital inkjet printer. Digital direct injection produces clear prints, and the patterns sink deeply into the fabric as they react with the fabric fibers during the printing process. This is superior compared to sublimation printing where the patterns has the appearance of being stamped onto the fabric. 

THE INK

The best ink to use on natural fabrics is reactive dyes, which is what we use in our printing production. Reactive dyes ensure the best colour fastness and retention. Humidity control is crucial. Temperature is another important condition for the color development of reactive dyes. Reactive dyes develop color at around 99 to 102°C. If the steam temperature does not reach the reaction temperature, it will directly affect the dye uptake rate of the reactive dye, or the inconsistent temperature rise in various areas inside the steamer will lead to different dye uptake rates and large color differences in each part.

WASHING

To finish the printing process, the fabric will need to be washed. The ultimate goal of water washing is to ensure that the reactive dye molecules are not destroyed without color sticking, whitening, and discoloration.  

Shop our printed linen here