Fundamentals of Textile Design 3(2+1)

Lesson 30: Printing Methods Contd...

Discharge Prints

Discharge prints have a dark background (such as black, navy or maroon), with widely spaced motifs, rich, vibrant and expensive look. It is similar to roller printing except that the chemical replaces the dye paste on the roller. This printing is done on a dark dyed background. The colour is removed from the background after printing with the chemical, thus leaving a white background. This is called white discharge printing. Contrary to this there is also a coloured discharge method in which a colour is added to the chemical which when printed on the fabric removes the background colour and simultaneously adds the colour in the discharged areas. Motifs may range from simple polka dots to very intricate patterns. After printing, the fabric is subsequently steamed at 214 - 2150 F to help in removal of background colour. It is a costlier process as the fabric needs to be dyed first and then the colour is removed. It also requires careful monitoring to avoid the problem of improper discharge and damage to the fabric. The identification of discharge prints can be done by observing the back of the fabric for small specks of background color under the design motif.