Printing on ribbon involves either one or two-sided printing. For wash care labels, this usually depends on how much information needs to be printed on the label . When considering the best method for printing your labels, a combination of understanding the available printing processes and expert information from a printing professional can go a long way to helping you make an informed choice.
The Flexographic Printing Process
Flexographic printing is a high-speed process which can be used for printing on several types of materials. There are three types of flexographic printing: central impression, in-line and stacked. Where the printing of textile ribbon is concerned, the central impression drum press is used in order to maintain good tension control and print registration.
For care labels, this type of press uses water-based or solvent-based inks that dry via absorption and evaporation. The ribbon is fed into the press, where it is then pulled through the machine. Around the central impression drum itself, there is a series of print stations, each printing a single colour.
The intensity of colour transferred to the ribbon depends on how the inks are deposited onto the textile ribbon. The anilox roll is responsible for the volume of ink transfer. The ceramic-coated surface of the anilox roll is engraved with thousands of small cells which hold ink. The cells can be engraved to varying depths, diameters and profiles, in order to deposit the required volume of ink, and give the desired colour strength.