# Print with velvet feel



## Reinhard (Dec 30, 2008)

Does anyone know how to get that velvet feel effect on a print where you can actually see the little fibers that stand up?

I've seen something called flock that is glued to the shirt using a heat press, but I'm not sure if that is the only method. Some of the t-shirts that I've seen out there have really good allignment of the 'flock' to the rest of the design which would be hard to do if you're not printing it. So is there an additive out there that does this. I've tried suede additive and know that it isn't what I'm looking for.

Thanks!


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## Madrod (Jun 27, 2007)

What is Flocking? 
Flocking is a process where short fibers of rayon or nylon material is embedded in an adhesive that has been screen printed on a garment. The funny thing is that while flocking lost popularity on garments, it is still widely used as a method of covering material with a lush feel (including items like carpets, the glove-box of your car, wallpaper, etc.). The fibers are embedded using an electrostatic process that drives the fibers vertically into the adhesive - giving the image a smooth velvet look and feel. 
* Electrostatic Flocking * 
Electrostatic flocking works on the law of physics that states - two bodies of opposite electrical charge attract each other and create an electrical field as a result. 
The flock fibers take on the charge at one pole and are driven at high velocity into the adhesive coating that is at the other pole. Because of the dipole characteristics of flock fibers, they align themselves with the field of force and are driven into the adhesive vertically. 
For direct flocking on garments, this electrical force field is created with two electrodes. One is connected to a high voltage direct current source and the other is grounded and connected to a metal plate behind the garment. The electrode is contained in a basked that holds cut flock fibers. When the electrode in the basket is charged, the resulting force field causes the flock particles to move back and forth between the garment and the electrode. When a flock particle comes in contact with adhesive that has been screen printed on the garment it embeddes itself in a vertical position. 
After the entire design are has been flocked, the adhesive is dried and excel flock cleaned off. 
* Flock Material * 
Flock material is available in a wide variety of natural and synthetic fibers including cotton, rayon (also called viscose), polyester and polyamide (nylon and perlon). The flock fibers are sold in cut or milled types. Cut fibers are used more often on garments. They are made in various lengths from .3mm to 5.00mm. The most popular length for garments is 1mm. Nylon is tougher, straighter and more color fast. It is also more expensive. Rayon is softer, lower priced and not as wash-fast. 
In flocking, a fiber must be an electrical conductor. Since all the fibers listed are electrical non-conductors the fibers are treated after they are cut in a process similar to dying - that makes them electrical conductors. 
Flock fibers are sold by the pound and range in price from $12.00 per pound in small 1 pound quantities to less than $7.00 per pound in 100 pound quantities. Flock fibers are available in a wide range of colors. 
* Adhesive * 
One of the most popular adhesives is a regular plastisol. It is only popular though because it is easy to sue. Since plastisols are not dry cleanable and aren't really an adhesive, items flocked with it may not hold up or wear as well as with a regular flock adhesive. 
Standard flock adhesives are made of water soluble dispersion glue that is available as a heat set or air dry version. The head set adhesive and plastisol adhesives will need to be run through a conventional dryer to achieve a full cure. 
Flock adhesives are available in a one or two part system in either clear or opaque white. There are also two part plastisols designed as a flock adhesive. 
* Screen Requirements * 
A thick deposit of adhesive is important to better washability and wear. The adhesive should be printed through a coarse mesh such as 60 (24cm) to 86 (34cm) monofilament. If the adhesive is water-based you will need to use water-resistant emulsion. 
* Artwork Requirements * 
Since flock adhesive is printed through coarse mesh, keep images bold and open. Small letters and fine detail may close up and be lost on a flocked image. 
* Flocking Equipment * 
This is where is can get expensive. Electrostatic flocking systems consist of a power supply connected to either a flock box, flock dispenser or hand-held basket. The power supplies generate from 40,000 to 90,000 volts of direct current. This sounds high but it really within a safe range if used correctly because less than one amp is produced! 
* Manual Hand-Held Equipment * 
If you just want to see how this process works before jumping in, then purchase an inexpensive hand-held unit. These units consist of the power supply and a hand-held basket that holds the flock and the electrode. They can be purchased for less than $1,000 USD and come with a variety of basket sizes. 
Flock is messy!! You have to find a way to keep the flock particles from flying around your shop. Although you can use the hand-held unit right on your printing press by simply using a metal shirtboard (or one that is covered with tin-foil), and grounding it to the power supply, you will find that flock is everywhere! 
The better choice is to print the adhesive on the garment at the press first, and then remove the garment and lay it in a box (with a metal plate that is grounded to the power supply). The box helps contain the flock particles. Of course you can also buy a complete self-contained flocking box or flock station. 
* Automatic Equipment * 
These units are pretty self contained and can be positioned over a printing station for either a manual or automatic printing press. The flock is "fed" to the shirt with the aid of a brush and the electrostatic charge. This helps control the amount of excess flock that has to be cleaned off the garment later. 
* The Environment * 
Flocking works best when the relative humidity in the flocking room is maintained between 50 and 65% with a room temperature of 20 degrees C or 70 degrees F. 
* The Room * 
Since the flock will tend to get over everything, it should be done in a separate room (if possible) or vent hoods placed over the flocking stations. 
* How To Do It * 
Flocking is quite simple. It is not much different than printing a garment, other than the fact it is much slower and messier. 
* Printing the Adhesive * 
Since you need a good deposit of adhesive, just print as you would for heavy coverage on a dark shirt. Use low mesh counts like 60 (24cm) to 86 (34cm). It might require multiple strokes, tight screens and a medium-hard squeegee. 
* Flocking the Garment * 
It is recommended that you wear a paper mask to keep from inhaling loose particles. You should fill the flock basket about 70% full of flock fibers. Print the adhesive first and then remove the garment from the shirtboard (unless you are flocking directly on the printer) and lay the garment into the flocking box (with metal plate behind it). Turn the power to the hand-held flocking unit on (a switch on the handle) and hold the unit from 4" to 6" away from the garment. 
Move the gun around as the flock starts to fly onto the garment. You will even hear a fluttering sound as the flock creates a little "wind" from the movement. It might take 10 to 30 seconds to flock an entire large print. 
* Drying * 
The garment is now ready for drying. You could shake off the excess flock into the box (this can be re-used) at this point but let's not worry about it. We need to get the adhesive dry so the flock with adhere better before we worry about getting all the loose particle removed. Run the garment through a dryer. If using a water-based adhesive, a slow belt and long tunnel time may be necessary. 
* Cleaning * 
This is the "fun" part. After the garment comes out of the dryer, you can shake off the excess, or better yet, vacuum it off. The best way is to use special flock cleaning units that are like a mini-wind tunnel. You simply let the unit suck the garment into it (hold on tight!) and the air-flow beats the shirt and draws off the excess flock. The excess is collected in a back for re-use. 
* Multi-color Direct Flocking * 
This is pretty simple once you get the idea. For a multi-color print, simply create the "adhesive" screen as a solid underbase of the entire design. Next, use the solid color separations of each color to expose very low mesh count screens like 45 (18cm) to 60 (24cm). 
Next, print the adhesive on the shirt. Lineup each colored screen just like you would for a multicolor job. The only difference is that you are going to flock through the individual screens with the proper flock color. Remember, each shirtboard will need to be metal or covered with metal. 
Set your off-contact distance high so you don't leave a "mesh mark" in the flocked image. 
* Flock Heat Transfers * 
A much cleaner and easier method of flocking is to make flock heat transfers. These transfers consist of a "pre-flocked" transfer release paper that is then printed with an adhesive backing. When applied to a garment, the adhesive pulls the flock off the paper in the shape of the image. Simple! 
Flock paper is available in a wide variety of colors and each manufacturer offers their own special adhesive. The only real difference with the adhesive is that you need to also apply powdered adhesive to the back of the screened adhesive in order to have better adhesion to the garment. 
A quick tutorial on flock transfers: 


Screen print the adhesive of the image (mirror image) on the back of the flock paper.
Run the paper through the powdered adhesive. Some manufacturers make an automated machine to apply the powder.
Run the paper through the dryer to partially dry the adhesive (but not melt the adhesive).
Brush or shake off the excess adhesive.
Run the paper through the dryer again at the recommended time (slow and long), to finish drying the adhesive and melt the powder.
Apply the transfer to the garment! Just follow the directs that come with your flocked paper kit.
 *Multi-Color Flock Transfers * 
Another variation on the flock transfer is to print a multi-color image on white flock paper, using water-based ink. Back the entire image with adhesive and power. The water-based ink will color the white fibers and it will look like multi-color flock. Cool! 
That's it. A quick primer on doing flocking. Remember. It is messy and very few people know much about it. With today's market wanting a shirt print with a "feel" to it, this could be the "next" big craze! Retro!! 





from U.S. Screenprint


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## Reinhard (Dec 30, 2008)

Wow Madrod. Thanks! You're like a walking encyclopedia. I really appreciate the information.


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## JUMAMDOE (Jul 9, 2008)

Madrod said:


> What is Flocking?
> Flocking is a process where short fibers of rayon or nylon material is embedded in an adhesive that has been screen printed on a garment. The funny thing is that while flocking lost popularity on garments, it is still widely used as a method of covering material with a lush feel (including items like carpets, the glove-box of your car, wallpaper, etc.). The fibers are embedded using an electrostatic process that drives the fibers vertically into the adhesive - giving the image a smooth velvet look and feel.
> *Electrostatic Flocking *
> Electrostatic flocking works on the law of physics that states - two bodies of opposite electrical charge attract each other and create an electrical field as a result.
> ...


 Thank you for the information, but just why must I use the metal plates if I flock on the machine? What will happen if I flock using the rubber plates?


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## Madrod (Jun 27, 2007)

the metal plate keeps all the flock standing up kind of like when you rub a baloon on your head your hair will stick up (well not my hair lol).


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## Teeser (May 14, 2008)

Think magnetic field. Two magnets will pull towards one another and stick together. The charged metal plate will pull the charged flock towards it and line it up. Flock and flocking - understanding the process

Wouldn't rubber be the worst thing to use? For example how you're safe in a car from lightening and downed wires because of the rubber tires? Rubber is an insulator so it probably won't build up a charge if you have the electrode attached.


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## jimlambert (Jul 10, 2009)

Does anyone know what the wash fastness is for flocked tees? Is there an industry standard??


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## welsy (Jan 31, 2009)

Does anyone have a good source for the heat transfer sheets ready to go?? I have a cutter & am looking for sheets, diff colors if possible?


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## Tfaces (Apr 14, 2011)

is there any automatic machine that can be used in order to do the printing with the velvet feel ? where i only feed the picture and it does the automatic print ?

Thanks a lot,
K.


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## Tfaces (Apr 14, 2011)

is there any automatic machine that can be used in order to do the printing with the velvet feel ? where i only feed the picture and it does the automatic print ?

Thanks a lot,
K.


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## StampedTees (Jun 15, 2011)

Would this suede effect fit the bill ?

http://www.silkscreeningsupplies.com/product/IC222LFP


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## ScreenFoo (Aug 9, 2011)

Suede additive is like a really really aggressive flatting agent with fibers instead of grains--it doesn't feel quite like flock, although it is closer than flat ink.

Tfaces: I have a friend who used to work at a place in town that did proprietary flock transfers--they bought (mostly) MHM machines, and had their own CNC setup for modifying them. You do not "feed the picture" and get an "automatic print", however, they are modified screen printing autos with all the standard headaches, and then some. 

HTH


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