Printing on Fabric – Washing & Fading Considerations

Printing on fabric at home.  How washable is it?  How to make the ink stick so you can wash your print at home fabric.

We looked before about how to print on fabric and I carried out a review of 4 different methods.

  1. Freezer paper sheets
  2. Freezer paper on a roll
  3. Ready-made printable fabric sheets
  4. Fusible web such as Heat N Bond

How to print on fabric at home. 4 different methods and products tested and reviewed.

Check out the earlier article for the review and information on all of the different ways I tried to stiffen the fabric for printing.

What settings to use on your printer

I tried various different settings on my printer to see if photo or standard printing gave best results.  You may see some tutorials that suggest you use photo print settings, but actually I found that this added too much ink to the fabric, made it too wet and the colors ran and bled into each other a little, making the end result less sharp.

Print-settings

The recommendation on the ready-made print sheets I used from June Tailor (Amazon US here and UK here) recommended ‘standard' high quality print settings and indeed that is what I found to work best across all the methods.

My suggestions:

  • Print in color for a color design or switch settings to black and white settings for black only printing
  • Go with your ‘standard' printer paper settings and set it to print on regular paper, not photo paper
  • Go with high quality rather than draft or fast print settings
  • Use a good quality ink, ideally manufacturer cartridges rather than knock-off refills for best color
  • Be prepared to test and see what settings work best for you – every printer is different!

Will the print fade if you wash it?

Ah, the big elephant in the room we've not talked about until now.  Just how washable will your home-printed fabric be?  Well, that depends on your ink.  There are apparently two sorts of ink – pigment and dye based inks.  If you need your project to be washable then you'll need a pigment based ink, or you'll need to use those pre-treated fabric sheets to make it stick.

Many cheap compatible cartridges will usually use dye based inks, so always use a genuine cartridge from the printer manufacturer for printing on fabric.  But even then there is no guarantee!

print cartridgesphoto credit: Dell Color Laser Network Printer 1320cn via photopin (license)

 

Pigment inks are water resistant, so they will not wash away from your fabric. A small amount will rinse away on the first wash, but there should only be slight fading.  Pigment based inks are also usually UV resistant so the printing won't fade in the sun.

Dye inks are not water resistant on their own, and the ink WILL wash out and MAY also fade over time in the sunlight.  However you can use the pre-treated colorfast fabric sheets to reduce this.  Follow the instructions on these sheets carefully to get the best results.

There are also other products on the market to pre-treat your fabric and make the dye based ink stick – try Bubble Jet Set  (Amazon US  or Amazon UK).  Anyone used this before to treat your fabric prior to printing?

You can't necessarily tell which your printer or cartridge is using.  I am using genuine Canon printer inks so I thought, those are good quality, I should be OK. But no.  The black seems fine, but the color cartridge must be dye inks because a quick rinse under the cold tap took off most of the ink right away.  Strange!

Here is a really good article about inks and printers for fabric.

My colorfast testing results

Here are my three results.  In each case, I followed any instructions given.  I allowed the ink to dry for 10 minutes, then I ironed each piece for 2 minutes to ‘set' the ink.  Then I left it to cool, cut each piece from the sheet, removed the backing paper and sewed it onto my sample.

This is what the sample looks like before.  You can already see some differences in the results of the printing.  The center one is certainly superior to the others at this stage.

How to print on fabric at home. 4 different methods and products tested and reviewed.

The first one was printed using freezer paper on white cotton fabric.  The center one was printed on the June Tailor pre-treated sheets and the third one used the same fabric as the first one, but was fused to the tester using the Heat N Bond backing and not sewed.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

So now here they are after washing in cold water.  Quite a remarkable difference.  See how my black ink sticks quite well, but the colored inks washed almost completely away.  Apart from the pre-treated fabric sheets, where the ink stayed looking as good as new!  So it looks like the investment in the pre-treated sheets is well worth the money.

Here's the links again – now you've seen the results, you'll probably be converted like I was !
(Amazon US here and UK here)  You can buy bigger packs too of course, and I'll do that now I've seen how good these are. Look out for some project ideas coming soon for print-at-home fabrics 🙂

Just to make sure that wasn't a fluke – I printed a full size image using the freezer paper sheets, took a before photo, washed it and took an after photo.  Yup – that's all the colored ink washed out but the black ink remains.  You may get different results of course, so do test your printing to see if its waterproof before sewing up a project.

PicMonkey Collage

Upcoming projects

So now we've covered lots of info about how to print on fabric with your home printer and get the best possible results, and whether or not you can wash your printed fabric.

I hope I've given you all the information you need to get started.  I'd love to see some examples of your own projects.  Made a memory quilt?  Or another project with photos on fabric perhaps?  Please do share them with us all in the Sewing Chat Group and let us know your tips and tricks for printing on fabric.

Coming up next – you've seen some examples above and in the earlier article for the Handmade For You Labels.  Next I'll be providing those for you to use and showing how you can use them in your sewing projects.


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Cathyrn Russell
Cathyrn Russell

The date these were listed would be helpful since there are constantly new products on the market. If these posts are 3-5 years old, there are probably newer/better products out. Please show the date (at least the year) these notes were submitted. Thank you.

Sese
Sese

Do you print on the freezer paper?

LUCIA ANNA PYLE
LUCIA ANNA PYLE

I am just wondering if you washed the fabric before printing on it?

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member

yes, you should.

Katie
Katie

This is great! I want to print some fun designs to make unique face masks for my kids this fall… I see that the Bubble Jet Set and Rinse has some formaldehyde in it… not sure I want my kids’ faces in that all day. Is there a cleaner option for setting the ink?

Kerry Davidson
Kerry Davidson
Reply to  Katie

Yes, I somewhere read you can use just water with a little fabric softener to rinse. That’s what I’ve done. I did one quilt some time back with lots of photos and washed it before I gave it to the birthday boy, and the colours stayed just fine. I’m quite happy with the Bubble Jet Set, as the ready made sheets are very expensive. You should use “prepared for dye” fabric, which just means all the chemicals or whatever have been washed out.

Dee Sydnor
Dee Sydnor

I have a different question, and when I Googled it, I was brought to your website. If I’m printing onto printable interfacing or fabric for foundation pieced quilting and WANT the ink to wash out afterwards, are there any options for ink cartridges?

Janine Burton
Janine Burton

If all I want to do to print on fabric using freezer paper and my laser printer is get a design pattern on fabric to hand embroider, will my laser printer be adequate? I don’t plan to wash my finished embroidery picture.

Shery Sullivan
Shery Sullivan

I remember using vinegar in cold water to set my labels. Just wonder if anyone heard of this.

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Shery Sullivan

I have used it and work very well. Thanks for the reminder.

Yvonne Larson
Reply to  Mayra Cecilia

When you said ‘printing’ I thought you meant with a stamp! Silly me! But do you have any experience or tips for using a rubber stamp to print? In the 1700s fabric was printed with a block and the sometimes the spaces were painted in with color.

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Yvonne Larson

I am working on a piece and video will publish as soon as I can. I will be using a Speedball carving block 6″ X 12″ size I think you will enjoy the project.

Terry McFeely
Terry McFeely
Reply to  Mayra Cecilia

The best fabric treatment for stamping AND printing is Terial Magic!

Spray Terial Magic onto fabric until it is completely wet-not dripping, dry to damp and finish drying with iron. Your fabric is now like a sheet of paper; cut to printer size and run through printer (just like paper). Heat set with hot iron, directly on printing. As long as your printer uses permanent inks it is color fast!

Terial Magic treated fabric also makes fabric the perfect medium for stamping and painting~stops excess bleeding of inks and the ink goes on much more evenly.

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Terry McFeely

Hi terry, thanks for the tip, where would you be able to find such product?

Terry McFeely
Terry McFeely
Reply to  Mayra Cecilia

terialmagic.com sells it on their website, Bernina and Janome machine shops normally carry it and many shops on Amazon too.
Thanks for asking!

Kerry Davidson
Kerry Davidson

I also used the Bubble Jet Set to do a memory quilt and many flags for my daughter’s 40th (which will also be made into a quilt). I did wash the quilt before I gave it to my friend and it was all good, however I only used probably cold water and the photos still looked great. My only problem now is that I can’t get the Bubble Jet Set here in Australia, although I haven’t tried Amazon yet which I will do. Thanks for your great articles.

Jane Hartsock
Jane Hartsock

I’m having trouble removing the backing paper from the ready made sheets. Some pulls off but most stay in the center. Any suggestions?

Diane
Diane

Hi I printed on ready made sheets, it was dark grey and the image was put onto a cushion about 4mts ago it does not get sun it has not been washed and it is now brown, anyone know why???
Thanks Diane

nancy
nancy

This is my dilemma . I found someone with a printer that uses pigment dyed ink and the photo was printed on Printed Treasures photo fabric. All is done and the photo looks great. QUESTION: I was going to heat set the ink but the back of the photo has a coating on it and if I heat it the coating melts. Am I not suppose to heat set the fabric photo paper? I can’t go any further with my quilt until I know the answer to this. Help, please

Sylvia Bryan
Sylvia Bryan
Reply to  nancy

I use Printed Treasures also. I’ve learned to wait 10 min or more after it has been printed, then cut to my desired size. Then I peel off the paper backing, much easier to do it before it gets wet. The directions say to swish in water – think room temp – for 2 min – I time this precisely – can tell a little of the extra color comes out, sometimes none at all. Then I let it air dry and press from there. I have also started stitching a 1″ strip of some coordinating fabric to all 4 sides of my label and turn edges under before hand sewing down. I do use a fusible piece cut to within 1/8″ or so from all edges, enough left that can stitch down without stitching through fusible. This eliminates hand stitching the heavy printer fabric by hand – plus adds to the label itself. My experience is mostly with doing quilt labels.

kelly
kelly
Reply to  nancy

I always let my printed treasures photo fabric air dry with the paper on and then go over the front of the fabric with a hot dry iron, (it makes it easier to get the paper off) after i remove the paper i lay it down on the front of my photo(with the same side facing the fabric as it was on the backside)and then i run a hot iron over the paper, I havent had any problems with the paper melting, in fact i hold on to the leftover backing paper and use it over and over again on other photos( i have an HP deskjet, and this seams to help set the ink better) also one thing i do that no one ever mentions is i edit the heck out of my photos first. I use windows phot viewer program that comes preloaded on most windows computers. I increase the color saturation, increase the contrast and the brightness, and sharpen my photo a bit. It will look a little harsh on your computer screen , but will look much better on the fabric. This is an example of a photo i printed on the printed treasures fabric yesterday

Rebecca Edwards
Rebecca Edwards

i am using a pigment based ink printer, and i followed every step but when i wash mine in cold all the color ink disappears completely. When i tried just a black and white it faded horribly to be not usable. I have ironed my fabric on to the precut quilters freezer paper sheets, printed, let dry for an hour, ironed it, let it cool and it does this but it does it as well when i tried it with bubblejet rinse. any suggestions

Terry McFeely
Terry McFeely

Has anyone tried heat setting printed fabric with iron? I do and get better results than using Bubble Jet Set.

ukuchic

What printer did you use?

Deby at So Sew Easy
Active Member
Reply to  ukuchic

I have an old Canon Multifunction machine, about 8 years old now. But any color printer should work. The ink and settings are most important, so if you can print photos from it, then it should be great for fabric printing.

Cindy
Cindy

Excellent information! Thanks for doing the research and sharing!

cherie
cherie

hi deby, check the numerous printable fabrics these guys do, and although they are uk based do ship internationally too http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/category/Print-On-Fabrics

Crickett
Crickett

I made a huge memory quilt for a retiring teacher, with printed photos of as many of her former students as I could get, and printed sayings. There were so many photos to print that I went the cheaper route, and prepared all the fabric myself, using a roll of freezer paper, and a bottle of Bubble Jet Set. It all looked great! Until I washed the entire quilt…in hot water. I don’t know if it was the batik running (yes I pre-washed), or just the hot water, but everything faded. It still looked good, just not as sharp as I wanted. http://bit.ly/1JMGRZy for some pics of the quilt.

Deby at So Sew Easy
Active Member
Reply to  Crickett

That is one amazing quilt and no doubt something that teacher would treasure for ever. Thanks for sharing the story and the pictures.

Karen J
Karen J
Reply to  Crickett

Deby, thank you for all your work. Another great post.
Crickett, that quilt is amazing. Obviously a labor of love.

aschemidtAmy in TX

Great post! Thanks for taking the time to investigate so thoroughly.

Helen Hale
Helen Hale

I’m in the process of making a memory quilt with photos that I printed to fabric using freezer paper backing and then heat set. Do you think my colors will fade if the quilt is dry cleaned?

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Helen Hale

As long as you use a very good quality pigment based ink it should be ok for a few years, but how long is hard to say. If this is going to be a memory quilt I would suggest to test the pigment ink cartridge you have and to research a few fixative that are compatible with the brand you are using. Dylon company sells a few good ones.