Seminar Unpacks the Science of Color in Digital Textile Printing

At a recent educational session, held during the 2025 PRINTING United Expo in Orlando, textile and print specialists came together to dissect one of the most intricate aspects of digital textile production: how color interacts with fabric.

The panel, moderated by Jeremy Pilcher, Solutions Architect at HP, featured Mike Syverson of Durst, Tim Gallagher of Aberdeen Fabrics, and Alan Stratton of The Bernard Group. Together, they explored how factors including surface texture, light reflectivity, and ink technology influence color perception and consistency across textile applications.

Understanding Color Behavior on Fabric

“Today’s focus isn’t just about machines or inks,” Pilcher told attendees. “It’s about understanding how color interacts with the textile itself.”

Unlike rigid substrates such as vinyl or paper, fabric is inherently dynamic. It stretches, absorbs, reflects, and changes under light, making accurate color reproduction a moving target. Even with consistent print settings, wide-format producers find even small differences in fabric construction or orientation can produce noticeably different results.

Through both science and experience, the panel sought to explain why.

Backgrounds in Print and Fabric

Syverson, who manages textile operations for Durst across North America, brought two decades of perspective. “I’ve been in textiles for about 20 years, starting with grand-format dye-sublimation in the early 2000s,” he said. “At Durst, we work across display graphics and industrial applications.”

Gallagher, owner of Aberdeen Fabrics, added a manufacturing viewpoint. “I’ve been in textiles for 35 years,” he said. “We make industrial and print media fabrics. Everything is knitted in the U.S., down near Pinehurst, North Carolina.”

Stratton, Color Manager at The Bernard Group, said his textile production team focuses on getting consistent results from complex systems. “My job is to achieve accurate, repeatable color and qualify new materials,” he said.

Knits vs. Wovens: How Structure Shapes Color

The discussion began with the most fundamental distinction: knit versus woven fabrics.

Knits dominate soft-signage and display graphics because they stretch easily, allowing them to fit into tension frames and SEG (silicone edge graphic) systems. Wovens, by contrast, deliver sharper detail but less flexibility.

“When you look at knits, there are two basic constructions—satin and reverse-satin,” Gallagher explained. “A satin knit has a smooth, shiny surface on one side and a ‘railroad track’ texture on the back. The satin side gives you color pop because it’s smoother, like paper. But rotate the fabric 90 degrees, and the light hits differently, so colors can shift.”

Pilcher demonstrated two panels printed in opposite orientations. The difference was immediately visible.

“If you reprint one of eight panels and the orientation changes, you’ll see the mismatch,” he said. “It’s not a color management issue—it’s physics.”

Stratton confirmed that the effect shows up even when instrument readings say otherwise.

“We learned that the hard way,” he said. “The spectrophotometer said they matched, but visually one panel looked darker. Now, every campaign we print keeps the same orientation. Consistency is everything.”

Surface vs. Sublimation Printing

The conversation turned to how surface printing (UV or latex) and sublimation printing differ.

Surface-printed inks sit on top of the fabric, creating a matte, uniform finish. In dye-sublimation, ink turns to gas and bonds within the polyester fibers, producing soft, vibrant color but higher sensitivity to surface texture.

“With UV, the rotational difference isn’t as drastic as with dye-sub,” Syverson said. “You’ll see more of a shift based on viewing angle—lighter or darker depending on light. With dye-sub, because the ink becomes part of the fiber, reflectivity really drives color perception.”

Pilcher compared two identical images—one dye-sublimated, one printed with latex inks. The dye-sub version appeared richer, the latex more consistent.

“Each technology has trade-offs,” Pilcher said, illustrating the choice between the technologies. “Dye-sub gives unmatched vibrancy, but surface prints offer predictability under changing light.”

Woven for Precision, Knit for Flexibility

Gallagher noted that woven fabrics generally produce sharper, more saturated color.

“Woven fabrics have flatter surfaces—fewer peaks and valleys—so you get cleaner images and better color pop,” he said. “Knits are for flexibility. If you’re doing SEG frames, you need the stretch. But for close-view displays, like cosmetics, a woven is better.”

Pilcher offered the following advice: “In production, you’re always trading stretch, color depth, or sheen. The key is knowing what matters most for the application.”

Backers and White Points: Hidden Variables

The panel also discussed how black-back and gray-back coatings, used to block light transmission, influence perceived whiteness.

“Once you add a black yarn or coating, you shift the white point—it looks a little grayer,” Gallagher said. “Some manufacturers use gray backs to balance it, but heat during processing can still yellow the polyester. Every time it runs through the oven, you lose some blue brightness.”

The comment underscored how processing chemistry and temperature changes can subtly alter fabric color before printing even begins.

Transfer vs. Direct Dye-Sublimation

Finally, the group compared paper transfer and direct-to-fabric dye-sublimation.

In transfer printing, images are printed onto paper and then heat-pressed onto fabric, producing crisp surface detail. Direct printing jets ink directly onto the textile, allowing deeper ink penetration.

“We mostly use transfer because it gives sharper images,” Stratton said. “We only go direct for backlit graphics, where we want light to pass through more color.”

Syverson added, “You’ll see more directionality with transfer because the ink sits right on top [of the fabric]. When you calendar the fabric, that smooth satin surface accentuates the effect. Direct printing tends to mask it a bit.”

Every Print Tells a Different Story

As the session wrapped up, Pilcher reflected on what makes textile printing both challenging and rewarding.

“There’s no single ‘perfect’ print,” he said. “There’s only the right print for the right purpose. Whether it’s dye-sub, latex, or UV, on a knit or a woven fabric, each combination tells its own story. The goal is to understand those nuances and use them to your advantage.”

The conversation underscored how digital textile printing blends art, science, and engineering—where every choice, from yarn construction to ink chemistry, affects color in a color-critical industry.