Printing Processes, Trends and Techniques (Secondary Research)

The history of printing (graphic communication by multiplied impressions) goes back a long time, even earlier than 3000 BC (Prepressure, no date). Textile printing can be seen on fabrics dating back to the 4th and 5th Centuries BC. The earliest method of printing is block printing (also known as relief printing) where dye is pressed onto a fabric from a carved material. The materials used for this process have changed over time, wood and copper were the popular choices but now there are many other options including linoleum and rubber (Magic Textiles, 2016). 

"Then in the 18th Century the technique of roller or cylinder printing came about, this is the process by which the fabric is carried along a rotating central cylinder and pressed by a series of rollers, each of which is engraved with the design. Each roller is fed a different colour through feed rollers, and some roller printing machines were even able to print 6 colours at once, making them much faster than the block printing process." (Magic Textiles, 2016)

At the start of the 20th Century screen printing became popular, although it is believed that it existed long before this. Screen printing involves applying a stencil to porous mesh (traditionally made of silk), and then dragging ink over the screen which would be pushed through the silk and onto the fabric. Multiple stencils are used if using different colours within one design (Magic Textiles, 2016). By the middle of the 20th Century the screen printing process became more efficient and economical with rotary multicoloured screen printing. Now digital textile printing is the fastest choice where computer controlled lasers and high pressure jets apply ink directly into the fabric. (Magic Textiles, 2016).

The development of printing processes has focused on increasing speed and efficiency but the "fast" nature of fashion and textiles is unsustainable and unkind to the environment. Hand printed textiles allow for more considerations to be made (non toxic inks/dyes, natural fabrics, etc.).
 

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