Properly curing a garment is necessary to ensure the longevity and quality of the printed image.
The importance of curing cannot be overstated, as it's one of the most common causes of prints with poor durability. Since the Ri 4000 requires no pretreatment, we can rule that out, so issues with curing can typically arise when not heat pressing for the correct amount of time at the right temperature. In this guide, we will share our recommendations on how to best cure your garments.
Pre-pressing
Pre-pressing isn't usually necessary for 100% polyester garments however it is very important for cotton and most blends.
To make sure that there are no wrinkles or stray fibers that will affect the final product, we will typically heat press the garment before printing on it. For the best results, spray a liberal amount of water on the printing area, cover it with heat press paper, and then press at around 280°F for 30 seconds, or until near dry. Then load the garment on the platen and begin your print.
If after printing you notice small pinholes in pure white areas or areas of color, then you may need to apply more water prior to pressing. This could also be a result of not enough ink or enhancer in the RIP settings-- please refer to our downloads section for preferred settings for your specific garment.
Drying
After the print has finished, allowing the ink some time to dry before pressing can help prevent smearing or other distortions. To do this quickly, you can hover the heat press just above the image before covering it for around 30 seconds at 280°F.
Pressing
After the ink has had time to dry, you're ready for the final press. Cover the image with a sheet of heat press paper, and completely press the garment for two minutes at 280°F.