| abstract |
The present invention relates to a system and method for ink-jet printing. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a system and method useful for ink-jet printing onto textiles. Even more specifically, the present invention is directed to ink-jet printing onto textiles using spot color, process color and hybrid color printing modes. The present invention uses normal textile dyes, purifies these dyes, and then formulates the dyes into stock solutions which, when combined with specific additives, are capable of being used in an ink-jet printing process. The purified stock solutions are shipped in specially designed containers to a color kitchen wherein software is used to analyze the pattern of the textile to be printed and determines which stock solutions and combinations of stock solutions and additives will be needed to reproduce the desired pattern. Next, the selected stock solutions and additives are dispensed into specially designed containers that are capable of being used directly in a standard ink-jet printing system. Next, depending on the pattern to be printed, the number of colors required, and the number of colors available that can be printed by the ink-jet printing system, software is used to ink-jet print the inks onto a textile in the preselected pattern. The printing is accomplished using a spot color, process color or hybrid color printing mode. |