Silkworm silk, has been processed into a variety of new material formats including, hydrogels, ultrathin films, thick films, conformal coatings, 3D porous or solid matrices, fibers and many related material formats. Silk is processed in an all water-based, room temperature, neutral pH environment, is mechanically stable, edible, and biocompatible. Given the favorable material properties, the use of silk-based inks have been used in a variety of controlled chemical and biological material fabrication on the micro- and nano-scale. Tuning of the properties of silk-based inks has led to the utilization of more diverse printing techniques and has expanded the scale and function of the printed substrates.

In general, the present invention has to do with a UV reference indicator calibrated to represent the color or shade of a UV reactive dye after a predetermined exposure time to a UV radiation source.

A nonwoven recyclable fabric and associated methods are provided. The fabric is formed from 100% polyester, and may also include surface coatings such as hydrophilic coatings to promote heat transfer as well moisture vapor transmission rates and/or a silicone coating to promote fabric smoothness and reduce abrasiveness of the fabric.

System and methods that enables fabric to be metalized and dyed to reach final colors that were previously unobtainable. The systems and methods relate to processes for controlling the color of metalized fabrics. Specifically, for some embodiments, the systems and methods relate to methods of making metalized fabrics that are lighter in color than prior metalized fabrics. Such fabrics may be printed on or dyed using lighter colors than would be possible when using prior metalized fabrics. The systems and methods herein may include dye baths and wash baths that are hotter than prior art processes.

An article includes a substrate with a surface, a coating disposed over the surface, and a subtractive colorant which absorbs electromagnetic radiation according to a specified absorption spectrum. The coating includes a binder material and a plurality of porous polymer particles having pores with a distribution of pore sizes adapted to scatter electromagnetic radiation in one or more specified wavelength bands, wherein the porous polymer particles have a shell which is impermeable to a liquid.

An article includes a substrate with a surface, and a coating disposed over the surface. The coating includes a binder material and a plurality of UV scattering porous polymer particles having pores with a light scattering effective pore size of no more than 100 nm. The coating has a scattering opacity of no more than 20% in the wavelength band from 500 to 3000 nm.

An article includes a substrate with a surface, and a coating disposed over the surface. The coating includes a binder material and a plurality of porous polymer particles having pores with a variety of pore sizes including a first set of pores having a first average pore size d1 in the range 0.3≤d1/λ1≤0.7, wherein λ1 is a wavelength in the range of 250-400 nm, a second set of pores having a second average pore size d2 in the range 0.3≤d2/λ2≤0.7, wherein λ2 is a wavelength in the range of 400-700 nm, and a third set of pores having a third average pore size d3 in the range 0.3≤d3/λ3≤0.7, wherein λ3 is a wavelength in the range of 700-3000 nm, wherein the porous polymer particles have a shell which is impermeable to a liquid.

A system for treatment of thread includes a weft thread printer having an intake positioned to receive a weft thread from a source, as well as an encoder that is configured to detect a length of the weft thread as the weft thread moves through the weft thread printer along a travel path. The system also includes a printhead positioned to apply coatings of a plurality of colors to the weft thread and yield a treated weft thread, as well as an outlet positioned to pass the treated weft thread to a loom.

A textile wash cycle indicator system comprising a textile fiber or yarn or section comprising a dye system comprising at least one dye, the dye system configured to release an amount of the at least one dye during each consecutive wash cycle; wherein the release of the amount of the at least one dye correlates with the consecutive wash cycles, and a method of using same.

Aspects are directed to a textile substrate with two or more ink layers and methods for printing a textile substrate. The two or more ink layers may include one or more visual components that form graphics or images that are visible to an observer when viewing the textile substrate from different angles.