Selectasine binders are well established and highly proven for screen printing on fabric, paper, cardboard, wood and other surfaces.
The printing system is simple, economic and flexible in use. When combined with the Selectasine pigments, the Selectasine binders produce a soft finish with outstanding fastness. Although designed for screen printing, Selectasine can also be brushed, sprayed and blocked.
The Selectasine binders include an acrylic-based, standard binder (SF20) for general printing onto light fabrics and 5 special effect binders, each fulfilling a specific function. These binders can be intermixed to create variations on the results.
The binders are combined with concentrated pigment colours to create the screen printing ink. The Selectasine ECO pigments are supplied in a liquid state as “pigment in dispersion” (i.e. the pigment is still a solid, though minute, and has not been dissolved into the liquid).
Method for Mixing the Ink
- Estimate the amount of binder you require. 1kg of Selectasine binder SF20 will completely cover approximately 2.8m/30 sq.ft. of print area, but some fabrics are more absorbent than others.
- Stir or shake your chosen pigment well before measuring the desired quantity. The colours are highly concentrated and should be used at a rate of up to 50g per 1kg of binder. In practice, an average of 35g will give full shade (Luminous colours should be used at a rate of 80-120g per kg and Metallic Powders at a rate of 100-150g per kg).
- Carefully add the pigment to give the strength of colour required. Do not overload the Binder with colour as surplus will be left on the surface of the material (when printing on fabric) and come out and discolour the water in the first washing.
- FOR FABRIC: When the ink is dry (allow at least 24 hours), the print will need fixing by the application of heat. Heat speeds up and completes a chemical “cross-linking†reaction. Generally, fixing can be completed with an iron at 165°C (330°F) for 4-5 minutes on the reverse of the print. In some cases, the temperature can be increased, thus proportionally reducing the time, but consideration must be given to the nature of the fabric and the amount of pigment used. A thorough ironing, on the reverse of the print, should achieve reasonable fixing.
- SCREENS SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY CLEANED AFTER USE. Clean out all the ink debris using a nail brush with a little washing up liquid and plenty of water. If screens are stored with Binder still left in the mesh, they will become permanently blocked.
- Most fabrics are readily printable, but some may have received special treatment which make them unsuitable. It is recommended that a sample is printed and tested for fastness before the whole batch is printed. Check whether the fabric is Prepared for Dyeing (PFD) or requires scouring to remove any grease, oil or starch. Run a few droplets of cold water onto the fabric. If they soak in quickly, no scour is necessary. To remove starches, size and oils, add 5ml of Synthrapol (a non-ionic detergent) along with 2-3 litres of water for each 100g of material. Stir gently over a 15 minute period, and then rinse thoroughly in warm water. It is possible to use household detergent, but the alkaline residue may affect the final colour or wash fastness.
Painting or Spraying the Ink
The Selectasine binders can be watered down for painting and spraying. This substantially reduces the fixing properties, and therefore wash fastness. If wash fastness is essential, we recommend you test and keep records of results.
If you would like to know more, please visit the Screen Printing section of the website to view the range of Screen Printing Inks and Equipment.
