Dye Migration: The Answer to "Why did my white print turn pink?"

  “Wow! I ordered a red shirt with a cool white ink design on it and when I received it, the ink was pink! What the heck happened to my shirt I paid good money for?” 

Dye Migration is what happened to his shirt.

Dye migration occurs when the dye from the polyester fibers gets released and bleeds into the ink applied for decoration. This happens when the garment is 100% polyester, and after the ink goes through the curing process (heat)  it can change the color of the ink. Essentially the dye in the polyester is getting sublimated by the heat. The sublimated dye stains the ink.

Cotton garments typically do not experience dye migration as the dye will absorb into the cotton fibers. Even a 50/50 cotton/polyester blend will not migrate unlike 100% polyester tends to do. Red, dark green, and maroon are the main colors that must be treated with caution during the decoration process.

This is not to say these colors can’t be decorated; we know millions of polyester garments are decorated successfully every day. When decorating high polyester content, the decorator needs to use a low curing ink so as not to exceed the temperature that allows the dye to migrate. Using an underlay as a blocker will also help insure the color stays true.

The consumer can actually cause dye migration too: by drying too long at a high heat after a wash. Take extra care of decorated polyester garments during the wash/dry cycle.

Now that we know what causes dye migration, we can prevent this from happening with the knowledge that heat is the #1 enemy. Taking extra care of a decorated polyester garment will extend its longevity and help keep the colors vibrant and true.

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