C:\Website\Transfer Printing.htm

PO Box 14 • Somerset, MA 02726
orders 1-800-2-BUY-DYE
technical support 508-676-3838
fax 508-676-3980
e-mail • promail@prochemical.com
www.prochemical.com

Transfer Printing on Polyester
using PROsperse Disperse Dyes

Please read directions carefully before starting.

Our PROsperse Disperse dyes have the unique property of being able to be used for Transfer Printing. Mix these dyes into a thickened base and then paint or screen onto paper or mix them with water for watercolor painting. Once dry, transfer the image to polyester or nylon fabric with heat and pressure. No expensive equipment is required, as the heat and pressure can be as simple as a household iron; the paper can be copy paper. The process uses nontoxic materials, so it is safe to use with children. Excess paint is simply washed down the drain with no harmful effects to sewer or septic systems. Test the colors first for transferability to your fabric. For additional information, visit our web site at www.prochemical.com.

Wear rubber gloves, apron or old clothes.

Utensils used for dyeing should never be used for food preparation.

Supplies
PROsperse Disperse Dye (Use dyes marked with * in our catalog for best results. Bright Yellow D118, Clear Orange D225, Flame D350, Bright Red D360, and Blue D459)
PRO Thick F
Metaphos

Procedure
1. Make the Stock Thickener Paste for hand painting and screen printing. Omit this step for water color painting and skip to step 2.

Measure the desired amount of PRO Thick F, from the chart below, into a dry container and set aside. Measure 1 cup (250 ml) of warm 120^oF(49^oC) water in a 1 quart (1 liter) container. While stirring the water rapidly, slowly add the Metaphos and then the pre-measured PRO Thick F. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Stir intermittently until a smooth paste is obtained; this usually takes 45 to 60 minutes. Let stand overnight for smoothest results. Store unused paste in a closed container. Paste can be stored up to six months normally without refrigeration.

	Thin Paste (hand painting)	Thick Paste (screen printing)
PRO Thick F	7½ tsp (20 gm)	7½ Tbl (66 gm)
Water	1 cup (250 ml)	1 cup (250 ml)
Metaphos	1½ tsp (10 gm)	2 Tbl (42 gm)

2. Dissolve the dye. Choose a Pale, Medium, Dark or Black shade and measure the dye powder from the chart below into a one cup Pyrex measure. Dissolve the dye powder with ½ cup (125 ml) of boiling water and stir until thoroughly mixed. Let mixture cool to room temperature and stir well again.

	Pale	Medium	Dark	Black
Dye Powder	½ tsp (1.3 gm)	2 tsp (5 gm)	4 tsp (10 gm)	8 tsp (20 gm)

3. Make the Dye Paint. If you are watercolor painting, add the dissolved dye and water as listed in the chart below. If you are hand painting or screen printing, add the dissolved dye with Thin or Thick Stock Thickener Paste. The dye paint thickness described below is a guideline. Experiment until you get the thickness that works well for you.

	Watercolor painting	Hand painting	Screen printing
Dissolved dye	½ cup (125 ml)	½ cup (125 ml)	½ cup (125 ml)
Stock Thickener Paste	Omit	½ cup (125 ml) Thin Paste	½ cup (125 ml) Thick Paste
Water	½ cup (125 ml)	Omit	Omit

4. Paint or screen images on copy, white butcher or kraft paper and allow it to thoroughly dry. Leftover dye paint may be stored for several weeks in a tightly covered container. Painted paper may be stored in a dry place for several months. Additional colors may be made and applied to the same paper, working wet on wet, or wet on dry. Colors applied over another color blend to make new colors.

5. Transfer the image. Place the paper with the image side down on the polyester fabric and place a press cloth on top of the paper. Set the iron at the top of the polyester range and iron for 1 minute for a pale shade, up to 5 minutes for a dark shade. Carefully peel back only one corner of the paper to see how well the dye is transferring. Continue ironing until you transfer the desired depth of shade. Peel the paper off of the fabric when you have transferred the desired shade.

The image can be used over again, with each successive transfer printing slightly lighter in value than the previous one.

Good things to know

• Substitute Monagum for the PRO Thick F in the Stock Thickener Paste. The Monagum creates more visual texture on the fabric, where the paint strokes show.

Mix Monagum: Measure 1 cup (250 ml) of 95^oF (35^oC) water into a 2 cup (500 ml) or larger measure. Slowly sprinkle 2 Tbl (9 gm) of Monagum into the water; stir vigorously with a wire whisk or an electric beater. Let the mixture stand several hours or overnight until smooth. If there are lumps, strain it through 1 or 2 layers of a clean nylon stocking to remove the lumps. Clearly label and keep unused Monagum paste in a closed container in the refrigerator. Let Monagum paste return to room temperature before use.

• We’ve found all our PROsperse Disperse Dyes transfer to polyester with this process. However, they don’t all produce dark shades and/or need to be heat transferred for a longer time to produce dark colors.